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
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Before
AfterChimney Company in Selma, CA
Chimney work in Selma isn’t the same as chimney work in Fresno or Visalia. The Tule fog, the burn-day restrictions, the mid-century clay liners, and the late-summer dust from the raisin vineyards all shape what happens inside a Selma flue. A standard sweep in Selma typically runs $189 – $289, and most inspections fall between $149 and $349 depending on how deep we go. If you’re noticing a smell, a slow draft, or you can’t remember the last time anyone looked at the firebox, call (336) 863-3889 and we’ll give you a straight answer.
Why Selma Homes Are Different
Selma sits inside the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District’s winter Smoke Management Program, and that single fact changes how chimneys behave here. On no-burn nights, which are common when cold air settles over the Valley, fireplaces sit cold and damp. Then a permitted burn day arrives and the same chimney gets pushed hard, often with dry, well-seasoned wood burning hot. That alternating cycle of moisture absorption and high-heat use accelerates creosote buildup and stresses mortar joints in ways a casual burn schedule never would. We see it regularly in the tract homes built from the 1950s through the 1980s for Selma’s agricultural workforce, most of which still have their original clay-tile flue liners. Those liners were installed decades ago with a different assumption about how often and how hot they’d be fired. Tule fog, which hangs over Selma from November into February, pushes ground-level moisture into dormant flues during no-burn stretches. Then the first real fire of the season sends heat through a liner that’s been quietly absorbing water for weeks. That’s when small cracks become visible problems.
Around late summer and early fall, Selma’s raisin vineyards and drying yards shed a fine agricultural dust. Uncapped chimneys collect it in the firebox before a single log gets lit. We recommend a cap check and sweep before the first burn of the season here, more strongly than we would in a denser urban area, because the debris layer is real and measurable in Selma.
Our Main Selma Services
Most Selma homeowners call us for one of two reasons: the fireplace hasn’t been cleaned in years and they’re worried about creosote, or they want an honest inspection before buying or selling a home. Below are the three services we handle in Selma, each with its own page.
Chimney Sweep in Selma
A sweep in Selma means removing creosote, the tar-like residue that builds up from wood smoke and is the primary fuel in chimney fires. In this climate, we also look for moisture damage from Tule fog and dust accumulation from harvest season. Most Selma sweeps include a visual check of the firebox, damper, and flue interior while we work. The job itself takes about an hour to ninety minutes, and we protect your floors and furniture throughout. For full details on what a sweep covers in Selma, see our Chimney Sweep in Selma page.
Chimney Inspection in Selma
Selma’s aging clay liners and intermittent burn schedule mean homeowners here benefit from a camera inspection more than most. You deserve to see what we see before anyone recommends a liner or masonry repair, and a camera inspection puts those images directly in your hands. During a standard inspection, we check the flue, cap, crown, flashing, damper, and firebox, and we note anything that can safely wait. We never recommend a repair without visual evidence you can review yourself. See Chimney Inspection in Selma for the full scope.
Gas Fireplace Repair in Selma
Gas fireplaces in Selma often sit unused through the burn-restricted months, then get asked to perform on the first cold permitted evening. Pilot assemblies, thermocouples, and igniters fail quietly during long idle stretches. We service and repair gas logs, inserts, and direct-vent units, and we carry or can quickly source parts from the trade brands professionals specify. If your gas fireplace won’t light, won’t stay lit, or produces a weak flame, our Gas Fireplace Repair in Selma page covers what to expect.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
- 4
You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Brands We Service in Selma
We install and service DuraFlex liner systems, Copperfield dampers, and Famco caps in Selma rather than improvised box-store substitutes. These are the materials chimney professionals specify for durability and code compliance. Most common parts are stocked in our Fresno office and reach Selma jobs quickly. See our brands for the full list.
Pricing for Chimney Company in Selma, CA
| Service | Typical range in Selma |
|---|---|
| Standard chimney sweep (Level 1 visual included) | $189 – $289 |
| Chimney sweep with full video scan | $349 – $399 |
| Level 1 inspection | $149 – $199 |
| Level 2 inspection (with interior camera) | $249 – $349 |
| Mold or odor investigation | Starts at $149, credited toward repair |
| Gas fireplace diagnostic | Starts at $99, credited toward repair |
| Gas fireplace standard service | $139 – $179 |
| Gas log set replacement (parts and labor) | $450 – $850 |
| Thermocouple or thermopile replacement | $190 – $290 |
| Gas valve replacement | $375 – $575 |
| Chimney cap installation (standard single-flue) | $175 – $325 |
| Damper replacement (top-sealing) | $375 – $625 |
What pushes a Selma job toward the higher end is usually moisture damage from fog exposure, a chimney that hasn’t been cleaned in years, or dust-debris buildup from harvest season. Every customer gets a written price before any work starts, so you know the total before we begin, not after.
Neighborhoods We Serve in Selma
We work throughout Selma and the surrounding rural roads, including the older tract neighborhoods near downtown and the newer subdivisions on the east side.
- Downtown Selma and the historic core
- Brentwood and the mid-century tracts
- East Selma subdivisions
- Country roads and vineyard properties surrounding the city
Service Area – Cities Near Selma
Our Selma crews also cover nearby towns in Fresno County. If you’re in Fowler, CA, Parlier, CA, Kingsburg, CA, or Reedley, CA, the same pricing and written guarantee apply. Scheduling is coordinated through our Fresno office, and we dispatch locally to Selma and all neighboring communities.
Serving Selma, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Selma 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 Company in Selma
Most Selma calls are scheduled within a few days, and we offer flexible windows to fit the burn-day calendar. For anything involving smoke in the house or a suspected gas issue, call us right away at (336) 863-3889 and we’ll prioritize it. We do not run a call center; a person picks up the phone.
Routine sweeping and inspection do not require a permit in Selma. Structural changes like a full rebuild, a new fireplace installation, or major masonry work typically involve Fresno County permitting. We can tell you during the estimate whether your specific job needs a permit and what that process looks like.
We can’t change the SJVAPCD burn calendar, but we can make sure your chimney is ready when a burn day arrives. That means cleaning creosote, checking the cap and spark arrestor, and confirming the damper operates correctly. A clean chimney on a permitted burn day is safer and more efficient than a dirty one.
What happens when you call
- 1A real person answersNo phone trees - talk to a local chimney cleaning pro.
- 2You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched. No surprises.
- 3We come out and measureLicensed & insured, at a time that suits you - the visit and the quote are both free.
- 4You get the price in writingLine-itemed, yours to keep, and nothing starts until you say go.
What Selma Customers Say
"Annual inspection and sweep. He used a camera to check the liner and found a cracked tile I had no idea about. Gave me a written estimate and did not push."
- Janet W."Water was leaking around the flashing. They resealed it and installed a new crown coating. Dry through two heavy rains since."
- Douglas P."Fast and tidy. Fireplace draws properly again."
- Mina K.