For our homeowner's insurance, we needed proof. They did a full check with photos and video, cleaned the flue, fixed some small problems with the mortar, and sent a professional report the same day. The insurance company agreed to cover…
Chimney Sweeping in Readington, NJ: Camera First, Then Brushes
Before a brush touches your flue, a camera goes down first so you see what’s actually built up in there — creosote, a stuck damper, a cracked tile — on a screen, not just in a phone call. Then rod-and-brush cleaning and a HEPA vacuum sealed to the firebox do the work, and you keep the before-and-after photos.
5.0Rated 24 Google reviewsServing Readington Township and Hunterdon County
The core chimney service
A chimney sweep here starts with a camera, not a brush. We run it down the flue first and put the picture on a monitor, so you’re looking at the same creosote or blockage we are — not taking our word for it. Only then do the brushes come out, matched to wood, oil, or gas, followed by a HEPA vacuum sealed to the firebox opening so what comes loose goes into the vacuum, not across your hearth. NFPA 211 calls for that inspection at least once a year, because the buildup that causes a chimney fire is rarely the kind you can see from the room.
What the camera actually shows
Most flues haven’t had a light shined down them in years, so the first pass usually turns up something: creosote on the walls, a damper that isn’t closing all the way, sometimes a cracked flue tile caught before it becomes a bigger repair. Readington’s housing makes that worth checking on more than wood burners — 1,281 households in the township heat with fuel oil and another 297 with LP gas, and those flues never had a utility technician looking down them the way a gas main gets inspected. Whatever the camera finds, you see it on the screen first.
- Creosote stage on the flue walls
- Damper condition and movement
- Cracks or gaps in the flue tile
- Blockages — nests, debris, liner damage
You see the same picture we do — on the monitor, before the brush ever goes in.
Brushes and a HEPA vacuum, not a shop broom
Once we know what we’re dealing with, the cleaning is rod-and-brush work sized to your flue, run from the firebox up. A HEPA vacuum stays sealed to the firebox opening the entire time, so the soot knocked loose goes into the vacuum instead of settling on your mantel. Drop cloths go down over the hearth and nearby furniture before the first brush goes in, and stay down until the vacuum is finished.
One flue, three fuels — Readington’s mixed heating
Readington runs unusually mixed for Hunterdon County: gas, oil, and wood all show up on the same streets, sometimes in the same house after a furnace swap. 167 households in the township still burn wood as primary heat, and 912 units are single-family attached, which can mean a flue sharing a chase with the house next door. Whatever’s feeding your fireplace or furnace, the visit covers the same ground:
- Wood fireplaces and inserts, brushed to bare flue
- Oil-fired flues, checked for acidic glazing
- Gas vents, confirmed clear and drafting
- Shared chases in attached homes
The paperwork nobody thinks to ask for
When a furnace, boiler, or water heater gets replaced in New Jersey, the installer has to sign a state chimney verification form certifying the flue is “substantially clean of residue from its previous use” before the new appliance goes in. Most homeowners never see that form or know it exists — it goes from the installer’s clipboard into a permit file. A sweep ahead of that replacement is what gets the flue into the condition the form is asking about, and the photos from the visit are something you keep, not just a line on an invoice.
From the visit
What the camera and the vacuum turn up
Creosote on the flue wall, on camera
Before the sweep
After brushes and the HEPA vacuum
The camera feed, live during the visit
What Readington homeowners are saying
5.0
24 reviews on Google
Read on
Excellent communication throughout the process. I received a text when the tech was on his way, and he arrived exactly when promised to do the sweep.
After it rained a lot, we saw wet spots on the wall next to the chimney. A broken crown and worn-out flashing were found by the team. They put in new lead boots instead of flashing, poured a new sloped crown, sealed all the joints, and…
Chimney sweeping questions
Will the sweep make a mess in my house?
Drop cloths cover the hearth, and the HEPA vacuum stays sealed to the firebox opening for the whole brushing pass, so what comes loose goes into the vacuum, not the room.
Do I get to see what the camera finds?
Yes — the feed runs to a monitor during the visit, so you’re looking at the same creosote or crack we are, in real time.
What proof do I get once you’re done?
Before-and-after photos you keep. Anything the camera flagged, like a cracked tile, gets photographed too.
How often does a chimney actually need sweeping?
NFPA 211 calls for an inspection at least once a year, since the buildup that causes a chimney fire is rarely visible from the room.
Do I need a permit for a chimney sweep?
No. Sweeping and inspection aren’t permitted work under New Jersey’s construction code — a permit only comes into play if the visit turns up a repair or a liner.
Other chimney services
Chimney Inspection
A closer look with the same camera, written up for a home sale or an insurance form.
See this serviceChimney Repair
Cracked crowns, damaged flashing, and liner problems the camera turns up, fixed rather than flagged.
See this serviceFireplace & Stove Service
Damper repair and gas pilot work — the appliance side of the fireplace, not just the flue.
See this service