Frequently Asked Questions

We lay protective floor coverings, run a rotary brush system up your flue to remove creosote buildup, and inspect every accessible component for cracks, gaps, or deterioration. The whole process takes 45 to 90 minutes for a standard fireplace. In older Allentown homes, especially in the historic districts near Center City, we often find original terracotta flue tiles that need careful handling. We document everything with photos.

The National Fire Protection Association recommends annual inspection, with cleaning as needed. If you burn wood as your primary heat source, or more than three cords per winter, you'll likely need a sweep every year. Allentown's cold, wet winters and freeze-thaw cycles in neighborhoods like West Park can accelerate mortar and crown deterioration, so an annual look is prudent even for occasional users.

Most appointments run 60 to 90 minutes from arrival to cleanup. A level-2 camera inspection adds 30 to 45 minutes. We don't rush. In Breinigsville and Macungie, where many homes have multiple flues or see-through fireplaces, we may need two hours. We'll tell you the expected duration when we book.

No. We use industrial vacuums with HEPA filtration, lay drop cloths from the door to the hearth, and seal the fireplace opening before brushing. In twelve years of service across the Lehigh Valley, we've learned that a clean job site is part of a square deal. We leave your home as we found it, minus the creosote.

Remove ashes from the firebox if there's more than an inch, clear the mantel of fragile items, and ensure we have access to the roof if your flue requires top-down cleaning. Don't light a fire for 24 hours before we arrive. We'll handle everything else, including moving any heavy furniture that blocks the hearth.

We primarily install DuraFlex stainless steel liners and Gelco alloy systems, selected based on your appliance type, flue size, and fuel source. Both carry strong manufacturer warranties and are rated for the temperature swings common in Pennsylvania winters. We don't use bargain liners that won't last, and we show you the spec sheet before ordering.

Yes. HeatShield is our go-to for resurfacing cracked or spalled terracotta flue tiles when a full liner replacement isn't necessary. It's a cerfractory sealant system that restores the flue's integrity without the cost of a full reline. We see a lot of candidates for this in Allentown's older housing stock, particularly in homes built before 1960 in neighborhoods like the 19th Street corridor.

We install Olympia Chimney stainless steel caps for most Allentown applications. They're built to handle our wet, windy winters and keep out the squirrels, raccoons, and starlings that nest in uncapped flues across the Lehigh Valley. A proper cap also prevents rain from saturating your flue, which is the leading cause of freeze-thaw damage to crowns in this climate.

Every pro working under our name is required to hold the license and insurance Pennsylvania requires, and we prefer technicians who've completed CSIA (Chimney Safety Institute of America) certification. Russell Haines, who leads our Allentown branch, insists on ongoing training in the latest inspection protocols and repair techniques. We don't send anyone to your home who isn't qualified to be there.

Yes. We carry general liability and workers' compensation coverage. Every homeowner receives a certificate of insurance upon request, with no delay. In twelve years of operation, we've learned that trust is built on documentation, not promises. If you have questions about our coverage, call (610) 632-1394 and we'll email you the details directly.

We handle permit applications for any repair or installation that requires city approval, including liner replacements and structural modifications. Allentown's building department at 435 Hamilton Street reviews chimney work for code compliance, and we know their inspectors by name. We don't ask homeowners to navigate that process alone.

We're open Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM, and Saturday and Sunday, 7:00 AM to 7:30 PM. During burning season, from October through March, we extend our weekday capacity with additional appointment slots. We don't promise middle-of-the-night emergency dispatch, but we do answer the phone with a live coordinator who can assess urgency and get you on the schedule fast.

An active chimney fire, carbon monoxide alarm activation with suspected flue blockage, or sudden structural collapse of the crown or exterior masonry. If you suspect a chimney fire, call 911 first, then call us. For everything else, we'll book you at the next available appointment and tell you honestly whether it's safe to use the fireplace in the meantime. We don't scare-sell urgency that isn't there.

October and November fill fastest. Homeowners in Emmaus and Fullerton who book by Labor Day typically get their preferred week. If you wait until the first cold snap, you may wait two to three weeks. We recommend scheduling your annual sweep in late summer, when our calendar is open and you're not competing with everyone else who just smelled their first fireplace smoke of the season.

Every sweep and inspection is backed by The Keystone Standard: 90 days, in writing, no arguing. If we missed something or the cleaning wasn't thorough, we come back and make it right at no charge. This applies to the workmanship of the sweep itself. Repairs and installations carry their own specific warranties, which we detail in your written proposal before any work begins.

We show you the photo, explain what we're seeing, and tell you whether it's urgent, soon, or can wait. Nothing is recommended without camera evidence you can see for yourself. In Hokendauqua and Coplay, where many chimneys were built with original clay thimbles and no liners, we often find conditions that have existed for decades without causing harm. We'll tell you when work can safely wait, because a company that plans to be in Allentown in thirty years doesn't burn its customers for a quick sale.

Repairs carry material-specific warranties: DuraFlex and Gelco liners are backed by manufacturer guarantees ranging from lifetime to 20 years, depending on the product tier. Our masonry and crown work is covered by The Keystone Standard workmanship guarantee. If it's not right, we come back. No paperwork, no arguing. That's been our way since 2014.

It's our promise, stamped on every proposal and rooted in our K.E.Y.S. values: Krafted right, Every time, Your home first, Standing behind it. The 90-day written guarantee means if our work fails due to workmanship, we fix it free. No claim forms, no runaround. Russell Haines brought this standard to our Allentown branch because it's how Hearthstone Chimney Co. has always operated, and it's why homeowners in Hellertown and Northampton keep our number on their refrigerator.

Absolutely. We review every photo with you before we pack up, and we don't process payment until you've seen the results and had your questions answered. For larger repairs, we schedule a walk-through with the technician who did the work. No surprises on the bill, ever. That's part of a square deal.

Written by Russell Haines, Owner at Hearthstone Chimney Co., serving Allentown since 2014.