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.
Fast, Reliable Chimney Inspection Across Palmetto Bay
Chimney inspection in Palmetto Bay runs $149 for a standard Level 1 check and $249 – $449 for a Level 2 camera inspection, depending on chimney height and access. Most inspections in Palmetto Bay take 60 – 90 minutes, and we schedule within three to five business days, not weeks. Ashby Chimney Miami has worked in Palmetto Bay long enough to know the chimneys here face a specific problem: salt air from Biscayne Bay corrodes metal components while rare cold snaps crack clay flue liners. That combination makes camera documentation essential, not optional. Call (850) 787-8597 and we’ll give you a written price before anyone sets foot on your roof.
Why Ashby Chimney Miami Is Palmetto Bay’s Preferred Chimney Inspection Company
Our Chimney Inspection team works in Palmetto Bay weekly, from Bel Aire to the neighborhoods west of Old Cutler Road. We know the 1960s ranch homes with original masonry chimneys, the 1970s-80s builds with clay flue liners that crack under thermal stress, and the newer Mediterranean-style homes with prefabricated metal chimneys. Nathan Corliss has built this company since 2002 on one rule: show the homeowner the camera footage before recommending anything. That matters here because Palmetto Bay’s salt air creates corrosion that looks minor from the firebox but is structurally significant inside the flue.
Every inspection gets a written price before work starts and a written guarantee when it’s done. If we miss something during the guarantee period, we come back at no charge under our 365-Day Done Right Promise. Phones are answered by a live person 24/7, not a voicemail loop. Those are the Kingswell Way standards, and they apply to every job in Palmetto Bay.
Styles & brands we work with
Fireplace Inspection in Palmetto Bay
Fireplace Inspection in Palmetto Bay means checking the firebox, damper, smoke chamber, and flue liner for the damage patterns most common near Biscayne Bay: rusted dampers, corroded chimney caps, salt-laden soot, and clay tiles cracked from thermal stress. A standard fireplace inspection here runs $149, and it’s the right call if you use your fireplace at least once a season or just bought a home where the fireplace history is unknown.
What the Camera Shows
We run a camera up the flue on every inspection. In Palmetto Bay, that camera regularly finds things a visual check misses: hairline cracks in clay liners, third-degree creosote glaze in rarely used chimneys, and spalling bricks weakened by moisture and salt. You see the footage yourself before we recommend anything. If the liner is intact, we say so and tell you no repair is needed.
When Palmetto Bay Homeowners Call Us
Most calls come right before the winter cool spells, when families light the first fire of the season and smell something odd. Others come during home purchases, especially for the ranch homes built in the 1960s that still have their original masonry chimneys. Either way, we’re usually inspecting within three to five business days.
Chimney Inspection Services in Palmetto Bay
Chimney Inspection Services in Palmetto Bay cover three levels defined by the National Fire Protection Association, plus camera-only flue scans and real estate inspections. A Level 1 runs $149 when the chimney is accessible and nothing has changed since the last inspection. A Level 2 camera inspection runs $249 – $449 and is what we recommend for any home purchase in Palmetto Bay, any chimney that’s gone unused for two or more years, or any liner with suspected damage. Level 3 inspections, which involve removing part of the structure, are quoted case by case after a Level 2 shows cause.
Real Estate Inspections
If you’re buying a home in Palmetto Bay, especially one of the 1960s-era ranches in Bel Aire, a Level 2 inspection is the standard we recommend. Sellers rarely have chimney records, and the salt air here means a damper that looks fine from the living room can be rusted through above the smoke shelf. We provide a written report with camera images so you can negotiate with evidence, not guesswork.
Flue and Camera Scans
Some Palmetto Bay homeowners just want the flue looked at. That’s a camera scan: $199 for a straight run, more if the flue includes multiple offsets. We document everything on video and walk you through the findings before we leave. If the flue is clean and intact, that’s what we tell you. We don’t manufacture problems.
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.
Trusted Brands We Service in Palmetto Bay
We repair and replace components from manufacturers that build to chimney-trade standards, not big-box substitutes. That includes Gelco chimney caps, Olympia Chimney dampers and caps, and Famco components. When a Palmetto Bay chimney needs a new damper or cap because salt air has rusted the old one, we install the right part the first time and put the guarantee in writing. We keep common components stocked locally so most repairs don’t wait on shipping.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterCommon Chimney Inspection Problems We See in Palmetto Bay Homes
- Rusted dampers and chimney caps from Biscayne Bay salt air. Metal parts on Palmetto Bay chimneys corrode faster than inland Miami-Dade homes. A damper that looks functional often falls apart when touched once the rust has set in.
- Cracked clay flue liners in homes west of Old Cutler Road. The 1970s-80s building boom left Palmetto Bay with thousands of clay tile liners. When a rare January cold snap hits, the thermal stress cracks tiles that then leak heat and gases.
- Third-degree creosote in rarely used fireplaces. Palmetto Bay’s humidity makes creosote sticky rather than flaky, so it clings to flue walls even when the fireplace is only used a handful of times each year. A chimney used twice a winter can still hold dangerous third-degree glaze because it never heats enough to burn the residue off.
- Nesting animals in unused flues. Palmetto Bay’s canopy and proximity to Biscayne Bay attract squirrels and birds looking for sheltered nesting spots. An uncapped or damaged flue on a rarely used fireplace is an open invitation.
Pricing for Chimney Inspection in Palmetto Bay, FL
Here’s the straight pricing for Palmetto Bay. A Level 1 inspection runs $149. A Level 2 inspection with camera documentation runs $249 – $449 depending on roof pitch, chimney height, and access. A standalone flue camera scan runs $199. Real estate inspections start at $249 and include the written report with images. What affects the price: two-story chimneys with steep pitches cost more to access safely, and multiple flues add time. What doesn’t affect it: what we think you can afford. The written quote you get before we start is the price you pay. Call (850) 787-8597 for a free estimate over the phone or in person.
We Also Serve Cities Near Palmetto Bay
Our team covers Palmetto Bay and the surrounding communities, including Miami, Hialeah, North Miami Beach, and Hialeah Gardens. Same inspection standards, same written price promise, same camera documentation. If you’re close by, we’ll schedule you just as quickly.
Serving Palmetto Bay, FL - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Palmetto Bay 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 Palmetto Bay
Because a fireplace that’s never used is exactly where hidden damage builds up. Palmetto Bay’s humid air keeps creosote sticky and salt from Biscayne Bay corrodes dampers and caps regardless of whether the fireplace is lit. The clay flue liners in homes west of Old Cutler Road crack under thermal stress during the cold snaps we get every few winters. A visual check from the firebox cannot see those cracks or the creosote glaze above the smoke shelf. The camera sees all of it. Call (850) 787-8597 to schedule a camera inspection with a written price first.
Salt air accelerates rust on any exposed metal component. Dampers, chimney caps, and chase covers in Palmetto Bay homes routinely show corrosion within 10 – 15 years, faster than inland homes. A rusted damper can seize open or closed, wasting cooled air or blocking proper draft. A rusted cap lets rain and animals into the flue. Our inspections check both closely, and if replacement is needed, we use Gelco, Famco, or Olympia Chimney components with a written guarantee. For an exact quote, call (850) 787-8597.
Yes, and it happens more often here than people expect. Palmetto Bay’s humidity keeps creosote sticky instead of flaky, so each fire deposits a layer that adheres rather than falls away. A fireplace used three or four times a winter never gets hot enough to burn that residue off, and over two or three years it builds into a hard glaze. Third-degree creosote is a fuel source, and it’s one of the most common findings in our Chimney Inspection work across Palmetto Bay. The camera shows you exactly how much is up there. Call (850) 787-8597 to schedule an inspection.
Yes, we recommend a Level 2 inspection for any Palmetto Bay home purchase, and it’s essential for the original 1960s ranches in Bel Aire and similar neighborhoods. Those homes often still have their original masonry chimneys and clay flue liners, and sellers rarely have maintenance records. A Level 2 camera inspection runs $249 – $449 and gives you a written report with images you can show the seller or your agent. It’s the only way to know if the liner is intact, the damper works, and the chimney is safe to use before you close. Call (850) 787-8597 to schedule a real estate chimney inspection.
Because we show you the camera footage before we recommend a single repair. Palmetto Bay has older chimneys with clay liners and salt-corroded metal components, which is exactly the combination that fuels upsells: a company quotes low on the inspection, then “finds” thousands of dollars of lining or waterproofing work you can’t verify. We refuse to operate that way. In Bel Aire, our techs inspected a 1970s masonry chimney where the clay liner had cracked after a rare January cold snap. The homeowner had never used the fireplace, but our camera revealed spalling and a rusted damper from salt air. We showed them the footage before recommending any repair. That’s the standard on every job. Nathan Corliss built this company in 2002 on the principle that the invoice should match the quote and the repair should match the evidence. Every inspection carries a written guarantee under the Kingswell Guarantee, and if we miss something during the covered period, we return at no charge. Call (850) 787-8597 for a free estimate.
Written by Nathan Corliss, Owner at Ashby Chimney Miami, serving Palmetto Bay since 2002.