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
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Before
AfterChimney Cleaning Services in Somerville, MA
Somerville’s triple-decker housing stock creates chimney problems you won’t find in single-family suburbs. Shared masonry stacks with multiple flues mean degraded mortar between units can let combustion gases cross into neighboring apartments. Hearthstone Chimney Co. has inspected and swept these exact structures for more than four decades, and we dispatch crews to Somerville from our Boston office. Call (781) 905-8338 - a live person answers, every hour of every day.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
- 4
You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Why Somerville Homeowners Choose Hearthstone Chimney Co.
We’ve been answering the phone with a real human voice for over 42 years. Not a callback queue. Not an app. A person who can book your inspection, explain what a Level-2 camera inspection involves, and tell you when the next uniformed technician is available in your part of Somerville.
Our technicians are background-checked and arrive in marked vehicles. Most jobs finish in a single visit. The price we quote is the price on the invoice - no surprises, no “while we were up there” add-ons discovered after the work starts. Every job carries our 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing: if it’s not right, we make it right, no paperwork, no arguing.
We know the difference between a Winter Hill triple-decker built in 1905 and a Davis Square two-family converted in the 1980s. The former likely has three flues in one stack, originally sized for coal, now venting modern gas appliances into unlined brick. The latter might have a single flue with a DIY liner install from a previous owner that needs careful evaluation. That local familiarity means we arrive with the right equipment and the right expectations.
Our Level-2 inspections end with photos you can see and a plain-English verdict. If your chimney needs work, you’ll understand why. If it doesn’t, we’ll say so plainly. We’ve told Somerville homeowners their chimney can safely wait another season - because honesty is how you stay in business for four decades.
Chimney Cleaning Services We Offer in Somerville
Chimney Cleaning & Sweep
Our professional chimney sweeping removes creosote, soot, and debris from flues serving wood-burning fireplaces, gas appliances, and pellet stoves. In Somerville’s triple-deckers, we clean each flue individually and inspect the mortar separating them for dangerous gaps. We use professional-grade brushes and vacuums, and we protect your floors and furniture throughout.
Learn more about our Chimney Cleaning & Sweep in Somerville.
Chimney Repair
Freeze-thaw cycles in Eastern Massachusetts steadily destroy mortar joints on Somerville’s century-old brick stacks. We repoint deteriorated masonry, rebuild damaged crowns, and repair spalled brick before water intrusion compromises the entire structure. All repairs use professional-grade materials from brands like HeatShield and Copperfield.
Learn more about our Chimney Repair in Somerville.
Fireplace Services
We inspect, clean, and repair fireplaces and inserts throughout Somerville, from original coal-converted hearths in Magoun Square to modern gas inserts in Teele Square. Our technicians evaluate draft performance, check clearances to combustibles, and ensure your fireplace operates safely and efficiently.
Learn more about our Fireplace Services in Somerville.
Chimney Cap & Crown Installation
A proper cap and sound crown keep water, animals, and debris out of your flue. We install stainless steel and copper caps from Famco and Olympia Chimney, sized precisely for multi-flue Somerville stacks. Crown repairs use professional-grade sealants and pour materials designed for New England’s severe weather exposure.
Learn more about our Chimney Cap & Crown installation in Somerville.
Chimney Liner & Rebuild
Unlined or deteriorated flues in Somerville’s pre-1930 housing are a genuine safety hazard. We install stainless steel liners from DuraFlex and Olympia Chimney, properly sized for your appliance and fuel type. When stacks are beyond repair, we rebuild with correct materials and modern clearances - documented with photos at every stage.
Learn more about our Chimney Liner & Rebuild services in Somerville.
Neighborhoods We Serve in Somerville
Our crews work across Somerville regularly, with scheduling coordinated to minimize travel time between appointments. Most Somerville customers receive service within a few days of calling, often sooner during peak pre-winter booking.
- Winter Hill - dense triple-decker blocks with original masonry stacks
- East Somerville - mixed-era housing near the Assembly Row development
- Magoun Square - classic 1890s-1920s residential fabric
- Davis Square - owner-occupied homes and converted two-families
- Teele Square - similar vintage to Winter Hill, heavy rental stock
Why Somerville’s Climate & Housing Affect Chimney Cleaning
Somerville presents a chimney maintenance problem almost unique in Massachusetts. Roughly 80 to 90 percent of residential buildings went up between 1880 and 1930, and the triple-decker dominates neighborhoods like Winter Hill, East Somerville, and Magoun Square. These three-unit stacked rentals share a single exterior chimney stack containing two or three separate masonry flues. The landlord owns the stack; individual tenants typically have no visibility into its condition.
Here’s what we find repeatedly on Somerville inspections: the mortar separating flues inside the stack has degraded over a century of freeze-thaw cycling. Eastern Massachusetts sees sub-freezing nights followed by daytime thaws from November through March, and that expansion and contraction steadily spalls mortar joints. When the divider between flues fails, smoke or carbon monoxide from one unit’s appliance can migrate through the gap and backdraft into a neighboring apartment through an adjacent flue. This is not a theoretical risk. We’ve documented it with our camera systems in Somerville triple-deckers where neither tenant had any idea their flue was communicating with their neighbor’s.
The original flues were sized for coal or oil furnaces, not modern gas appliances or wood inserts. Most lack any original liner. Cold winters push Somerville residents toward supplemental wood and pellet stoves, which deposit creosote in flues that are often undersized or improperly converted. Annual inspection isn’t cautious - it’s necessary in this housing stock.
Pricing for Chimney Cleaning in Somerville
We publish our pricing because we have nothing to hide. The number on your estimate is the number on your invoice.
| Service | Price Range |
|---|---|
| Standard Chimney Sweep (single flue) | $189 - $249 |
| Level-2 Camera Inspection with Photo Report | $279 - $349 |
| Multi-Flue Sweep (triple-decker, per flue) | $159 - $209 per flue |
| $89 Seasonal Tune-Up | $89 (limited availability) |
| Chimney Repair (repointing, crown, minor) | $450 - $1,200 |
| Stainless Steel Liner Installation | $2,800 - $4,500 |
Standing offers: $50 off any repair over $250, free second opinion on any written estimate, and a permanent 5% senior and veteran discount. Call (781) 905-8338 for an exact quote - estimates are free.
Service Area - Cities Near Somerville
We serve homeowners throughout the immediate Boston metro area. If you’re in Medford, Belmont, Brookline, or Winchester, the same crews, same pricing, and same 90-Day Done Right Promise apply. Scheduling is coordinated from our Boston office with local dispatch to each community.
Serving Somerville, MA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Somerville area and 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 Cleaning in Somerville
A standard single-flue chimney sweep in Somerville typically runs $189 to $249, with multi-flue triple-decker buildings priced per flue at $159 to $209 each. Our $89 Seasonal Tune-Up is available at limited times throughout the year. Call (781) 905-8338 for an exact quote - estimates are free.
The National Fire Protection Association recommends annual inspection for all chimneys, and in Somerville’s triple-decker housing stock we consider this a floor, not a ceiling. Century-old unlined flues serving modern appliances, combined with heavy winter use of wood and pellet stoves, mean many Somerville stacks need sweeping every burning season. Call (781) 905-8338 to schedule - we’ll tell you honestly if your usage pattern warrants more or less frequent service.
Not always. We recommend a liner only when our camera inspection documents deterioration, improper sizing, or missing liner that creates a clear safety hazard - and we show you the photos before suggesting any work. Many Somerville flues can continue safely with proper sweeping and monitoring. When replacement is necessary, we use DuraFlex or Olympia Chimney stainless steel liners with no-hassle upfront pricing. Call (781) 905-8338 for a free inspection and straight answer.
Skipped maintenance in Somerville’s aging housing stock leads to three predictable problems: creosote accumulation increases chimney fire risk, deteriorated mortar between flues in triple-deckers creates carbon monoxide crossover between units, and freeze-thaw damage progresses from minor repointing to full rebuild. The first two can injure or kill occupants. We document every inspection so you know exactly where your chimney stands - no guesswork, no scare tactics. Call (781) 905-8338 to book.
Yes. We work regularly with Somerville landlords and property managers to schedule multi-unit sweeps efficiently, often completing all flues in a single stack in one visit. Our technicians are background-checked and uniformed, we protect floors and furniture, and we coordinate access with tenants in advance. We provide a single photo-documented report for the owner covering every flue. Call (781) 905-8338 to arrange service for your property.
Ready to have your Somerville chimney inspected by a company that documents what it finds, explains it plainly, and stands behind every job in writing? Call Hearthstone Chimney Co. at (781) 905-8338. A live person will answer, every hour of every day, and we’ll get you scheduled at a time that works.
Written by Russell Haines, Owner at Hearthstone Chimney Co., serving local communities since 1984.
What happens when you call
- 1A real person answersNo phone trees - talk to a local chimney cleaning pro.
- 2You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched. No surprises.
- 3We come out and measureLicensed & insured, at a time that suits you - the visit and the quote are both free.
- 4You get the price in writingLine-itemed, yours to keep, and nothing starts until you say go.
What Somerville Customers Say
"The cap keeps the birds out now, which after two springs of scratching noises above the bedroom is worth every penny."
- Nisha Gupta"Creosote buildup was worse than I realized. He measured it, put a camera up to show me the glazing on the flue, and was honest that we were closer to a chimney fire than I wanted to hear."
- Mark Bennett"Drop cloths everywhere, a HEPA vac running the whole time, and not a speck of soot on the carpet. I had been dreading the mess for nothing."
- Danielle Norris