Sweep & inspection
Caps & crowns
Flue relining
Masonry repair
Gas fireplace serviceLevel 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.
Fast, Reliable Chimney Inspection Across San Francisco
Most San Francisco homeowners call us for one of two reasons: they’re buying or selling a pre-1940 home and the deal hinges on a clean inspection, or they’ve smelled something odd coming from a fireplace that hasn’t been used in months. Either way, a chimney inspection in San Francisco is a different job than it is in the suburbs. We’re working with 100-year-old brick stacks, shared flues between attached row houses, and roofs you can barely stand on. Alcott Chimney San Francisco sends background-checked, identity-verified technicians to every neighborhood from the Outer Sunset to Bayview, and you’ll know your inspector’s name and see their photo before we arrive. Call (831) 534-3789 to schedule.
Why Alcott Chimney San Francisco Is San Francisco’s Preferred Chimney Inspection Company
We’ve inspected chimneys in San Francisco long enough to know the difference between a Richmond district shared stack and a standalone Noe Valley fireplace. That matters when the fix requires understanding how two homes vent through one masonry column. Ruben Castellano leads a crew that treats every inspection as a documentation job first: you get camera footage, written findings, and a plain-English explanation of what needs attention now, what can wait, and what’s fine as-is.
Every Alcott technician passes a background check and identity verification before stepping onto your property. That’s the Threshold Standard, and it’s not optional. You’ll receive the technician’s name and photo before the visit, and they’ll show a photo ID badge at your door. No exceptions. We also hand you a written price before any work starts, so the number you approve is the number you pay. And every repair carries a written guarantee. If it fails within the coverage period, the second visit is free. That’s the 365-Day Done Right Promise.
San Francisco homeowners consistently tell us the same thing: they chose us because we told them exactly who was coming and what it would cost. In a city where opening your door to a stranger is a real decision, that certainty matters.
Styles & brands we work with
Chimney Camera Inspection in San Francisco
A Chimney Camera Inspection in San Francisco is the only way to see what’s happening inside a flue that hasn’t been opened in decades. We run a high-resolution camera down the full length of the flue, from the chimney cap to the firebox, recording everything. You watch the footage with us. You see the cracks, the creosote, the spalling, the animal nesting. Nothing is described to you secondhand.
In San Francisco’s Victorian and Edwardian housing stock, camera inspection often reveals what a visual inspection from the roof or hearth cannot: hidden cracks in original clay liners, separated flue tiles behind shared walls, and moisture damage from decades of fog against untreated brick. A camera inspection in San Francisco typically runs $185 – $325, depending on the roof access and number of flues. Most inspections take under an hour, and you’ll have the footage before we leave.
What the Camera Documents
We photograph and timestamp every finding. You get a written report with still images, video, and our recommendation in plain English. If we find nothing wrong, we tell you that plainly and don’t invent repairs. If we find deterioration, you’ll see it on screen before any recommendation is made.
When a Camera Inspection Becomes Urgent
If your fireplace has been unused for years and you’re now firing it weekly, if you smell smoke in rooms with no active fireplace, or if you share a chimney stack with an attached neighbor, camera inspection is the only way to confirm the flue is actually intact. In shared-stack row houses, a cracked liner in one unit’s flue can push smoke into the adjacent home. You can’t see that from the outside.
Fireplace Inspection in San Francisco
A Fireplace Inspection in San Francisco covers the entire system from the firebox floor to the chimney crown: damper, smoke chamber, flue liner, hearth, and exterior masonry. We follow the three levels defined by the National Fire Protection Association, and we’ll tell you which level your situation calls for before we book.
For San Francisco homes, fireplace inspection costs run from $145 for a Level 1 visual check on a system that’s been maintained, to $285 – $395 for a Level 2 inspection with camera documentation when a property is changing hands or a system has been altered. A Level 3 inspection, which involves opening up concealed areas of the chimney, is rare and quoted case-by-case after a Level 2 reveals a problem.
Most real estate transactions in San Francisco require a Level 2 inspection. Sellers call us before listing to avoid surprises at escrow. Buyers call us during the inspection contingency to verify the chimney isn’t a deferred five-figure repair. We serve both sides with the same camera evidence and the same written report.
Real Estate Inspections Done Right
If you’re under contract on a San Francisco Victorian, the chimney is often the last system anyone looks at. We’ve caught spalled flue liners, disconnected heater vents, and blocked smoke chambers that home inspectors flagged as “recommend further evaluation.” Our report gives buyers a dollar figure, not a vague warning. That lets negotiations happen on facts, not fear.
What We Check in the Firebox
The damper, the hearth extension, the lintel, the firebrick. In old San Francisco homes, firebrick often crumbles from decades of thermal cycling and coastal moisture. We document every crack and tell you whether it’s cosmetic or a sign the firebox itself is failing. If it’s the latter, you’ll see the evidence on camera.
Trusted Brands We Service in San Francisco
Alcott works with the trade materials chimney professionals actually specify: DuraFlex liner systems, HeatShield resurfacing, and caps and dampers from Olympia Chimney and Famco. When a San Francisco inspection reveals a failed liner or a crown that needs rebuilding, we install these systems and stand behind them with a written guarantee. We keep common replacement components stocked for fast turnaround on San Francisco jobs, so you’re not waiting weeks for a part while a foggy chimney keeps pulling moisture into your masonry.
See the difference
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AfterCommon Chimney Inspection Problems We See in San Francisco Homes
- Shared stacks between attached row houses. In the Richmond and Sunset, two or three homes often vent through one chimney column. If a neighbor’s flue liner cracks, their smoke, and potentially carbon monoxide, can be forced into your flue. A Level 2 camera inspection identifies this before it becomes an emergency.
- Fog-driven spalling in original brick crowns. San Francisco’s coastal moisture works its way into hairline cracks in old brick and mortar. When the temperature drops, that water freezes, expands, and breaks the masonry apart from the inside. A crown that looks fine from the street can be crumbling at the flue opening.
- First-degree creosote glaze in seldom-used fireplaces. Many San Francisco fireplaces sit unused for most of the year, then get heavy use during cold snaps. That pattern produces a hard, shiny creosote glaze that’s difficult to remove and burns hot if it ignites. Annual inspection catches it before it becomes fuel for a chimney fire.
- Roof access failures that hide the real problem. Steep Victorian roofs and tight attached setbacks in neighborhoods like the Inner Richmond make exterior inspection genuinely difficult. Some inspectors skip the crown and flashing. We don’t. If we can’t safely access the roof, we tell you and bring the right equipment, because the crown is where most San Francisco chimney failures begin.
Pricing for Chimney Inspection in San Francisco, CA
A Level 1 visual inspection in San Francisco typically runs $145 – $195. A Level 2 inspection with full camera documentation runs $285 – $395 for most homes, higher if there are multiple flues or difficult roof access. A Level 3 inspection, which involves opening concealed masonry to investigate damage a camera cannot fully document, is quoted individually and typically starts around $800.
What affects cost in San Francisco specifically: attached row houses with shared stacks sometimes require coordination with a neighbor for roof access. Steep roofs may need a second technician for safety. Multiple flues add camera time. None of this changes the principle: you receive a written price before any work starts, and that’s the price you pay. Call (831) 534-3789 for a free estimate. A live person answers, around the clock.
We Also Serve Cities Near San Francisco
Our crews regularly handle Chimney Inspection work in Daly City, Brisbane, Alameda, and Berkeley. The housing stock changes across the Bay, but the standard doesn’t: background-checked technicians, camera evidence, written pricing, and a written guarantee on every repair. If you’re just over the San Francisco line, we’ve got you covered. Call (831) 534-3789.
Serving San Francisco, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the San Francisco 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 Inspection in San Francisco
We typically run the camera up from your fireplace opening, which allows us to document your flue liner without ever stepping onto a neighbor’s roof. In many attached row houses in the Richmond and Sunset, each unit has its own flue within the shared stack, so we can see your flue from your side. If roof access is needed for a crown or cap inspection, we’ll coordinate with your neighbor, but in most cases, we can complete a Level 2 inspection without disturbing the adjacent home. If the camera reveals damage in the shared masonry itself, we’ll document it and give you a clear recommendation. Call (831) 534-3789 to schedule.
Yes, especially in San Francisco’s western neighborhoods. Fog carries moisture into unprotected brick and mortar, and even a small hairline crack absorbs water. Over the course of a winter, that water expands and contracts with temperature swings, breaking apart the masonry from the inside. What looks like a cosmetic crack at the crown can become a spalled flue liner within a few seasons. Annual inspection is the only way to catch this early, before the repair becomes a five-figure rebuild. Call (831) 534-3789 for a free estimate.
A Level 2 inspection includes everything in a Level 1 visual check, plus a full camera scan of every flue from top to bottom, documentation of all interior surfaces, and a written report with images. For a Victorian with original clay liners, the camera is essential: original clay tiles crack over time, and those cracks are invisible from the fireplace opening or the roof. We document each crack, measure the extent of separation, and tell you whether the liner is still safe to use or needs resurfacing with something like HeatShield. You’ll see the footage yourself. Call (831) 534-3789 to book.
In an attached home with a shared chimney stack, yes. Multiple flues run through the same masonry column, and if a neighbor’s flue is packed with creosote or damaged by a chimney fire, that heat and pressure can compromise the shared masonry and your flue lining. In some row houses, a neighbor’s malfunctioning damper can create draft reversal that pulls their smoke into your living room, especially during an inspection when your fireplace is cold. This is exactly why we recommend a camera inspection for anyone in an attached building, even if you rarely use your fireplace. A live person answers at (831) 534-3789.
We send a two-person crew when roof access is steep or the setback is tight. For many San Francisco row houses, we access the chimney from a ladder at the street-facing roofline, and we use roof harnesses and anchor points whenever the pitch exceeds what’s safe to walk. Some inspections can be completed entirely from the fireplace opening with the camera, which eliminates the roof access problem. If we can’t safely reach the crown, we tell you that plainly and bring the equipment to do it right, because the crown and flashing are where many San Francisco chimney problems hide. Call (831) 534-3789 for an honest assessment.
Written by San Francisco‘s chimney inspection team at Alcott Chimney San Francisco, led by Ruben Castellano. We’re part of the Threshold Group family of home-service companies, serving San Francisco homeowners since 2002 with background-checked technicians, camera documentation, and written guarantees.