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.
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AfterFast, Reliable Chimney Inspection Across Highlands
Most Highlands homeowners call us because something seems off with a fireplace that hasn’t been used in years, and they want a straight answer without a sales pitch. A Chimney Inspection in Highlands typically runs $189 – $449 depending on the level, and you’ll get a written price before we touch anything. We know this town’s chimneys because we’ve worked inside them, from the brick ranches off Wallisville Road to the older homes near the San Jacinto River. Call (336) 863-3889 and you’ll speak to a live person who can schedule your inspection.
Why Alcott Chimney Sweep Is Highlands’s Preferred Chimney Inspection Company
Ruben Castellano runs Alcott Chimney Sweep the way he’d want a company run if it were his own grandmother answering the door. Since 2002, we’ve built our Highlands reputation on one thing: showing homeowners exactly what we see, on camera, before recommending a single repair. You’ll know the technician’s name and see their photo before we arrive, and that person will show a photo ID badge at your door. No exceptions. It’s part of the Threshold Standard, the vetting protocol every Alcott technician passes before stepping onto any property in Highlands.
Highlands homeowners tell us the same thing: they quit using the fireplace after Harvey and never thought about it again until a cold snap or a home sale forced the issue. That’s exactly when we find the problems other companies miss. Our response time to Highlands is typically same-week, and Ruben personally reviews inspection findings before recommendations go to the customer. You get a written guarantee on every repair, and if that repair fails within the coverage period, the second visit is free. That’s the 365-Day Done Right Promise, and it applies to every job in Highlands.
Level 2 Chimney Inspection in Highlands
Level 2 Chimney Inspection in Highlands is what we recommend for nearly every post-Harvey home, every real estate transaction, and any fireplace that hasn’t been used since 2017. It includes everything in a Level 1 (accessible portions of the interior and exterior), plus a video camera scan of the entire flue, the smoke chamber, and the firebox. In Highlands, this is the only way to see what river water left behind. A Level 2 inspection here typically runs $289 – $449, and you’ll see the footage yourself while we explain what it means.
Camera Scan of the Full Flue
The camera reaches places a flashlight can’t: upper flue liner joints, the smoke shelf, and the damper assembly. On Highlands chimneys built in the 1940s through the 1970s, we’re looking specifically for eroded mortar joints in clay-tile liners and any silt that never got cleared after flooding. If the liner is intact, you’ll see that too, and we’ll tell you plainly that no repair is needed.
Real Estate and Post-Flood Documentation
If you’re selling a Highlands home or buying one, a Level 2 inspection gives you documentation a home inspector’s basic check won’t. We’ll provide photos and a written report that shows the condition of the liner, the firebox floor, and the crown. That report has kept more than one Highlands closing from falling apart over an unseen liner issue.
Chimney Leak in Highlands
A Chimney Leak in Highlands is rarely just one problem. It’s usually a combination of a cracked crown, failed flashing, and moisture that’s been cycling through brick and mortar since Harvey. When we find a leak here, we start with a camera inspection to see the water path before recommending anything. Leak diagnosis and repair in Highlands typically runs $250 – $650 for flashing or crown work, though liner-related repairs run higher, and we’ll give you a written price before any work begins.
Crown and Flashing Assessment
Bottomland rain in Highlands is persistent, and a hairline crown crack from the 1970s can channel water into the firebox for decades without being obvious. We check the crown surface, the wash slope, and every flashing point where the chimney meets the roof. If we find gaps, we’ll show you photos and give you a repair range before you commit to anything.
Water Intrusion Into the Firebox
When water has been getting into a Highlands firebox, the damper plate is often rust-seized and the floor shows spalling, which is brick or mortar flaking apart from moisture damage. That’s not a cosmetic issue. It’s structural, and it’s exactly what we document with the camera. If a new liner is actually needed, you’ll see the failed sections on the monitor, and we’ll quote the repair using materials like HeatShield or DuraFlex, not whatever’s cheapest on a shelf.
Trusted Brands We Service in Highlands
We install and service the same materials chimney professionals specify: HeatShield resurfacing for deteriorated flue liners, Gelco and Olympia Chimney components, and Famco caps and dampers. Because we work in Highlands every week, we keep common replacement parts on our trucks, which means less waiting between diagnosis and repair. If your existing system uses one of these brands, we can service it without improvising. If it’s a box-store substitute, we’ll tell you that too, and explain what the difference actually means for your home.
Common Chimney Inspection Problems We See in Highlands Homes
- Post-Harvey silt on the smoke shelf. Floodwater that crested into fireboxes in 2017 left a compacted layer of dried river silt that blocks drafting and gets mistaken for creosote. A camera scan is the only way to confirm it’s there and get it cleared.
- Rust-seized dampers. High bottomland humidity plus flood exposure fuses damper plates into position. Homeowners assume it’s just stuck; we find the mechanism corroded through and replace it with a Famco unit that actually operates.
- Eroded clay-tile liner joints. Highlands chimneys from the 1940s through 1970s were built with clay tile and mortar that’s now failing from decades of humidity cycling. Gaps between tiles let heat and gases reach the brick, and they only show up on camera in the upper flue.
- Spalling firebox floors. Prolonged moisture exposure breaks down the masonry at the base of the firebox. If the floor is flaking, it’s a structural flag, not a cosmetic one, and we’ll document it before recommending any repair path.
Pricing for Chimney Inspection in Highlands, TX
A standard Level 1 inspection in Highlands runs $189 – $249. A Level 2 with full camera scan runs $289 – $449, which is the inspection most Highlands homes need given the age of the housing stock and the flood history. Level 3 inspections, which involve accessing concealed areas when serious damage is suspected, start at $800 and require a specific reason we’ll explain beforehand. Leak diagnosis and crown or flashing repair typically runs $250 – $650. Liner work with HeatShield resurfacing or a DuraFlex system runs higher, and we’ll show you exactly why on camera before you spend a dollar. Call (336) 863-3889 for a free estimate, and you’ll get a written price before any work starts. That’s non-negotiable at Alcott.
We Also Serve Cities Near Highlands
Our Highlands crew regularly works in Channelview, Crosby, Baytown, and La Porte as well. If you’re in one of those communities and need a Chimney Inspection in Highlands level of thoroughness, call (336) 863-3889 and we’ll route you to the right technician.
Serving Highlands, TX - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Highlands 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 Inspection in Highlands
Yes, and for Highlands specifically, that’s the most important group to inspect. Fireplaces that sat idle after 2017 flooding often have silt packed on the smoke shelf and rust-seized dampers that never got addressed. A Level 2 camera inspection shows you exactly what’s inside, and if it’s clean, you’ll know that too. Call (336) 863-3889 to schedule one before the next cold snap.
A Level 2 inspection uses a video camera to scan the entire flue, smoke chamber, and firebox, so you see the liner joints, the smoke shelf, and the damper assembly in real time. In Highlands homes built between the 1940s and 1970s, that’s where flood silt and eroded mortar joints hide. You’ll watch the footage with us and get a written report, so nothing is recommended that you haven’t seen yourself.
In Highlands, a stuck damper is usually rust-seized from high humidity or post-Harvey flood exposure, not just old age. The plate corrodes into position, and forcing it can damage the assembly further. We’ll camera the area, show you the condition, and recommend a replacement only if it’s actually needed. Call (336) 863-3889 and we’ll take a look.
First-degree creosote is a light, flaky deposit and is normal after wood burning, but in a Highlands fireplace that sits idle most of the year, the bigger concern is what else is in the flue: silt, debris, or nesting material from chimney swifts. A camera scan tells us whether you’re dealing with routine creosote or something that blocks drafting and needs clearing. Either way, you’ll see it on the monitor before any recommendation is made.
It could be either, and in Highlands it’s frequently both on the same chimney. Cracked crowns and failed flashing are the two most common water entry points we see on mid-century brick ranches here. We’ll inspect both during a leak diagnosis, show you photos of the failure points, and give you a written repair range before scheduling the work. Call (336) 863-3889 for an exact quote, estimates are free.
Written by Ruben Castellano, Owner at Alcott Chimney Sweep, offering our Chimney Sweep in Highlands since 2002.