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.
Trusted Chimney Inspection for Fort Lauderdale Homeowners
A chimney inspection in Fort Lauderdale typically costs $149 to $349 depending on the level of inspection your chimney needs, and most inspections take under an hour. We do Level 1, Level 2, and camera inspections that show you exactly what’s happening inside your flue before you spend a dollar on repairs. If you’ve been putting off a chimney check because you’re afraid of what a contractor might tell you, that changes here: you see the photos, you hear a straight answer, and you get the price in writing before anything gets scheduled.
Nathan Corliss and the Ashby Chimney Fort Lauderdale team have inspected thousands of chimneys across Broward County since 2002. We answer the phone 24/7 at (754) 354-1451, we show up in the window we give you, and every inspection comes with a written report and a written guarantee on any repair we recommend. No scare tactics. No invented problems. Just a camera, a trained eye, and a straight answer.
- Level 1 inspection: $149. A visual check of the accessible parts of your fireplace and chimney. Right for homes that burn regularly and haven’t changed anything.
- Level 2 inspection: $299. A full camera scan of the flue interior plus the visual work in Level 1. Required when you buy or sell a home, after a chimney fire, or after a big storm.
- Chimney camera inspection: Included with every Level 2. We put the images on the report and walk you through what we found.
Fireplace Inspection
Fireplace inspection is the part of the job most homeowners skip, and it’s the one that matters most when your fireplace is used for heat, not just for looks. A fireplace inspection covers the firebox, the damper, the hearth, and the chimney components you can see from inside the house. In Fort Lauderdale, most of our calls for fireplace inspections come from homeowners who either just bought a house and don’t know what the previous owner did, or people who’ve been burning regularly and smelled something odd when the wind shifted. We inspect it all, photo-document what we find, and charge fair rates that run $149 to $299 depending on depth.
What the Firebox and Hearth Tell Us
The firebox is the box your fire burns in, and the hearth is the floor in front of it. Cracks in either one aren’t just cosmetic. If the firebox floor shows hairline fractures, heat can reach the framing behind the brick, and in a humid climate like Fort Lauderdale’s, moisture finds those cracks fast. We check both, and if we see something that can wait, we tell you it can wait, and note it for next year.
Damper and Smoke Chamber Basics
The damper is the metal plate above your firebox that opens and closes the flue. If it’s rusted open or won’t seal, your air-conditioned air escapes up the chimney every day of the Fort Lauderdale summer, and that’s money out the roof. We test the damper, look up into the smoke chamber with a mirror, and check for creosote buildup that could feed a chimney fire.
Whether you’re in Victoria Park or Rio Vista, a fireplace inspection runs $149 for the essentials. If we find anything that warrants a camera scan, we’ll show you the images and quote the upgrade before we do it. You can reach us at (754) 354-1451 any day of the week.
Styles & brands we work with
Chimney Inspection Services
Chimney inspection services cover everything from a basic visual check to a full interior scan with a camera, and we offer all three levels as defined by the National Fire Protection Association. Most Fort Lauderdale homes that burn wood need a Level 1 inspection once a year. Homes that are changing hands, have had a fire, or took a hit from a hurricane need a Level 2. Our chimney inspection services start at $149 and are performed by technicians who’ve been doing this long enough to spot trouble from across the room, but who still put a camera in the flue when it matters.
Level 1, Level 2, and What Falls Between
The levels aren’t upgrades in quality, they’re upgrades in depth. Level 1 is the annual checkup: accessible areas, basic condition, clear passage. Level 2 adds video scanning of the entire flue and inspection of the attic, crawlspace, and roof areas. Level 3 is invasive and rare, usually only after a serious chimney fire or structural event. We’ll tell you which level your situation actually calls for. We won’t sell you a Level 2 when a Level 1 answers the question.
Written Reports, Not Verbal Guesswork
Every chimney inspection service we perform ends with a written report. It lists what we looked at, what we found, what we recommend, and what the repair cost looks like in plain numbers. If the report says the flue is clean, then the flue is clean. If it says the liner has a crack at the 14-foot mark, there’s a photo to prove it. That’s how Nathan Corliss has run this shop since 2002.
If a company gives you a verbal “all good” and no paper, you didn’t get an inspection, you got an opinion. Our written report is included with every inspection we do, and you can book one by calling (754) 354-1451.
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.
Chimney Flue Inspection
Chimney flue inspection is the core of the whole job, because the flue is the tube that carries smoke, heat, and carbon monoxide from your fireplace to the outside air. If the flue liner has a crack, a gap, or a blockage, you might never see it from the firebox, but it’s working against you every time you light a fire. A proper chimney flue inspection in Fort Lauderdale runs $149 for the visual check and $299 when we put the camera down the flue for a full interior scan. Given what’s at stake, the camera is worth it.
The Flue Liner Is Your Safety Barrier
The flue liner is the clay or steel tube that vents combustion gases out of your home. Older Fort Lauderdale homes often have original clay tile liners, and after thirty or forty years of heat and humidity cycles, those tiles crack and shift. A cracked liner lets heat reach the wood framing around the chimney, and that’s how house fires start. We inspect liner condition closely, and when we recommend a repair, we use materials from respected chimney-trade brands like Olympia Chimney and Gelco.
Humidity Does More Than You’d Think
Fort Lauderdale’s climate isn’t great for masonry. Humidity works its way into brick and mortar, and the daily heat-rain cycle expands and contracts everything. Inside a flue, that means efflorescence, spalling, and liner deterioration happen faster than they would in a dry climate. A chimney flue inspection catches that before it becomes a chimney fire or a carbon monoxide problem. We check flues all over Broward County, from Aventura to Lauderhill to Wilton Manors.
Chimney Fire
Chimney fire is the term for combustion that happens inside the flue itself, where creosote or other debris is ignited by the heat of your normal fire. A chimney fire can burn quietly and go out on its own, or it can crack the liner, spread to the roof, and take the whole house. We don’t say that to frighten anyone. We say it because most chimney fires in Fort Lauderdale are completely preventable with a $149 annual inspection and a sweep when it’s needed.
What Creosote Has to Do with It
Creosote is the tarry residue that builds up inside a flue when wood smoke cools on its way up. It’s flammable. Burn enough fires without a cleaning, and the creosote layer can ignite at temperatures over 2,000 degrees. Homes in Fort Lauderdale that burn unseasoned wood or burn regularly without an annual inspection are at real risk. We inspect and clean flues throughout the area, including North Lauderdale, Margate, and Plantation.
After a Chimney Fire, You Need a Level 2
If you’ve had a chimney fire, even a small one, the firebox and flue need a Level 2 inspection before you burn again. A fire event can crack clay liners, warp steel, and compromise mortar joints in ways that aren’t visible from the ground. We use a chimney camera to see what happened inside the flue, then give you a written report and a repair quote if repairs are needed. We won’t tell you everything’s fine because you want to hear it. We’ll tell you what the camera shows.
If you’ve heard a roar in the chimney or seen flames from the top of the flue, call us at (754) 354-1451 and we’ll schedule an inspection before you burn again.
Level 2 Chimney Inspection
Level 2 chimney inspection is the industry-standard inspection required by most real estate transactions in Florida, and it’s the one we most often recommend after a storm, after a chimney fire, or when a home changes hands. A Level 2 chimney inspection costs $299 in Fort Lauderdale and includes everything in a Level 1 plus a full video scan of the inside of the flue, plus checks of the attic, crawlspace, and accessible roof areas. If you’re buying a home in Fort Lauderdale and the inspector notes “chimney needs evaluation,” this is the evaluation.
When a Level 2 Is Required or Wise
Real estate transactions almost always require a Level 2 under NFPA 211, and for good reason: homeowners often don’t know their chimney’s history, and sellers don’t always disclose what they know. After Hurricane Ian and the storms since, we saw a wave of Fort Lauderdale chimneys with hidden flue damage from wind-driven water. A Level 2 inspection catches water intrusion, shifted tiles, and cracked crowns before they become leaks or fires.
The Camera Is the Whole Point
Without a camera, a chimney inspection is a glance down a tube. We use a high-resolution camera with a bright light to scan every foot of your flue, from the damper to the cap. You see the footage, we explain what it means, and every finding is documented in the written report. If the flue is clean, you watch it scroll past and you know it’s clean. If there’s a problem, you see exactly what we’re recommending and why. No mystery, no pressure.
Level 2 inspections are also available in Chimney Inspection in Hollywood and Chimney Inspection in Pompano Beach. If you’re in Fort Lauderdale, call (754) 354-1451 to book.
Chimney Leak
Chimney leak is one of the most common problems we see in Fort Lauderdale, and it’s often misdiagnosed as a roof leak because the water shows up on the ceiling near the fireplace. A chimney leak inspection starts at $149 for a Level 1 visual and runs $299 for a full Level 2 with camera if we need to trace the water path. The first thing we tell every homeowner with a chimney leak: don’t patch the ceiling until we know where the water is coming from.
Common Entry Points for Water
Water gets into a chimney through the crown, the cap, the flashing, the brick and mortar joints, or the liner itself. In Fort Lauderdale’s rainy season, a missing or rusted chimney cap lets water pour straight down the flue every afternoon. Cracks in the crown let water seep into the masonry. Failed flashing lets water run between the chimney and the roof. We inspect all of it, and we use a camera to check for the water stains and efflorescence that show where the leak has been.
Water Damage Compounds Fast Here
Fort Lauderdale gets roughly 60 inches of rain a year, and some of that falls straight down your chimney if the cap has failed. Once water gets inside a flue, it damages clay liners, rusts metal dampers, and wicks into drywall and framing. The longer a chimney leak goes unaddressed, the more expensive the fix. We recommend an inspection at the first sign of a water stain near the fireplace, and we provide written quotes so you know exactly what the repair costs before you approve it.
We inspect and repair chimney leaks in Fort Lauderdale, Cooper City, Lauderdale Lakes, and across Broward County. Call (754) 354-1451 to schedule.
Chimney Camera Inspection
Chimney camera inspection is the only way to see the interior of your flue liner from end to end, and it’s the tool that separates a real inspection from a guess. A chimney camera inspection is included with every Level 2 inspection at $299, and it’s the standard we use whenever a Level 1 visual raises a question we can’t answer from the firebox or the roof. If we’re going to recommend a liner repair or a major sweep, we’re going to show you the footage first.
What We See on the Screen
The camera shows us cracks in clay tile, gaps between tiles, buildup of creosote, animal nests, and corrosion in steel liners. We record the scan and include still images in your written report, so you’re not taking our word for anything. When a homeowner watches the camera pass over a cracked flue tile, they understand the repair recommendation because they saw it with their own eyes. That’s how we’ve done inspections since the first cameras became standard in this trade.
No Camera, No Credibility
If a chimney company gives you a repair quote without putting a camera in the flue, you don’t have to accept it. A visual check from the top or the bottom cannot see most of what’s wrong inside a chimney. We put the camera in every time a repair is on the table. The Kingswell Guarantee applies to every repair we make, and every repair is backed by a written guarantee. If the repair fails inside the guarantee period, we come back and make it right at no charge.
Camera inspections are also available through our Chimney Inspection in Fort Lauderdale page, which covers the full scope of what we do. Book by calling (754) 354-1451.
Brands We Service
We work on chimneys and fireplaces with components from all the major chimney-trade manufacturers, including Gelco and Olympia Chimney, which are common in Broward County homes. Gelco caps and chase covers show up often on newer Fort Lauderdale construction, and we’re familiar with their installation specs and failure points. If a Gelco cap has rusted through or loosened, we’ll replace it with a new Gelco part and warranty the work.
Olympia Chimney products, including their liners and accessories, are also common in this market, and we stock the replacement parts that match. When we install an Olympia Chimney liner or repair a system built on their components, we use their materials, not whatever happens to be in the van. Whether your chimney uses Gelco, Olympia Chimney, or any other recognized trade brand, we can inspect, service, and repair it. We’ve also worked extensively with Famco and Copperfield products over the years.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterSigns You Need a Pro Right Now
- Water stains on the ceiling near the fireplace. This usually means water is coming through the chimney crown, flashing, or cap and running down into the ceiling. Every week it goes unaddressed, the damage spreads. Get an inspection before you patch the drywall.
- A roaring sound from the chimney while the fire is lit. That’s the sound of a chimney fire, and it can exceed 2,000 degrees. Call us after it’s out. You need a Level 2 inspection before you burn again.
- Smoke coming back into the room. This usually means a blockage, a closed damper, or a flue that isn’t drafting. It also means carbon monoxide can be entering your living space. Stop using the fireplace and get a camera inspection.
- Flakes of tile or mortar landing in the firebox. That’s your flue liner coming apart piece by piece. If it’s failing at the bottom, it’s failing higher up too. A camera scan will show how much is left.
- An animal in the chimney. Birds, squirrels, and raccoons nest in chimneys all over Fort Lauderdale, and their nests block the flue and burn. We see it regularly in neighborhoods near the New River. If you hear scratching, don’t light a fire until we’ve inspected and cleared the flue.
Our Process, Step by Step
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Book the appointment. You call (754) 354-1451 and get a real person on the phone, any hour of the day or night. We schedule a two-hour arrival window and we honor it.
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We arrive and walk the property. Our technician introduces himself, shows his background-checked credentials, and asks about your chimney’s history: how often you burn, any smells, any leaks, any prior work.
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We perform the inspection at the agreed level. Level 1 starts in the firebox and works up. Level 2 adds the camera scan and attic access. We check the crown, cap, flashing, and masonry from the roof when it’s safe to access.
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We show you the footage and the findings. If the camera is in play, you see what we see. We explain what’s urgent, what can wait, and what it costs in plain numbers. Nothing gets scheduled without a written quote in your hand.
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You get a written report and a written guarantee. The report documents what we found and what we recommend. Any repair we do is backed by the 365-Day Done Right Promise. If it fails inside the guarantee period, we return and fix it free of charge.
How Much Does Chimney Inspection Cost in Fort Lauderdale?
What affects the price? Access is the big one. If the roof is steep and we need special equipment to reach the cap safely, there may be an access surcharge. If the chimney hasn’t been cleaned in years and we can’t see the flue through the creosote, we’ll recommend a sweep first and come back for the camera. You’ll always know the number before we start. We never spring charges after the fact.
The best way to avoid overpaying for a chimney inspection in Fort Lauderdale is to ask two questions: “Is the report in writing?” and “Does the price include the camera if we need it?” If the answer to either is no, keep looking. Our estimates are free, our prices are written before any work starts, and the invoice matches the quote every single time. Call (754) 354-1451 to get your price.
Our Service Area Near Fort Lauderdale
We serve Fort Lauderdale and the surrounding Broward County communities, including Hollywood, Pompano Beach, Aventura, Plantation, Lauderhill, Margate, North Lauderdale, Lauderdale Lakes, Cooper City, Wilton Manors, and Pembroke Park. Most inspections are scheduled within the week, and we set a two-hour arrival window so you’re not waiting around all day. If you’re in Hollywood, see our Chimney Inspection in Hollywood page. For Pompano Beach, visit Chimney Inspection in Pompano Beach.
Serving Fort Lauderdale, FL - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Fort Lauderdale area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chimney Inspection in Fort Lauderdale
A chimney inspection is a structured evaluation of your fireplace, flue, and chimney components to check for creosote buildup, blockages, cracks, leaks, and safety hazards. It follows the three levels defined by NFPA 211. Our inspections in Fort Lauderdale include a written report and clear recommendation on what needs to happen next.
A Level 1 inspection usually takes 45 minutes to an hour. A Level 2 with camera runs 60 to 90 minutes depending on access and what the camera reveals. We schedule a two-hour window so we’re never rushed and never leave before the report is written.
A Level 1 inspection costs $149, and a Level 2 with a full camera scan costs $299. You always get the price in writing before we start. Call (754) 354-1451 and we’ll quote your specific situation over the phone.
Yes. We inspect and repair systems built with Gelco, Olympia Chimney, Famco, and Copperfield parts, and we use the same recognized trade brands when we make a repair. We’d rather fit the right part than make something generic work.
If you’ve had a chimney fire, a sudden leak, or smoke backing into the house, call us any time at (754) 354-1451. Our phones are answered by a live person 24/7, and we’ll get you scheduled for the soonest available inspection.
Every repair we make comes with a written guarantee. If the repair fails inside the guarantee period, we come back and correct it at no charge. That’s the 365-Day Done Right Promise, and it’s included with every job. We don’t sell it as an add-on.
You don’t need to do much. Clear the area around the fireplace so we have room to work, and let us know where the attic access is if you have one. We’ll handle the rest, including roof access and the camera work.
Schedule Your Chimney Inspection Service in Fort Lauderdale Today
Call (754) 354-1451 and you’ll get a live person on the line, a straight answer about pricing, and an appointment we’ll actually keep. Nathan Corliss and the Ashby Chimney Fort Lauderdale team have been inspecting chimneys in this city since 2002, and every job gets a written price before we start and a written guarantee when we finish. The estimate is free, the report is yours to keep, and the phone never goes to voicemail.
Written by Nathan Corliss, Owner at Ashby Chimney Fort Lauderdale, serving Fort Lauderdale since 2002.