Level 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.
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterChimney Cleaning Before & After in Orland Park, IL
We’ve cleaned and inspected more than 38,000 chimneys since 2009, and we’ve documented every one under Clause 4 of the Haven Standard. The photo record isn’t for our scrapbook - it’s what you take with you. Here’s what chimney cleaning actually looks like in Orland Park homes, from the routine to the neglected.
Recent Transformations
Class III Creosote Removal - Orland Park Split-Level, 1987 Build
The flue liner in this Orland Park split-level was coated with Class III creosote, a hardened, tar-like glaze that forms when wood burns at low temperatures and exhaust cools too quickly in an exterior chimney chase. That glaze is fuel - it ignites at lower temperatures than raw wood and burns intensely once started. We ran a rotary chain system to fracture the glaze, then switched to poly brushes to clear the debris without damaging the clay flue tiles. The after photos show terracotta liner with visible joints and full diameter restored, documented under Haven Standard Clause 4 with time-stamped before, during, and after frames.
Smoke Chamber Parging - Orland Park Ranch, Unlined Firebrick
This Orland Park ranch had a corbeled smoke chamber, the angled transition from firebox to flue, built with exposed brick steps that create turbulence and collect creosote. The corbeling was so pronounced that a standard brush couldn’t reach the shoulders. We cleaned the chamber first, then applied Smoke Chamber Seal, a refractory parging material that smooths the interior to NFPA 211 standards. The result is a parabolic surface that draws smoke efficiently and sheds creosote rather than trapping it. The homeowner received the photo record showing brush clearance measurements before and after parging application.
Chimney Cap and Crown Rebuild with Full Sweep - Orland Park Two-Story, Wind-Exposed
The concrete crown on this Orland Park two-story had cracked through to the flue liner, and the galvanized cap had rusted to the point of collapse - we’d guess it had been open to the weather for three or four seasons minimum. Water was wicking down the flue, mixing with soot to form acidic sludge that accelerated deterioration of the smoke chamber below. We removed the crown to the brick course, poured a new 4-inch reinforced crown with drip edge and overhang, and installed a Gelco stainless steel cap with mesh screening. The sweep and camera inspection that preceded the rebuild revealed the flue was structurally sound, so we could quote crown work only with confidence. Written scope, written price, written warranty - Haven Standard Clause 1.
Fireplace Insert Removal and Flue Restoration - Orland Park Colonial, 1970s Prefab
A previous owner had wedged a wood-burning insert into this Orland Park colonial’s factory-built fireplace without connecting it to a listed liner system. The insert’s flue collar was dumping exhaust into the chimney cavity, not the flue liner, and the resulting creosote buildup had narrowed the liner to roughly half its original diameter. We extracted the insert, ran a full mechanical sweep with a 3/4-inch poly brush on sectional rods, and performed a smoke test to verify draft. The flue liner, a 12-inch round clay tile system, tested sound. The homeowner wanted the open fireplace restored, so we installed a top-sealing damper to improve efficiency and block down drafts from Orland Park’s prevailing westerlies. Every step photo-documented, every finding explained in plain terms before any work started.
Chimney Liner Inspection and Creosote Mitigation - Orland Park Townhome, Gas Conversion
This Orland Park townhome was converting from wood to a direct-vent gas insert, and the municipal inspector required a Level 2 inspection per NFPA 211 - camera scan, accessible interior, and written report. We found the clay flue liner had minor spalling at the first joint above the smoke chamber, but the damage was superficial, not through-wall. The creosote deposit was Class II, flaky and brush-removable, not the glazed Class III that would have indicated chronic low-temperature burning. We swept the flue, documented liner condition with the camera scan, and provided the written report the inspector and the gas installer both needed. No liner replacement was necessary, which we stated plainly in the written price - no work recommended without evidence the customer could see.
Annual Maintenance Sweep - Orland Park Home, Burning Season Preparation
This is the most common job we do in Orland Park, and it’s the one that prevents the expensive ones. The homeowner burns 1.5 to 2 cords of seasoned oak per season, which is moderate use for our climate zone. After two seasons without sweeping, the flue liner carried roughly 1/4 inch of soot and light creosote - not yet hazardous, but approaching the 1/8-inch threshold where NFPA 211 recommends cleaning. We ran a standard sweep with a 3/4-inch flat wire brush, inspected with the camera, and found the liner, smoke chamber, and firebox all in serviceable condition. The entire visit took under 90 minutes. The photo record showed a clean flue with visible tile joints, and the written report noted no defects requiring repair - work that could safely wait was identified as such, not upsold.
Want Results Like These?
Every job starts with a written price, a written scope, and a written warranty - Haven Standard Clause 1, no exceptions. Camera inspection and photo record included, Clause 4, every time. Call (708) 294-2571 to book your chimney cleaning in Orland Park. Estimates are free, and if you have a written quote from another company, we’ll give you a free second opinion.
Written by Corrine Halstead, Owner at Emberly Chimney Cleaners Orland Park, serving Orland Park since 2009.