How Much Does a Chimney Sweep Cost in Massachusetts?

What North Shore homeowners should expect to pay for chimney cleaning, inspections and the most common repairs — and what drives the price up or down.

Our Flat-Rate Pricing

Coastal Chimney Sweeps uses simple flat rates for the two services almost every homeowner needs:

Service	Price	What's Included
Chimney Cleaning (Sweep)	$300	Full flue sweep with HEPA vacuum, firebox and smoke-chamber cleaning, debris removal, written condition report with photos
Chimney Inspection	$150	NFPA 211 Level I or Level II inspection with video camera scan of the flue, written report and photos

Unlike some companies, we do not advertise a low "teaser" price and then add fees for the vacuum, the report, or the second story. The price above is the price you pay for a standard single-flue residential chimney.

What Changes the Price of a Cleaning?

Number of flues — a chimney serving a fireplace and a furnace has two flues; each is cleaned and inspected separately.

Creosote stage — light, flaky first-stage creosote brushes out quickly; hard third-stage glaze may require a second visit with specialized tools.

Blockages — nests, debris or collapsed tile that must be cleared before sweeping add time.

Inserts and stoves — wood-stove inserts sometimes need to be pulled to access the flue properly.

Years since last cleaning — a flue that has gone five winters without service takes longer than one swept last year.

How Repairs Are Priced

Repairs are quoted after we see the chimney, because the same problem can be a one-hour fix on one house and a two-day job on another. The main variables are:

Height of the chimney and roof pitch (staging and safety requirements)

Extent of damage — a few loose joints versus full repointing of the exposed stack

Materials — stainless steel versus copper caps; standard versus historically matched brick and mortar

Roof type — flashing on asphalt shingle is quicker than on slate or tile

Access — tight lots in Salem's Old Town or Marblehead cost more to stage than an open suburban yard

As a rule of thumb, a chimney cap is the least expensive improvement and prevents the most damage; flashing repair and crown sealing are mid-range; and tuck pointing or a full stainless liner are the larger investments. Every estimate is free and in writing.

Is an Annual Sweep Worth $300?

Compare it to the alternatives. A chimney fire routinely cracks flue tiles and requires a full reline costing thousands. Water that gets into an uncapped, uncrowned chimney for a few winters can mean rebuilding the top of the stack. And a blocked flue is a carbon-monoxide hazard with no price tag at all. For most North Shore homes that burn wood through the winter, an annual cleaning and inspection is the cheapest insurance on the house.

Questions to Ask Any Chimney Company

Is the price all-inclusive, or are the vacuum, report and photos extra?

Will I receive a written report with photos of the flue interior?

Are you fully insured, and can you provide a certificate?

Who will actually do the work — the owner, an employee or a subcontractor?

Do you follow NFPA 211 inspection levels, and which level is included?

Ready to Schedule?

Cleaning is $300 flat, inspections $150. Serving Lynn, Salem, Beverly, Peabody and the entire North Shore.

Call (781) 268-1037 Request a Visit

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