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 Tice
A chimney inspection in Tice typically costs between $189 and $349 for a Level 1, and $289 to $549 for a Level 2 with camera documentation. Most inspections we schedule here end up being storm-damage assessments rather than creosote cleanings, because Tice fireplaces rarely see fire. If you’re wondering whether your chimney survived Hurricane Ian, call us at (336) 863-3889 and we’ll give you a straight answer.
Why Alcott Chimney Sweep Is Tice’s Preferred Chimney Inspection Company
Ruben Castellano built Alcott Chimney Sweep in 2002 on a simple idea: show up when you say you will, and show the customer what you found. In Tice, that means we don’t just tell you the chimney crown is cracked. We put a camera up the flue and show you the crack, the water staining, and the spalling mortar on screen before we recommend anything. Our Chimney Inspection team has spent years working the CBS homes and aging masonry chimneys that define this community, and we know what post-Ian damage looks like from the inside.
Every technician who comes to your Tice home is background-checked and identity-verified under the Threshold Standard. You’ll get the technician’s name and photo before we arrive, and they’ll show a photo ID badge at the door. No exceptions. We answer the phone with a live person around the clock, because a chimney problem doesn’t keep business hours.
Level 2 Chimney Inspection in Tice
A Level 2 Chimney Inspection is what we recommend for nearly every Tice home, because the storm damage from Hurricane Ian didn’t just knock over fences: it cracked masonry crowns, blew off dampers, and left flues open to the subtropical rain. This inspection includes everything in a Level 1 sweep-level check, plus a camera scan of the entire flue interior, attic and crawlspace access points where accessible, and a documented report with photos. In Tice, a Level 2 inspection runs $289 to $549 depending on roof access, flue height, and whether we need a lift or ladder work beyond a standard two-story reach.
If you bought a Tice home after 2022 or haven’t inspected your chimney since the storm, this is where you start. The camera doesn’t guess, and neither do we.
Camera-Verified Inspection Report
We hand over a photo report that shows exactly what the camera saw inside your flue, from the firebox to the crown. You keep every image even if we recommend no work at all. That report belongs to you either way, and we’ll walk you through it line by line before you decide anything.
Storm-Damage Assessment Focus
Most Tice inspection calls we make aren’t about soot. They’re about cracked crowns, missing caps, and water that’s been getting in for over a year. We look specifically at what Hurricane Ian did to the masonry while you weren’t watching, because a chimney that never gets used doesn’t warn you when it fails.
Chimney Leak in Tice
A Chimney Leak in Tice is almost never about a loose flashing, though that happens too. It’s usually about a cracked crown from Ian or a missing cap that lets afternoon downpours drive straight down the flue. Diagnosing a chimney leak in Tice costs between $149 and $229 when we inspect the crown, flashing, cap, and water entry points, and the repair itself typically runs $325 to $850 depending on what the camera shows.
We won’t recommend a liner resurface or a rebuild you don’t need. If the leak can be fixed with a $400 crown seal and a proper cap, that’s what we’ll tell you. If the camera shows spalling firebox walls that are past saving, you’ll see that footage yourself before any quote is written.
Post-Ian Water Intrusion Checks
The houses off Orange River Boulevard and throughout Tice took hurricane-force wind driven rain. We check for efflorescence on exterior block, staining around the firebox, and rusted dampers. These are the quiet signs that water has been getting in since September 2022, even when the tile cieling below shows nothing.
Chimney Swift Nesting Complications
If your uncapped flue has a chimney swift nest in it, we cannot legally remove it between roughly April and October under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. We’ll inspect what we can, document the nest position, and schedule the cap installation and any masonry work for after the swifts fledge. This is a routine scheduling constraint in Tice that out-of-county companies routinely get wrong. We don’t.
Trusted Brands We Service in Tice
We install and service Tice chimney components from the brands professionals specify, not whatever is on the clearance shelf. We carry DuraFlex stainless liner systems for flues that have taken water and need real protection, Copperfield caps and dampers for open flues that became swift hotels after the storm, and HeatShield resurfacing for firebox and smoke chamber damage where a full rebuild isn’t necessary. Having these parts ready means we can quote Tice repairs accurately and schedule the fix without waiting on a warehouse in another state.
Common Chimney Inspection Problems We See in Tice Homes
- Cracked masonry crowns from Hurricane Ian. A Category 4 storm hit Tice directly, and the cinder block construction kept walls standing while the chimney crowns took the beating. Crowns cracked in two and three places, letting Florida humidity pour into flues that never get dried out by a fire.
- Uncapped flues turned into wildlife housing. Chimney swifts, protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, took over open flues across Tice after Ian blew the caps off. We can’t touch an active nest from April through October, which means inspections get documented and work gets scheduled for the fall.
- Spalling fireboxes in dormant chimneys. When a fireplace hasn’t been lit in twenty years and the crown has been leaking for one, the firebox brick starts flaking and crumbling. We see this constantly in the 1950s-70s CBS homes that make up much of Tice’s housing stock.
- Mortar joints softened by decades of humidity. Original masonry chimneys in Tice have mortar that’s been sitting in subtropical moisture since they were built. A routine Level 2 camera scan often finds joints that are more powder than mortar, even when the exterior looks perfectly sound from the ground.
Pricing for Chimney Inspection in Tice, FL
A Level 1 inspection in Tice runs $189 to $349. A Level 2 inspection with camera documentation runs $289 to $549. Leak diagnostics start at $149. If the camera finds a repair, you’ll get a written quote before any work starts, and the inspection cost is credited toward any repair you book with us within 30 days. Every repair carries a written guarantee, and if it fails within the coverage period, the second visit is free. That’s the 365-Day Done Right Promise, in plain English. Call (336) 863-3889 and we’ll give you a real number for your specific chimney.
We Also Serve Cities Near Tice
We regularly run Chimney Inspection routes from Tice up through Fort Myers, across to Cape Coral, and down toward Estero. If you’re in Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, or Orlando, our Chimney Inspection in Tice crew covers those corridors too. Call and we’ll tell you which day we’re in your area.
Serving Tice, FL - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Tice 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 Tice
Yes, and it might be the most important inspection you schedule. Tice chimneys that never see fire still take hurricane wind, driving rain, and nesting birds. Ian cracked crowns and blew off caps across this community, and water has been getting in for over a year in many homes. An unused fireplace hides that damage quietly. A Level 2 inspection with a camera finds it. Call (336) 863-3889 and we’ll show you exactly what’s going on inside your flue.
Chimney swifts nest in open flues from roughly April through October, and they’re protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. We can inspect the upper flue and document the nest, but we generally can’t remove it or cap the flue until after the swifts have fledged. We still do the full camera inspection and give you a written quote for the cap and any masonry work, then schedule the actual repair for the fall when it’s legally clear to proceed.
Absolutely, and it usually does. Homes built in the 1950s through the 1970s in Tice have original masonry chimneys with mortar joints that have been softened by decades of Florida humidity. From the ground, the crown might look intact. A camera run through the flue often shows cracking, water staining, and spalling that are invisible from the street. Call (336) 863-3889 and you’ll see the footage yourself.
Condensation in a Tice chimney usually appears as a light, even sheen on the flue walls and only shows up on humid mornings. A leak from a cracked crown or missing cap shows as streaking, staining, or actual water pooling at the base, and it often comes with white efflorescence on the exterior block. Our camera inspection distinguishes the two in about twenty minutes. For $149 we’ll tell you which one you’re dealing with.
For most Tice homes, no. Creosote forms when wood burns incompletely, and most Tice fireplaces have gone years or decades without a fire. That’s why our inspection focus here is storm damage, moisture intrusion, and structural integrity, not creosote removal. If you do burn occasionally or have a wood stove, we’ll check for glaze and recommend a sweep interval based on your actual usage, not a national average.
Call Alcott Chimney Sweep in Tice, FL
You’ll know who’s coming before we ring the bell. Ruben Castellano built this company on that one promise, and we’ve held to it since 2002. Call (336) 863-3889 for a free estimate on chimney inspection in Tice, and get a written price before any work begins. No pressure, no scare tactics, just a camera and an honest read on what your chimney actually needs.
Written by Ruben Castellano, Owner at Alcott Chimney Sweep, serving Tice since 2002.