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 Littleton, CO
Photos don’t lie. In chimney work, what we find inside the flue and what we leave behind are two different worlds. This page shows real cleaning results from Emberly Chimney Cleaners jobs across Littleton, from Ken Caryl to Columbine Valley. Every image comes with a documented photo record, standard on every visit since 2009 under Clause 4 of the Haven Standard.
Recent Transformations
Class III Glazed Creosote Removal, Columbine Valley
The homeowner in Columbine Valley had been burning unseasoned pine from a property up near Deckers. We pulled the camera and found Class III glazed creosote, a hardened, tar-like deposit that standard brushing won’t touch, coating roughly 70% of the flue liner surface. We ran a mechanical rotary system with chains to fracture the glaze, followed by a poly brush pass and HEPA vacuum extraction. The post-cleaning camera scan showed bare metal from smoke chamber to crown. Written scope, written price, and the photo record were delivered before we packed up.
Smoke Chamber Parging and Soot Removal, Ken Caryl Ranch
This Ken Caryl Ranch fireplace had never had the smoke chamber addressed. The corbeled brick was black with soot and had gaps large enough to disrupt draft and let combustion gases leak into the wall cavity. We removed the soot load with mechanical brushing, then applied HeatShield smoke chamber sealant to smooth the corbelling and close the gaps. The result is a proper funnel shape that directs smoke up the flue instead of letting it eddy and cool. The camera footage before and after is in this client’s file, along with the written warranty.
Factory-Built Chimney Soot Overload, Littleton Proper
A Littleton home near Sterne Park had a factory-built chimney that was running sluggish. The metal flue was packed with gray-black soot to the point of restricting flow. Factory-built systems have specific annular clearances that packed soot compromises, and the metal conducts heat differently than masonry. We used a poly rotary brush sized to the manufacturer spec, not a one-size-fits-all approach, and vacuumed the entire run. The after photos show full clearance restored, and the draft test readings went from marginal to well within safe range.
Firebox Refractory Panel Cleaning and Assessment, Highlands Ranch Border
This job sits right on the Highlands Ranch border, in one of the 1980s-era subdivisions where prefab fireplaces are common. The refractory panels had hairline cracks and the joints were stained with creosote, which tells you gases were slipping through. We cleaned the firebox thoroughly, documented the panel condition with photos, and the homeowner opted to replace the panels rather than risk a breach. We sourced new panels through our buying network and sealed the joints with proper refractory cement. The camera doesn’t just show clean, it shows why clean matters.
Chimney Cap and Crown Debris Clear-Out, Marston
The Marston neighborhood sits under some serious cottonwood canopy, and this chimney had become a habitat. We found nest debris in the flue, a cracked concrete crown letting water straight into the chase, and no cap to stop it from happening again. We cleared the flue, removed the debris, sealed the crown with crown coat, and installed a Gelco stainless steel cap with proper mesh screening. The before photos show why the water damage was accelerating, and the afters show a flue that can breathe without inviting wildlife inside.
Level 2 Inspection Reveals Hidden Soot, Downtown Littleton Historic District
A Downtown Littleton historic district homeowner needed a Level 2 inspection for a real estate transaction. The camera scan found heavy soot and a tile offset about 12 feet up that no one would have caught from the firebox. We cleaned the flue to bare tile so the offset was fully visible, measured it, and documented everything for the inspection report. The offset didn’t require immediate repair, but it’s now marked for monitoring. Without the camera and the cleaning, it would have been a hidden liability for the new owner.
Want Results Like These?
Every job here started the same way: a call to (720) 439-4666, a scheduled visit, and a written price delivered before any work began. You’ll get a camera-scan inspection, a documented photo record under Clause 4 of the Haven Standard, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise on everything we do. Corrine Halstead and the team at Emberly Chimney Cleaners Littleton have been doing this since 2009. Call (720) 439-4666 or book online. Your chimney’s condition shouldn’t be a mystery, and with us, it won’t be.
Written by Corrine Halstead, Owner at Emberly Chimney Cleaners Littleton, serving Littleton and the surrounding communities since 2009.