Sweep & inspection
Caps & crowns
Flue relining
Masonry repair
Gas fireplace serviceLevel 1 sweep and inspection to the NFPA 211 annual standard - flue, crown, cap, and flashing checked and photographed
Chimney sweep logs do not sweep chimneys. They loosen some creosote - which then falls where a brush and vacuum still have to collect it.
Fast, Reliable Chimney Sweep Across Summit
A chimney sweep in Summit costs $189 – $289 for a standard cleaning with a Level 1 inspection, and for most two-flats and worker cottages off Archer Avenue and 63rd Street, that’s a same-week job when you book it. We work in Summit constantly because the housing here throws problems at us that a generic sweep crew misses: shared chimney stacks between adjacent units, storm-damaged crowns, and moisture climbing up from the Des Plaines River corridor. If your flue hasn’t had eyes on it in two years or more, call (866) 361-2607 and we’ll get you on the schedule before the first cold snap.
Why Wexford Chimney Sweep Is Summit’s Preferred Chimney Sweep Company
Wexford Chimney Sweep works in Summit because the village needs a specialist, not a generalist. Our Chimney Sweep team knows what a century-old brick chimney on a 25-foot-wide lot looks like from the roof: tight clearances, abutting stacks, flashing that’s been patched twice, and clay tile liners that have seen ninety winters. We’re led by Norm Sulecki, who built this company around one principle: we sweep it, inspect it, and if something’s wrong, we fix it. That matters in Summit where a neglected flue can push smoke toward the neighbor’s unit. The village’s dense, pre-war housing means most of our Summit calls involve chimneys built before modern liner standards, and every sweep here includes a close look at masonry condition, crown integrity, and moisture entry. We don’t diagnose and walk away. We bring the right materials and handle the repair on the same visit when the scope allows.
Styles & brands we work with
Chimney Cleaning in Summit
Chimney Cleaning in Summit starts with what’s actually burning in these fireplaces: a lot of oak and mixed hardwood from Wisconsin and Michigan suppliers, but also firewood that’s sat wet in a backyard shed near the river. Summit’s low-lying position along the Des Plaines means ambient damp is higher here than in neighboring towns at elevation, and wet fuel lays down creosote faster. A routine sweep for a wood-burning fireplace in Summit runs $189 – $249 depending on flue height and buildup. For gas and pellet fireplaces, we’re typically $149 – $199, and we check venting and termination caps as part of the job because a bird or squirrel nest in a Summit two-flat’s cap is common enough to plan for.
Creosote Removal and Inspection
We remove first-degree through third-degree creosote with rotary rods and hand brushes sized to the flue, not a one-size-fits-all sweep. Every cleaning includes a Level 1 inspection of the firebox, damper, smoke chamber, and accessible flue. In Summit, where many chimneys share a party wall with the unit next door, we also check the crown and the roofline from above. That’s standard for us here, not an upgrade.
Annual Sweep Before the Burning Season
Most Summit homeowners should schedule an annual sweep between late summer and October, before the first fire of the season. The chimney that sat idle all summer may have collected leaves from overhanging silver maples, or taken a crown hit in a spring storm. Waiting until December means you’re burning with whatever’s inside. We’d rather catch a cracked crown in September than find water on your ceiling in January.
Fireplace Cleaning in Summit
Fireplace Cleaning in Summit is about more than scooping ash. We brush the firebox, vacuum the smoke chamber and damper assembly, and remove the soot and creosote that build up on brick and refractory panels during a season of use. Fireplace cleaning alone, without a full flue sweep, runs $120 – $160 in Summit and makes sense mid-season if you’re burning daily and noticing more smoke than usual rolling back into the room. If you’re doing the full job, fireplace cleaning is included with our standard sweep at $189 – $289. The price difference comes down to flue height and whether the chimney is on a two-flat with a longer run or a single-story cottage.
What to Expect During the Visit
We lay down drop cloths from the door to the hearth, run a HEPA vacuum, and leave the firebox cleaner than we found it. The inspection covers the lintel, damper plate, and throat, and we check for gaps where smoke and carbon monoxide can leak into the living space. If you’ve got a gas log set, we remove and reinstall it properly and check the gas line connection visually. In Summit we see plenty of old fireplaces with unlined fireboxes that were never meant for frequent wood burning, so we’ll give you a straight answer about what’s safe to use and what needs repair.
Stains, Odors, and Strange Smells
A fireplace that smells like an ashtray in July is telling you that creosote is attracting moisture. That damp odor gets worse along the Des Plaines corridor, and the fix is usually a sweep plus a crown or cap repair to stop the water entry. If you notice a ceiling stain in the room below or beside the chimney after heavy rain, that’s not a fireplace issue by itself. It’s flashing or crown failure, and we’ll find it with an inspection from the roof and inside the attic if access exists.
Trusted Brands We Service in Summit
We stock and install materials from DuraFlex, Copperfield, and Famco, the brands chimney contractors use when the job has to be done right. Because Summit’s chimneys are older and tighter than newer suburban builds, the liner system and cap hardware we install need to fit a specific flue size and roof slope, not whatever’s on the shelf at a big-box store. DuraFlex flexible liners handle most relining work in Summit’s two-flats and bungalows where clay tiles have cracked. Copperfield and Famco caps and chase covers hold up to the wind and rain that roll through this river corridor. When you need a liner section, a cap, or a rain cover, having the right part keeps the job moving.
Common Chimney Sweep Problems We See in Summit Homes
- Shared or abutting stacks on two-flats. A creosote-loaded flue in one unit can push smoke and carbon monoxide toward the neighbor’s unit when both chimneys share masonry. We check the neighbor’s stack and the common roofline on most Summit two-flat calls.
- Storm-damaged crowns and displaced caps. Spring and fall storms off the river corridor knock caps loose and crack old mortar crowns. Water then tracks down past the flashing and shows up as a ceiling stain inside the unit, often a full floor below the roof.
- Moisture-driven spalling on century brick. Chronic damp near the Des Plaines River saturates brick and freezes in winter, popping the faces off bricks and crumbling mortar joints. A sweep that ignores masonry is missing the expensive problem.
- Wet firewood and accelerated creosote buildup. Wood stored in tight Summit yards without good airflow burns cooler and dirtier. We see first-degree creosote turn to second-degree within a single season when the wood is damp.
See the difference
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AfterPricing for Chimney Sweep in Summit, IL
A standard chimney sweep with Level 1 inspection in Summit runs $189 – $289. Fireplace-only cleaning runs $120 – $160. If we find a cracked crown, bad flashing, or a displaced cap during the sweep, that’s additional work quoted separately, usually $225 – $450 for a crown repair and cap replacement depending on access and materials. What pushes a Summit chimney to the high end of the base range is flue height on a two-flat and heavy creosote buildup from wet wood. You’ll get a flat-price quote over the phone before we book, and the price we quote is the price you pay unless the inspection uncovers a real problem we agree on together. Call (866) 361-2607 for an exact quote. Estimates are free.
We Also Serve Cities Near Summit
Wexford Chimney Sweep covers the full west suburban corridor around Summit, including Lyons, La Grange, Brookfield, and North Riverside. If you live in one of those towns and your chimney has the same storm exposure and moisture issues we see here, give us a call and we’ll get it handled the same way: inspect, sweep, and repair in one relationship with one company.
Serving Summit, IL — Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Summit area and offer Gelco service in Summit, so we know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage — if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs About Chimney Sweep in Summit
Because in Summit’s close-set two-flats and worker cottages, adjacent chimneys often share masonry or sit inches apart on the roofline, a clogged or creosote-loaded flue in one unit can back-draft smoke and carbon monoxide toward the other unit. We check the neighboring stack and common roofline on most two-flat calls because the risk crosses property lines. We sweep it, inspect it, and if the neighbor’s chimney is the problem, we’ll tell you exactly what we saw. Call (866) 361-2607 to schedule an inspection.
Often, yes. A ceiling stain below or beside a chimney after heavy rain usually means water is entering at the crown or around the flashing, then running down inside the chase or along the flue. In Summit the spring and fall storms that move through the Des Plaines corridor displace caps and crack old mortar crowns on a regular basis. On a two-flat block off Archer Avenue near the river, we were called for a routine sweep but found the chimney crown cracked and a cap displaced after a spring storm, with water tracking down past the flashing and staining a second-floor ceiling. Our tech ran a Level 2 inspection, cleared first-degree creosote from the firebox and smoke chamber, and reset the cap with new flashing before the first fire of the season. If you see a stain, don’t wait. Call us and we’ll trace it from the roof down.
Yes, and in Summit there’s a specific reason. Even an unused chimney takes on water from storms, collects debris from overhanging trees, and hosts birds or squirrels in the cap and flue. Moisture in the Des Plaines river corridor accelerates crown and flashing deterioration year-round, not just when you burn. A sweep before the first fire checks the flue, the cap, and the masonry so the first burn doesn’t smoke you out or push carbon monoxide into the unit. Call (866) 361-2607 and we’ll get you on the books.
Third-degree creosote is a hard, glossy, tar-like coating that forms when flue temperatures stay low and the creosote bakes into a glazed surface. A standard brush will not remove it. It requires rotary cleaning heads or chemical treatment, and sometimes a liner evaluation to see if the glazing has compromised the clay tile. In Summit, where wet firewood and river-corridor damp are common, third-degree creosote shows up more than it should. If you’re seeing thick, shiny black buildup at the damper or the flue opening, call us. We’ll give you an honest answer about what it’ll take to clean it.
Summit sits low along the Des Plaines River, and that means higher ambient humidity and frequent flooding in low-lying blocks. The moisture saturates brick and mortar, freezes in winter, and causes spalling, crumbling crowns, and deteriorated flue liners. A chimney in Summit that would be fine in a drier town five miles west will lose mortar faster here. That’s why our sweeps in Summit always include a masonry and moisture check, not just a flue brushing. If spalling or liner damage is found, we have HeatShield and DuraFlex to repair or reline without always needing a full tear-out. Call (866) 361-2607 and we’ll assess what your chimney needs.
Contact Wexford Chimney Sweep in Summit, IL
If your chimney hasn’t been swept this year, or you saw a ceiling stain after the last storm, or you just want a straight answer about what’s inside your flue, call Wexford Chimney Sweep at (866) 361-2607. We serve Summit, Lyons, La Grange, Brookfield, and North Riverside with one company for your chimney and your dryer vent. Both are fire risks. Both deserve a specialist. Estmates are free, and the quote we give over the phone is the number you pay unless we agree on something else first.
Written by Norm Sulecki, Owner at Wexford Chimney Sweep, serving Summit since the company’s founding.