A Top company - serving Alexandria, VA

Before & After Gallery - Top Hat Chimney

Every visit starts with

Level 1 sweep and inspection to the NFPA 211 annual standard - flue, crown, cap, and flashing checked and photographed

Worth knowing

Chimney sweep logs do not sweep chimneys. They loosen some creosote - which then falls where a brush and vacuum still have to collect it.

Styles & brands we work with

Before & after – our own jobs

Before - Recent Project — Recent Project

Before - Full Restoration — Full Restoration

After - Full Restoration — Full Restoration

Before - Complete Upgrade — Complete Upgrade

After - Complete Upgrade — Complete Upgrade

Chimney Cleaning Before & After in Alexandria, VA

Photos tell the truth faster than any promise. Below are a handful of chimney cleaning jobs from around Alexandria, with the flue as we found it and as we left it. Some were overdue by a few seasons. A couple hadn’t been touched since homeowners bought the place. The camera doesn’t flatter, and we don’t ask it to.

Call (571) 521-4837

Recent Transformations

Del Ray Fireplace: Creosote Glaze Removal

Before photo: glazed creosote buildup inside a Del Ray Alexandria chimney flue — Before: third-degree creosote glaze inside a Del Ray flue.

After photo: clean chimney flue after creosote glaze removal in Del Ray Alexandria — After: same flue after mechanical removal and a follow-up sweep.

The homeowner in Del Ray burned green wood for two winters. That leaves a tar-like glaze that a brush alone won’t move. We used a rotary loop system to break the glaze off the tile walls, then swept the loose debris out. The flue went from roughly 40% open to fully clear in one morning.

Old Town Rowhouse: Thirty Years of Soot and a Bird Nest

Before photo: bird nest and heavy soot inside an Old Town Alexandria chimney — Before: a starling nest on top of decades of soot in an Old Town flue.

After photo: clean chimney flue with new cap in Old Town Alexandria — After: flue cleared, swept, and capped to keep the birds out.

A rowhouse off King Street had a fireplace that drafted poorly and smelled every time it rained. The flue was blocked at the smoke shelf by nesting material, with fine black soot packed below it. We pulled the nest, swept the full length, and installed a proper cap. Draft went from a whisper to a steady pull.

Beverley Hills Chimney: First-Degree Creosote, Caught Early

Before photo: stage-one creosote dusting inside a Beverley Hills Alexandria chimney — Before: first-degree creosote, brushable but ready to build.

After photo: clean chimney interior after standard sweep in Beverley Hills Alexandria — After: standard sweep, under an hour from setup to cleanup.

This one was a straightforward annual sweep in Beverley Hills. The homeowner burns seasoned oak and had us out on a regular schedule. First-degree creosote is a brush job, exactly what we did here. The after photo shows the flue tiles back to their original terra cotta, which is how we like to leave every chimney.

Seminary Hill Fireplace: Smoke Chamber Packed with Debris

Before photo: debris packed inside a Seminary Hill Alexandria smoke chamber — Before: smoke chamber around 60% blocked with crumbled mortar and soot.

After photo: cleared smoke chamber in Seminary Hill Alexandria fireplace — After: smoke chamber cleared, firebox swept, draft restored.

A Seminary Hill family called because smoke rolled into the living room every time they opened the stove door. The smoke chamber above the damper had collected broken mortar and years of soot until the passage was pinch-point narrow. We vacuumed and hand-cleared the chamber, then swept everything above it. The difference in draw was immediate, and the room stayed clear on the next fire.

Rosemont Chimney: Water-Damaged Flue Liner, Before Rebuild

Before photo: cracked and spalled flue liner in a Rosemont Alexandria chimney — Before: spalled tiles and water staining inside a Rosemont flue.

After photo: new stainless steel chimney liner installed in Rosemont Alexandria — After: new DuraFlex liner, sized to the appliance and insulated.

This Rosemont chimney had a cracked clay liner letting moisture into the masonry. The homeowner wanted to keep using the fireplace safely. We removed the damaged tiles and pulled a DuraFlex stainless liner through, insulated and connected properly. It’s the kind of repair that changes a fireplace from a liability back into a working feature.

Potomac Yard Fireplace: Routine Sweep with a Camera Report

Before photo: camera inspection view showing soot and minor buildup in a Potomac Yard Alexandria flue — Before: camera view shows moderate soot and a small crack at the top tile.

After photo: camera view of clean flue after sweep in Potomac Yard Alexandria chimney — After: clean flue, and the crack documented for monitoring.

In Potomac Yard we did a standard cleaning and ran the camera as part of the job, which Wendell does on every visit whether you ask or not. The sweep cleared the soot. The camera showed a hairline crack in the top flue tile that wasn’t urgent but needed watching. The homeowner got the footage and a plain-English explanation, and a plan for spring if the crack grows.

Want Results Like These?

If your Alexandria chimney hasn’t been looked at in a few seasons, call (571) 521-4837. We’ll send a sweep to your door with a camera, a brush, and a straight answer. You’ll get the footage and the verdict before anyone asks you to spend a dollar on repairs.

Written by Wendell Pike, Owner at Top Hat Chimney, serving Alexandria since 1999.

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