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 Sweep Across Converse
A chimney sweep in Converse, TX typically costs between $189 and $329 for a standard masonry fireplace cleaning, and we can usually get a crew to your street within 2 to 4 business days. If you’re near Toepperwein Road, FM 1516, or the newer subdivisions off Lower Seguin Road, you’re in our regular service rotation every week. Call (903) 515-5079 and you’ll talk to a live person who can tell you exactly what to expect before we ever knock on your door.
We don’t do vague pricing or mystery technicians. Ruben Castellano runs Alcott Chimney San Antonio with one rule that shapes every job in Converse: show the homeowner the camera footage before recommending anything. If you wouldn’t spend money on it after seeing the video, we won’t ask you to.
Why Alcott Chimney San Antonio Is Converse’s Preferred Chimney Sweep Company
Most of the homes we sweep in Converse were built between the 1970s and early 2000s. That means brick ranch houses with original clay flue liners, prefab metal fireplaces that haven’t been touched since installation, and a fair number of homeowners who inherited a fireplace they’ve never actually used. Our Chimney Sweep team sees this every week. We know what a 1985 fireplace in Converse looks like inside because we’ve swept hundreds of them.
Every technician we send into Converse has passed a background check and identity verification under the Threshold Standard. Before the appointment, you get the technician’s name and photo sent to you. When they arrive, they show a photo ID badge at the door. Ruben Castellano set this up because he knows what it’s like to open your front door to someone you’ve never met, especially if you’re home alone or have young kids in the house. You’ll know who’s coming before they ring the bell.
We’ve built our reputation in Converse on straight answers. A written price comes before any work starts, not after. If we find something that needs repair, you see the camera footage first. And every repair carries a written guarantee, backed by our 365-Day Done Right Promise. If a repair fails within the coverage period, the second visit is free. No fine print, no negotiation.
Styles & brands we work with
Fireplace Cleaning in Converse
Fireplace Cleaning in Converse usually means removing creosote and soot from the firebox, smoke chamber, damper area, and flue liner so the system actually draws smoke up and out instead of pushing it back into your living room. A standard masonry fireplace cleaning here runs $189 to $279. Homes with heavier creosote buildup, or prefabricated units that need the refractory panels pulled and cleaned separately, run $249 to $329.
Cleaning When You Rarely Burn
Converse homeowners who only light fires a few times a year during cold snaps often think they don’t need cleaning. But those occasional smoky fires with mesquite or oak from the Hill Country produce first-degree creosote that builds up in the smoke chamber even without heavy use. It’s the exact kind of creosote we find in the brick ranches along Toepperwein Road.
What Happens During the Appointment
We lay drop cloths, run a HEPA-filtered vacuum, and brush the flue from the top down or bottom up depending on your setup. You’ll get a photo report after the job, and if the camera shows anything that actually needs attention, we’ll show it to you on the spot before recommending a dollar amount.
Chimney Services in Converse
Chimney Services in Converse go beyond the basic sweep. They cover Level 1 and Level 2 inspections, creosote removal, soot removal, annual sweeps, and the repair work most Converse fireplaces eventually need. A Level 1 inspection is included with a standard sweep at no extra charge and runs $149 to $199 when booked alone. A Level 2 inspection, which is the camera inspection the City of Converse asks for when a home changes hands or a chimney has gone unused for years, runs $249 to $399.
Creosote and Soot Removal
Creosote, the tar-like buildup that causes chimney fires, comes in three degrees. In Converse we mostly find first and second degree from occasional mesquite and oak burning. Third-degree creosote, the hardened glaze, shows up in homes where previous owners burned unseasoned wood or never had the flue swept. Removing it costs more and takes longer, but it has to come out before the system is safe to use.
Annual Sweep Programs
Many Converse households put themselves on an annual sweep schedule just like they do with their AC units. It’s a smart pattern here because the hot, humid summers and quick winter cold snaps cause thermal expansion and contraction in clay flue liners. Catching small liner cracks early keeps a $279 sweep from turning into a $3,000 repair.
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.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Trusted Brands We Service in Converse
We don’t install box-store substitutes. The liner systems, resurfacing materials, and caps we use in Converse homes are the same professional trade brands chimney technicians specify: DuraFlex for stainless steel liner systems, HeatShield for flue resurfacing, and Olympia Chimney for caps and dampers. When a Converse homeowner needs a liner repair or repointing work, we have the materials on hand or can source them fast, which means less waiting between inspection and repair. You’ll see the exact brand name and part number written on your estimate before any work starts. No generic “liner system” line items. You deserve to know exactly what’s going into your chimney.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterCommon Chimney Sweep Problems We See in Converse Homes
- Clay flue tile separation from expansive clay soil movement. Converse sits on clay soils that shrink and swell through wet and dry cycles. We routinely find 1980s-era clay flue tiles that have separated at the joints behind intact-looking mortar, and you’d never know without a camera inspection.
- First-degree creosote from sporadic mesquite and oak fires. Because Converse winters are short, most homeowners burn occasionally rather than continuously. That produces a dry, flaky creosote in the smoke chamber that builds up over years even with light use.
- Spalling brick and cracked chimney crowns from humid summers. South Texas humidity causes masonry to absorb moisture, and the rare hard freezes we get around Converse cause that moisture to expand and break apart the outermost brick face. A cracked crown is often the real leak source, not the flashing.
- Dampers stuck open or entirely rusted through. In single-story brick ranch homes built in the 1970s and 1980s, the original throat damper is usually cast iron and has been sitting in humid air for 30 to 50 years. We see seized dampers on at least a third of first-time sweeps in Converse.
Pricing for Chimney Sweep in Converse, TX
A standard chimney sweep in Converse runs $189 to $279 for a masonry fireplace that hasn’t been cleaned in a year or two. Fireplace cleaning with heavy creosote removal or prefab panel disassembly runs $249 to $329. A Level 1 inspection is $149 to $199 when booked on its own. A Level 2 camera inspection is $249 to $399. Liner repairs, HeatShield resurfacing, crown repair, and damper replacement are quoted separately after you’ve seen the camera footage, and you’ll get a written price before any repair starts. Call (903) 515-5079 for a free estimate on your Converse home.
What actually affects the price more than anything in Converse is liner condition. If your 1980s fireplace has separated clay tile joints, that repair has to be addressed before the chimney is safe to use. And we’ll prove it with video before you spend a dime on it.
We Also Serve Cities Near Converse
If you’re in Converse, you already know we’re local. But Alcott Chimney San Antonio also serves homeowners in Converse and the surrounding communities including Schertz, Cibolo, San Antonio, and Boerne. Dispatch runs from our San Antonio office, but the crews you’ll see in Converse work this side of town every week. You’re not waiting on someone driving in from the other side of the metro.
Serving Converse, TX - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Converse 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 Sweep in Converse
The 1980s-era clay flue liners in Converse sit on expansive clay soil that shrinks during long dry spells and swells after heavy rain. That movement transfers up through the foundation and shifts the chimney structure just enough to separate the clay tile joints over decades. A camera inspection shows exactly where the gaps are.
Yes. A cracked clay tile does not automatically mean you need a stainless steel liner. If the tiles are still structurally sound at the joints and the cracks are superficial, we’ll tell you that, clean the flue, and note that it’s something to watch. We’ll sell a liner only when the camera evidence shows separated joints, spalling, or fire exposure that actually compromises the flue.
We usually find first-degree, dry, flaky creosote in the smoke chamber and up the first few feet of the flue. It’s dusty rather than glazed, and it brushes out fairly easily. But it’s still combustible, and in a brick ranch with a separated clay liner, even first-degree creosote is enough to start a chimney fire if the flue gets hot enough.
Not necessarily replaced in the traditional sense. If the separation is moderate and the rest of the flue is sound, HeatShield resurfacing can seal the joints and restore a continuous, insulated lining, often at a fraction of the cost of a full tear-out. We’ll show you the camera footage and explain both options before you decide.
If you never burn wood, an annual sweep isn’t necessary. But a Level 1 inspection once every two to three years is still worth it in Converse because moisture entry and clay soil movement can damage an unused chimney just as fast as a used one. Water damage, spalling brick, and cracked crowns don’t care whether you light fires. Call (903) 515-5079 and we’ll tell you honestly whether your fireplace can safely wait another year.
Written by Ruben Castellano, Owner at Alcott Chimney San Antonio, serving Converse and the surrounding South Texas communities since 2002.