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.
Famco Chimney Inspection in San Antonio: What to Know First
We provide independent Famco chimney inspection in San Antonio, typically completing a full Level 2 camera inspection within 90 minutes and delivering a written report with photos the same day. A standard Famco chimney inspection runs $189 to $349 depending on the level, and we always hand you a written price before any work starts. This page is for San Antonio homeowners who own a Famco fireplace or stove and want a straight answer about what is inside their flue, whether it is safe to burn, and what it will actually cost to fix if something is wrong. Call (903) 515-5079 and a live person picks up, any hour.
How Famco Products Fail – and How We Fix Them
Famco builds solid stainless steel chimney components, but no product survives San Antonio’s particular combination of heat, humidity, and the occasional freeze-thaw cycle without some wear. Here is what we actually find on Famco jobs in this city:
- Galvanized outer casing corrosion on Famco’s air-cooled chimney pipe. San Antonio’s summer humidity sits against the galvanized exterior, and over ten or fifteen years we see rust blooming along the seams, especially on exterior chase installations. The fix is usually section replacement, and we match the pipe diameter exactly rather than forcing an adapter that creates a leak path.
- Creosote adhesion in the narrower Famco flue diameters. Famco’s 6-inch and 8-inch round flue liners run tighter than some competitors, which means a home that burns unseasoned mesquite or oak any night of the week builds a hard, shiny glaze faster than a wider flue would. We remove it with rotary brushes and document the before-and-after with the camera so you can see the difference.
- Warping at the fireplace adapter collar. This is the single most common Famco-specific issue we see in San Antonio. The adapter sits directly above the firebox where temperatures spike, and repeated hot-cold cycles slowly distort the collar. What starts as a faint smoke smell at the top of the firebox is often a warped adapter letting flue gases leak. We replace it with an exact-fit Famco or equivalent professional-grade adapter, not a universal part.
- Loose twist-lock connections on triple-wall pipe. Famco’s twist-lock sections can back off a quarter-inch over years of thermal expansion, and once they do, creosote drips down the outside of the inner wall. During inspection we test each joint by hand where accessible and note any that have separated. The repair is a reseat and, where needed, a mechanical re-lock.
- Damaged cap screens letting birds in. Famco caps use a standard mesh that works until it does not. We have pulled everything from grackle nests to squirrel debris out of Famco flues in San Antonio. A torn or missing screen means animals get in, and what they leave behind is both a fire risk and an airflow problem. We replace the cap with a proper Famco-compatible unit and verify draw before we leave.
Styles & brands we work with
Our Famco Chimney Inspection Process
When you call us about a Famco chimney, here is exactly what happens:
- 1
You call, a person answers. We take your address, ask what the chimney is doing or whether this is a real estate or annual inspection, and schedule a two-hour window. Before the visit you get the technician’s name and photo by text or email.
- 2
We arrive, show ID, and lay eyes on the whole system. The technician checks the firebox, damper, flue, chase, cap, and any visible pipe sections. No tools in the house until we explain what we are looking at.
- 3
We run the camera. For a Level 2 inspection we send a camera up the flue from the firebox and, when accessible, from the roof down. We record the entire pass and pull stills of anything that matters: cracked liner sections, rust, joint separation, creosote thickness, animal debris.
- 4
We make the parts decision out loud. If something needs repair, we tell you whether a Famco OEM part or a quality aftermarket equivalent makes sense, what each costs, and why. We do not mark up parts as a business model. You get the real numbers.
- 5
We hand you the written price before touching anything. If you want the work done that day, great. If you want to think it over, the inspection report goes with you either way.
- 6
We finish, test, and guarantee it. Every repair gets a written guarantee. If it fails, the second visit is free. That is the 365-Day Done Right Promise and it is not negotiable, it is just how we operate.
What Famco Chimney Inspection Costs in San Antonio
Here are real numbers for the Famco jobs we do across San Antonio:
| Service | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Level 1 inspection (visual, no camera) | $189 – $249 |
| Level 2 inspection (camera, standard for real estate or after chimney fire) | $289 – $349 |
| Level 3 inspection (requires partial disassembly or structural access) | $500 – $1,200+ |
| Famco pipe section replacement | $150 – $400 per section installed |
| Fireplace adapter collar replacement | $225 – $375 |
What moves the price: roof access difficulty, flue height, whether we are pulling an insert or opening a chase, and the severity of what we find. You will know the exact number before we start. Call (903) 515-5079 for a free estimate. We will not waste your time with a vague quote.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterWhy San Antonio Homeowners Call Alcott Chimney San Antonio for Famco Work
We have been serving San Antonio since 2002 as part of the Threshold Group family, and every technician who shows up at your door has passed a background check and identity verification before they ever step on your property. That is the Threshold Standard, not an optional add-on. You will know the technician’s name and see their photo before we arrive, and that person carries a photo ID badge at the door, every time, no exceptions. We install and service Famco alongside DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, and other professional trade brands, so when a Famco part is discontinued or backordered we can usually offer a proper alternative without making you wait a season. And on every repair we hand you a written guarantee. If the repair fails within the coverage period, the second visit is free. That is the 365-Day Done Right Promise, and Ruben Castellano is the one who stands behind it. He would rather give you a straight answer today than a vague promise you have to call us back about tomorrow.
FAQs
Most San Antonio homes with Famco systems need a Level 2 camera inspection, especially if the home is being sold, the chimney has not been used in over a year, or you had a chimney fire or water leak. A Level 2 inspection costs $289 to $349 and includes a camera pass through the full flue with still photos of anything we find. Call (903) 515-5079 and we will tell you which level fits your situation before you book.
No. As an independent Famco service provider, we do not alter the warranty terms of your product, and an inspection itself never voids coverage. What does void a Famco warranty is a botched DIY repair, an unlisted aftermarket part that does not match the listed system, or continued use after a documented defect. We document everything with the camera and keep parts decisions transparent so you never have to guess. If you are unsure whether a repair falls under warranty, we will tell you what we see and what Famco’s own documentation says.
We schedule most Famco inspections within three to five business days, and we keep a live person on the phone around the clock so you are never leaving a message and hoping. If you smell smoke or are worried about burning before the appointment, call (903) 515-5079 and tell us what is happening. We will tell you honestly whether it is safe to wait or whether you should hold off on the next fire.
That depends on what the camera shows. Isolated corrosion on one pipe section, a warped adapter, or a bad cap is almost always worth repairing. Widespread rust across multiple sections, repeated joint separation, or a liner that has thinned to the point of flaking is usually a replace situation. We will show you the footage, give you the cost of both paths, and make a recommendation without any commission incentive pushing one way or the other. Some customers want the cheapest fix, and we will tell you plainly if the cheapest fix buys you three years or ten.
We use Famco OEM parts when they are available and priced reasonably, and quality aftermarket equivalents from professional-grade manufacturers when they are not. What we will not do is install a box-store universal connector on a listed chimney system, because that is how you create a leak path and a real safety hazard. Every part we install carries the same written guarantee as the labor. If it fails within the coverage period, the second visit is free.
Talk to Us About Your Famco Chimney
If you own a Famco fireplace or stove in San Antonio and want a real inspection with a real written report, call (903) 515-5079. A live person answers, the technician arrives with a name and a face you already know, and the price is in writing before any work begins. That is how we have done it since 2002, and that is how we will do it for you.
Written by Ruben Castellano, Owner, Alcott Chimney San Antonio at Alcott Chimney San Antonio, serving San Antonio and nearby areas.