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 Redondo Beach
A chimney sweep in Redondo Beach typically costs $189 – $279 for a standard open-fireplace cleaning, and most jobs are completed in under two hours. We work throughout the 90277 and 90278 ZIP codes, from the Hollywood Riviera down to the south Redondo flats, and we bring camera inspection gear on every single job so you can see the flue condition with your own eyes. Nothing gets recommended without visual evidence. Call (855) 554-2841 for a free estimate and we’ll be straight with you about what your chimney actually needs.
Redondo Beach chimneys face problems most inland LA homes never deal with. Salt air off the Pacific pits metal caps, rusts damper assemblies, and accelerates mortar decay in ways that Torrance and Gardena simply don’t experience. That’s why our Chimney Sweep process in this city always includes a corrosion and moisture check alongside the standard creosote removal. If we’re going to clean your flue, we should also be looking at what the salt air has done to the hardware above it.
Why Hickory Chimney Sweep Is Redondo Beach’s Preferred Chimney Sweep Company
Our customers in Redondo Beach keep calling us back because we fix what we find instead of handing you a referral slip. Ruben Acosta, who runs Hickory Chimney Sweep, built the company around a simple idea: if you’re standing in someone’s living room pointing out a cracked flue liner, you should be able to do something about it. That’s why we stock HeatShield resurfacing materials and DuraFlex liner systems on our trucks, and why we’re certified to install them. A basic sweep-only operator can tell you the liner’s failing. We can reline it.
We also clean dryer vents, which matters more than most homeowners realize. The two leading sources of residential appliance fires in this country are chimneys and dryer exhaust systems. One call covers both. When we’re out for your annual fireplace cleaning in Redondo Beach, we can check the dryer vent the same afternoon and quote the cleaning on the spot.
We know the local housing stock. The 1950s and 60s tract homes and beach bungalows that fill 90277 and 90278 were built with brick fireplaces and clay-tile flues, and many of those clay liners are at the end of their service life right about now. We’ve opened enough fireboxes in the Hollywood Riviera to know what a spalling 1958 clay liner looks like before we even point the camera up the flue.
Styles & brands we work with
Chimney Maintenance in Redondo Beach
Chimney maintenance in Redondo Beach is not optional when you live this close to saltwater. The marine layer and onshore breeze carry salt spray onto your roof and into your chimney system every single day, even when you haven’t burned a fire in months. A chimney that goes uninspected for two or three years can develop rusted dampers, pitted caps, and flaking mortar joints without you ever noticing, because the damage happens from the top down.
We recommend an annual sweep and inspection for anyone who burns wood, and at minimum a visual check every two years for gas fireplace owners. Expect to pay $189 – $279 for a standard sweep and Level 1 inspection in Redondo Beach. That includes creosote removal, soot cleanup, and a full hardware check.
Level 1 and 2 Inspections
A Level 1 inspection is part of every sweep. We check the accessible portions of the flue, the damper, the firebox, and the cap. If we see something concerning, or if you’ve had a chimney fire, bought the house, or changed fuel type, we’ll recommend a Level 2 inspection, which brings a camera into the full flue length and costs $249 – $399. In Redondo Beach, we end up recommending Level 2s more often than inland, specifically because clay-tile flues from the 50s and 60s hide cracks you won’t catch with a flashlight.
Chimney Sweep Services in Redondo Beach
Chimney sweep services in Redondo Beach go beyond running a brush up the flue. We remove creosote and soot, but we’re also looking for what the salt air has done to the system since your last cleaning: rust on the damper hinge, pitting on the chimney cap, moisture staining on the flue walls. If your cap is toast, we can replace it with a stainless model from Olympia Chimney or Famco the same day, because we carry those parts on the truck.
Our standard annual sweep in Redondo Beach runs $189 – $279. Fireplace cleaning alone, when the flue is in good shape and just needs soot and light creosote removal, falls on the lower end. A heavier creosote load or a flue that needs chemical treatment for glaze will push toward the top of the range and sometimes beyond, depending on what we find with the camera.
Creosote and Soot Removal
Coastal homes in Redondo Beach tend to build creosote slowly but deceptively. Because winters are mild and fires are sporadic, a fireplace might see only a dozen burns per year. That slow, low-temperature burning produces third-degree creosote glaze that hardens into a tar-like coating. You can’t brush that off. It requires chemical treatment and sometimes mechanical removal, and we’ll show you the camera footage before we recommend it.
What happens when you call
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A real person answersNo phone trees — you reach a local pro.
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You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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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 Redondo Beach
We work with professional-grade materials, not hardware-store generics. When we reline a Redondo Beach chimney, we use DuraFlex flexible liner systems. When a flue has moderate cracking and doesn’t need a full reline, we apply HeatShield resurfacing. Exterior work gets Olympia Chimney and Famco components, including stainless caps built to hold up against salt spray instead of rusting out in two seasons. We keep the common parts on the truck, so most hardware replacements in Redondo Beach happen the same visit, not three weeks later.
Common Chimney Sweep Problems We See in Redondo Beach Homes
- Rusted damper assemblies: Salt air corrodes damper hinges and handles faster here than anywhere else in the South Bay. We replace more dampers in Redondo Beach than in any neighboring city we serve.
- Spalling clay-tile flue liners: Homes built in the 1950s and 60s with original clay liners are at the age where cracks and crumbling are common. Many of these flues only need targeted repair, not full replacement. We show you the camera evidence either way.
- Third-degree creosote glaze: Sporadic burning on cool evenings creates slow, cool fires that leave hardened creosote deposits. Standard brushing is useless on glaze. Chemical treatment is required.
- Pitted chimney caps: The onshore breeze carries salt spray that eats through standard galvanized caps in a few years. Stainless steel from Olympia Chimney or Famco is the fix, and it lasts decades.
See the difference
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AfterPricing for Chimney Sweep in Redondo Beach, CA
Here’s what you can expect to pay in the 90277 and 90278 areas. A standard chimney sweep with Level 1 inspection runs $189 – $279. A Level 2 camera inspection runs $249 – $399 on its own, or less when added to a sweep. Creosote glaze treatment starts around $150 – $250 depending on flue length and buildup severity. Chimney cap and damper replacement, which we do more of in Redondo Beach than anywhere else, runs $120 – $400 installed depending on the component. Every estimate is free, and we’ll never recommend a liner replacement or major repair without first showing you the camera footage.
Call (855) 554-2841 and we’ll give you an exact quote before any work begins.
We Also Serve Cities Near Redondo Beach
Our trucks cover the entire South Bay. We regularly provide Chimney Sweep in Redondo Beach, plus Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Marina del Rey, and Lawndale. If you’re in one of these neighboring cities and need a sweep or a liner assessment, the same crew and the same camera equipment come with us. One call covers it.
Serving Redondo Beach, CA — Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Redondo Beach 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 Redondo Beach
Your Redondo Beach cap rusts faster because you live closer to open ocean. The prevailing onshore breeze carries salt spray much further inland than most people realize, and Redondo’s immediate coastal position means your chimney hardware gets a daily dose of it. Torrance, sitting further inland and at higher elevation, sees significantly less salt exposure. We replace galvanized caps in Redondo every week that have rusted through in two or three years, and we always recommend stainless from Olympia Chimney or Famco as the lasting replacement. Call (855) 554-2841 and we’ll check yours the same week.
The only reliable way to know is a Level 2 camera inspection, which runs $249 – $399 in Redondo Beach. Clay-tile flues from the 1960s crack due to age, moisture, and decades of heating cycles, but the damage is rarely visible from the firebox or the roof. Common warning signs include chunks of clay tile in the firebox, a rusted damper that suggests moisture in the flue, or smoke backing into the house on windy days. If you’ve never had the flue scoped, it’s worth doing once. Call (855) 554-2841 for a camera inspection.
Yes, and in Redondo Beach possibly more than you’d think. Fires that burn infrequently and at low temperature produce more creosote per burn than hot, regular fires. That creosote accumulates slowly, hardens into glaze, and becomes harder to remove the longer it sits. Salt air adds a second problem by corroding your damper and cap between burns. An annual sweep catches both issues for $189 – $279. That’s a small number compared to a chimney fire or a full reline. Call (855) 554-2841 to schedule yours.
First-degree creosote is flaky, black, and can be brushed off with standard sweeping. Third-degree creosote, which we see often in Redondo Beach’s sporadically used chimneys, is a hardened, shiny glaze that bonds to the flue wall like tar. Brushing does nothing to it. It requires a chemical treatment that breaks down the glaze over several days, followed by a mechanical removal. If we find glaze in your flue, we’ll show you the camera footage and quote the chemical treatment before we start. Call (855) 554-2841 for a flue assessment.
No, a crumbling chimney crown is a structural problem that lets water into your chimney system, and in Redondo Beach, the salt air makes it worse faster. The crown is the mortar or concrete cap at the very top of the chimney that seals the top against rain and moisture. Once it starts spalling, water gets into the flue, into the masonry, and behind the damper. In coastal air, that moisture accelerates corrosion and freeze-thaw damage during cooler winter nights. Crown repair is straightforward when caught early. Call (855) 554-2841 and we’ll assess it.
Contact Hickory Chimney Sweep in Redondo Beach
If your chimney hasn’t been looked at in a while, or you’re seeing rust on the cap, smoke backing into the house, or just want a competent sweep who can also fix what they find, call us. We’ll bring the camera, show you exactly what’s going on in your flue, and only recommend work that the footage supports. One call covers your chimney and your dryer vent. Reach us at (855) 554-2841 for a free estimate in Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, or anywhere in the South Bay.
Written by Ruben Acosta, Owner at Hickory Chimney Sweep, serving Redondo Beach and the greater South Bay.