Level 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.
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterChimney Cleaning Before & After in Allentown, PA
We’ve been cleaning chimneys in Allentown since 1984, and we still think the best proof of our work is showing you what we found and what we left behind. These are real jobs from recent seasons - the kind of buildup, damage, and neglect we see in Lehigh Valley homes, and the results our technicians deliver in a single visit.
Recent Transformations
Heavy Creosote Buildup - West End Allentown
The homeowner in West End Allentown had been burning seasoned hardwood all winter without a mid-season inspection. When we ran our camera, we found Stage 3 glazed creosote nearly an inch thick in spots - the kind that ignites at lower temperatures and burns hot enough to crack flue tiles. We applied a professional-grade creosote modifier, let it break down the glaze, then power-brushed the flue and smoke chamber. The after photos show bare terracotta flue liner, and the homeowner’s insurance inspector signed off without issue.
Blocked Chimney Cap - South Side Allentown
A family on South Side Allentown called us in October because their fireplace was smoking back into the living room every time they lit it. The cap mesh was packed solid with twigs, leaves, and what turned out to be a partially built squirrel nest - typical for homes near Lehigh Parkway where mature oaks overhang roofs. We cleared the obstruction, inspected the flue for damage from the blockage, and reset the cap with proper mesh spacing. Draft pulled clean and strong on the first fire.
Cracked Crown with Water Intrusion - Emmaus Border
This chimney sits on a 1960s ranch right where Allentown meets Emmaus, and the crown had eroded so badly that water was weeping down the flue every hard rain. We see this constantly in Lehigh Valley - freeze-thaw cycles open hairline cracks, then each winter makes them worse. We formed and poured a new concrete crown with a proper drip edge, sealed it with CrownSeal, and flashed the transition to the siding. The homeowner watched the next storm from inside, dry and warm.
Deteriorated Clay Flue Liner - Trexler Park Area
The Trexler Park homeowner bought the house knowing the fireplace “needed work,” but the home inspector had only noted it needed cleaning. Our Level-2 camera inspection found three cracked clay flue tiles and missing mortar joints that were dumping combustion gases into the chimney cavity - a carbon monoxide risk we don’t soft-pedal. We installed a DuraFlex stainless steel liner, parged the smoke chamber with HeatShield for a smooth draft path, and walked the homeowner through every photo. The system passed inspection and they’re burning safely this season.
Smoke Chamber Corrosion - Downtown Allentown Historic
A century-old rowhome near 7th Street had a smoke chamber so rough and corrosive from decades of coal and wood burning that creosote was accumulating in ridges you could hook with a finger. In Allentown’s older housing stock, this is more common than people realize - the original builders parged with whatever was handy, and it doesn’t hold up. We stripped the loose material, applied a proper refractory parging compound rated to 2000°F, and reshaped the chamber for proper smoke shelf function. The fireplace draws like it was designed to now.
Animal Entry with Damaged Damper - Cetronia
The Cetronia homeowner heard scratching in the flue for two nights before calling. A raccoon had pried open a rusted throat damper and made it halfway down before getting stuck - common in Allentown’s older suburbs where chimneys sit unused through spring and summer. We extracted the animal humanely, replaced the corroded damper with a new stainless assembly, and installed a Gelco cap with animal-proof screening. The firebox got a full cleaning while we were at it, since raccoons don’t tidy up after themselves.
What Every Job Has in Common
Each of these started with a Level-2 camera inspection - photos the homeowner could see, explained in plain English. No work was recommended without evidence they could judge for themselves. Most were completed in a single visit by background-checked, uniformed technicians. And every one is backed by our 90-Day Done Right Promise: in writing, no arguing.
We use professional-grade materials from DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, Olympia Chimney, Famco, and Copperfield - no builder-grade substitutes, no corner-cutting. That’s how we’ve operated in Allentown for over 42 years, and how we plan to keep operating for the next thirty.
Want Results Like These?
Call (610) 632-1394 any time - a live person answers 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We’ll book your inspection, show you exactly what we find, and give you no-hassle upfront pricing before any work begins. The number on the estimate is the number on the invoice. Done right - and we stand behind it.
Written by Russell Haines, Owner at Hearthstone Chimney Co., serving Allentown since 1984.