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 San Antonio
A standard chimney sweep in San Antonio typically runs $189 to $299 before any repairs, and most jobs take 60 to 90 minutes. We work throughout the city, from Monte Vista to Alamo Heights to Stone Oak. If you’re searching for a Chimney Sweep crew that shows up when promised and shows you exactly what’s inside your flue, call Alcott Chimney San Antonio at (903) 515-5079.
San Antonio’s mix of hundred-year-old masonry chimneys and 1980s prefabricated fireplace systems means no two jobs look the same. We’ve swept thousands of them since 2002, and Ruben Castellano runs our crews with a simple rule: nothing gets recommended unless you see the camera footage proving it’s necessary.
Why Alcott Chimney San Antonio Is San Antonio’s Preferred Chimney Sweep Company
We compete on certainty, not the cheapest quote. Before a technician ever rings your doorbell, you’ll know their name and see their photo. That’s the Threshold Standard: background-checked, identity-verified, uniformed, and announced. Every visit. No exceptions.
San Antonio homeowners deal with a lot of door-to-door chimney pitches, especially in older neighborhoods near Loop 410 where clay tile liners are reaching the end of their lifespan. We get it. That’s why every job includes a written price before work begins and a written guarantee on every repair. If the repair fails, the second visit is free. That’s our 365-Day Done Right Promise, and it’s in writing on every invoice.
Ruben’s team answers the phone with a live person around the clock. When you call at 9 a.m. or 11 p.m., you’re not leaving a voicemail. You’re talking to someone who can schedule your sweep, walk through a chimney concern, or send a technician to your San Antonio home.
Styles & brands we work with
Chimney Sweep Certified in San Antonio
Chimney Sweep Certified in San Antonio means the technician performing your sweep has passed the background and identity verification that Alcott requires before anyone steps onto your property. The sweep itself removes creosote, soot, and debris from the flue and smoke chamber, restoring draft and reducing fire risk. Most San Antonio homeowners should have this done annually. A standard sweep runs $189 to $299 before any repairs, and the written quote you receive before we start locks that number in.
Creosote and Soot Removal
Creosote is the tar-like, oily residue that condenses inside the flue when wood smoke cools against masonry. It’s the primary fuel for chimney fires. In San Antonio’s older bungalows with unlined or clay-tile flues, creosote accumulates faster because the masonry surface is rougher and holds more condensation. Our sweep removes it with professional rotary tools, not box-store brushes.
Annual Sweep and Fireplace Cleaning
An annual sweep is the baseline maintenance every wood-burning fireplace in San Antonio needs, ideally before the first cold front in November. We also clean the firebox, damper, and smoke shelf during the same visit. If you’ve skipped a few years, that’s fine, we’ll show you what we pull out and explain what it means without turning it into a scare pitch.
Gas Fireplace Cleaning in San Antonio
Gas Fireplace Cleaning in San Antonio covers vented gas logs, direct-vent inserts, and gas fireplaces venting into older masonry chimneys. Dust, pet hair, and mineral buildup from San Antonio’s hard water can clog burner ports and produce an uneven flame or delayed ignition. A gas fireplace cleaning and safety check typically runs $149 to $249, depending on the unit and whether we’re also inspecting the venting path.
Glass and Burner Service
Foggy glass, soot streaks, or a lazy yellow flame usually point to a burner or venting issue. We check gas pressure, clean the thermocouple and pilot assembly, and confirm the vent is drafting correctly. If your gas logs vent into an old masonry chimney, we verify the flue is intact before anything else, because a cracked liner here is a carbon monoxide risk, not just an efficiency problem.
Venting into Older Masonry
In San Antonio homes built before the 1960s, it’s common to find a gas water heater or gas fireplace venting into a chimney originally built for a wood stove. These stacks often lack a proper liner, and the clay tile that may exist has cracked from decades of thermal cycling. We’ll camera-scan the flue and show you the footage before recommending any liner work. No camera evidence, no repair recommendation. That’s the rule.
Trusted Brands We Service in San Antonio
We stock and install professional-grade materials from DuraFlex, Famco, and HeatShield, the same brands chimney professionals specify rather than what you’ll find on a big-box shelf. When a San Antonio home needs a new cap, a stainless liner, or a resurfacing job, we carry the parts that fit correctly the first time. Our suppliers keep us stocked locally, which means less waiting for parts and faster completion on repairs throughout San Antonio, from the Medical Center to Cibolo.
Common Chimney Sweep Problems We See in San Antonio Homes
- Cracked clay tile liners from freeze-thaw cycles. San Antonio’s brief winter freezes followed by warm days cause clay tiles to expand and contract, which eventually leads to cracks and spalling. Once a liner fails, flue gases and moisture can push into the surrounding masonry and living space.
- Chimney swift nests blocking flues. In older neighborhoods inside Loop 410 like King William and Monte Vista, chimney swifts commonly nest in uncapped flues during spring migration. Their nests restrict airflow and can push carbon monoxide back into the house, so we remove them carefully and install a proper cap to prevent re-entry.
- Damaged crowns and caps from hail and thunderstorms. San Antonio’s humid subtropical climate brings heavy rain and occasional hail. A cracked crown lets water seep down into the masonry, and after a hard freeze, that water expands and spalls bricks from the inside out. Waterproofing and crown repair are usually far cheaper than a rebuild.
- Gas appliances venting into stacks never designed for them. This is the one we flag most in San Antonio’s early-20th-century bungalows. A water heater or gas insert venting into an unlined masonry flue is a setup for condensation damage and carbon monoxide backup. We’ll show you the camera footage before recommending a liner or resurfacing.
See the difference
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After
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After
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AfterPricing for Chimney Sweep in San Antonio, TX
Here’s what you can expect to pay in the San Antonio market before any repairs:
- Standard chimney sweep: $189 to $299, depending on flue height and creosote stage
- Gas fireplace cleaning and safety check: $149 to $249, depending on unit type and venting configuration
- Level 1 inspection: $99 to $199, typically bundled with a sweep
- Level 2 inspection with camera scan: $249 to $399, required when a house changes hands or after a chimney fire
What affects your price in San Antonio: roof pitch and accessibility on older two-story homes near Brackenridge Park, creosote volume, and whether an animal or bird nest needs removal. We also provide a written price before any work begins, so the number you approve is the number you pay. Call (903) 515-5079 for a free estimate.
We Also Serve Cities Near San Antonio
In addition to every San Antonio neighborhood, Chimney Sweep in San Antonio extends to Converse, Schertz, Cibolo, and Boerne. Our scheduling is coordinated from our San Antonio office, and crews serve the wider metro area daily. If you’re outside the city limits but still want the same written pricing and name-and-photo technician preview, call us, and we’ll get you on the calendar.
Serving San Antonio, TX - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the San Antonio 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 San Antonio
It cracks it. When water seeps into the tiny pores of a clay tile liner and temperatures drop below freezing, even briefly, that water expands and cracks the tile from the inside. San Antonio doesn’t get long freezes, but it doesn’t take many nights in the low 30s to start spalling the surface of a liner that’s already been baking under a Texas sun all summer. Once a liner cracks, flue gases and moisture can leak into the brickwork around it, and that’s when repair costs climb. Call (903) 515-5079 for a camera inspection and an honest read on what’s actually happening.
Yes. Chimney swifts are protected under federal law, so the nest itself can’t be disturbed while active, but once the birds migrate out, the nest material and debris must be removed before you burn or use the fireplace. Blocked flues push carbon monoxide back into the house. We’ll remove the abandoned nest, clean the smoke chamber, and install a Famco chimney cap so the birds can’t return next spring. Call (903) 515-5079 and we’ll time the work around the migration window.
Always. If a sweep recommends a new liner or a HeatShield resurfacing in your San Antonio home, you’ll see the camera footage showing the cracks, gaps, or spalling that justifies it. We don’t recommend thousands of dollars in liner or masonry work based on a glance down a flue. If the camera doesn’t show damage, we’ll tell you plainly that your chimney can wait, and we’ll put that in writing. Call (903) 515-5079 for an inspection where you see what we see.
A Level 1 inspection checks the readily accessible parts of the fireplace, flue, and chimney exterior with no special equipment, and it’s the standard when you use your fireplace the same way as always. A Level 2 inspection adds a camera scan through the full flue and is required when a house changes hands, the chimney has seen a fire, or a new appliance vents into the same stack. In San Antonio’s older neighborhoods, where clay tile liners and original masonry are common, we frequently recommend a Level 2 the first time we inspect a chimney built before 1970. Call (903) 515-5079 and we’ll help you choose the right level for your home.
It can be, but only if the flue is intact and properly sized for the appliance. Gas appliances produce cooler exhaust than wood fires, and that cooler air condenses inside unlined masonry, accelerating deterioration and trapping carbon monoxide. In many San Antonio bungalows, we find gas water heaters venting into stacks built for wood stoves decades ago, with no liner at all. We’ll camera-scan the flue, show you the footage, and tell you straight if the setup is safe or if it needs a liner. Call (903) 515-5079 to book an inspection.
Call Alcott Chimney San Antonio for a Free Estimate
If your chimney hasn’t been swept in a few years, or you suspect a liner issue, or you just want to know exactly who’s coming to your door, call (903) 515-5079. We’ll answer live, walk through what you’re seeing, and schedule a sweep or inspection that works around your schedule. Ruben Castellano and his crew serve every San Antonio neighborhood with written pricing, camera-verified recommendations, and a 365-day guarantee on every repair. No camera evidence, no upsell. That’s how we work.
Written by Ruben Castellano, Owner at Alcott Chimney San Antonio, serving San Antonio since 2002.