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.
HeatShield Chimney Cleaning & Sweep in Hempstead: What to Know First
HeatShield chimney cleaning and sweep in Hempstead runs $189 to $289 for a standard annual cleaning and inspection, and we can usually get to you within a week. Top Hat Chimney is an independent HeatShield service provider, not a manufacturer affiliate, which means we tell you what we actually see rather than what a warranty brochure wants you to hear. If you own a HeatShield liner or coating system, or you’re not sure what’s inside your flue, this page covers what Hempstead homes typically deal with, what we find during cleaning, and what it costs. Call (516) 963-1068 and Wendell or one of us will pick up.
How HeatShield Products Fail - and How We Fix Them
HeatShield is a legitimate product, but like anything that lives inside a chimney, it has weak points. Here’s what we find in Hempstead homes, in order of how often we see it.
- CeCure coating delamination on relined flues. The original HeatShield CeCure (the cream-colored spray-on ceramic) can separate from the masonry underneath if the flue wasn’t prepped right or if water’s been getting in from a bad cap. During a sweep, we look for flaking or bubbling, not just creosote. Fix is usually strip and re-coat, but we’ll show you the camera footage before you spend a dime.
- Cerfractory joint erosion at the smoke shelf. HeatShield’s Cerfractory material takes a beating at the curve where the smoke turns, especially in Hempstead older colonials with unlined masonry beneath the coating. We see pitting and hairline cracks there long before the main flue shows wear. A standard brush-and-vacuum won’t fix it, and we’ll tell you that plainly.
- Creosote bonding to the coating surface. HeatShield surfaces are smoother than bare clay tile, but that doesn’t stop first-degree creosote from clinging if you burn green wood or close the damper too early. Third-degree glaze on HeatShield is rare but ugly when it happens. We use gentler mechanical tools on coated flues so we don’t score the surface, which is something a generic sweep may not think about.
- Water entry around the top plate of the liner system. HeatShield’s flue sealant works only if the crown above it is sound. In Hempstead, freeze-thaw cycles crack crowns and let water track down behind the coating. You won’t see it from the hearth. It shows up as rust on the damper or a damp smell in summer. Our Level 2 inspection covers the crown and top plate with a camera every time.
- Mismatched aftermarket patch jobs. We’ve walked into Hempstead homes where someone patched a HeatShield liner with a drugstore tube of fire caulk and called it done. It wasn’t. HeatShield doesn’t authorize mixing generic sealants into their system, and the patch usually fails within one season. We use HeatShield-compatible materials or we don’t do the repair, simple as that.
Our HeatShield Chimney Cleaning & Sweep Process
No guesswork. No surprises. Here’s how a HeatShield cleaning job goes when you call Top Hat Chimney.
- 1
You call (516) 963-1068. A live person answers. We ask what you’ve been seeing or smelling, and we give you the price range over the phone before anything is scheduled.
- 2
The sweep arrives and gets eyes on the system. We run a high-resolution camera from the firebox up through the flue, around the smoke shelf, and to the crown. You see everything on our monitor, real time.
- 3
We identify what you’ve got. HeatShield coating, HeatShield liner, or original clay tile. If it’s coated, we note thickness and any delamination. If it’s a liner, we check joints and termination.
- 4
We clean accordingly. Poly brushes or soft mechanical tools for coated surfaces. Standard wire for uncoated. Vacuum is running the whole time, and your living room stays as clean as when we walked in.
- 5
Plain-English verdict. We show you the after-camera footage and tell you what’s fine, what’s worth watching, and what doesn’t need doing. If it doesn’t need doing, we’ll tell you.
- 6
The 90-Day Done Right Promise, in writing. If something isn’t right after the job, one call brings us back. That’s the whole promise.
What HeatShield Chimney Cleaning & Sweep Costs in Hempstead
Here’s honest pricing for HeatShield work in Hempstead, based on what we’ve actually charged over the past few years.
- Standard sweep with Level 1 inspection: $189-$239
- Sweep plus Level 2 camera inspection: $269-$329
- Heavy creosote removal (glaze or thick coat): $329-$449
- CeCure patch or spot re-coat: $175-$400 depending on size
- Full HeatShield re-coat of a standard flue: $1,100-$1,900
What moves the price: height of the flue, how much glazed creosote we’re dealing with, and whether we’re re-coating a small patch or the whole run. Any repair over $200 takes $40 off, no coupon needed. Call (516) 963-1068 for a free estimate. The number on the phone is the number on the invoice.
Why Hempstead Homeowners Call Top Hat Chimney for HeatShield Work
We’ve been cleaning and inspecting chimneys in Hempstead and the surrounding area for over 29 years, going back to 1999. Wendell Pike puts his name and license number on every job, and you’ll bump into him again at the hardware store or the diner, which is exactly the point. When a HeatShield system has a problem, we tell you whether it’s worth fixing or whether you should keep the money in your pocket. And if your chimney needs something HeatShield isn’t the right answer for, we work with DuraFlex and Gelco too, so you’re getting straight advice, not a brand pitch. Every job carries the 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If it’s not right, one call brings us back.
FAQs
Most HeatShield chimney cleanings in Hempstead run $189 to $289 for a standard sweep and inspection. Heavier creosote buildup or a Level 2 camera inspection pushes the price to $269-$449 depending on the flue. Call (516) 963-1068 for a free estimate specific to your chimney.
Not always. Flaking CeCure coating sometimes means a spot re-coat is enough, other times the underlying masonry has deterioration that needs a full liner. We won’t know until we get the camera up there, and we’ll show you the footage before recommending anything. If the coating is fine and it’s just cosmetic, we’ll tell you to leave it alone.
Once a year, burn or no burn. HeatShield-coated flues still collect creosote, and chimneys break in the off-season too. The coating doesn’t make the chimney self-cleaning, and skipping an annual sweep is the fastest way to let a small problem become a re-coat job.
Creosote builds up layer by layer. First-degree is a brush job. Third-degree is a glaze that takes hours and costs real money to remove. Worst case, you get a chimney fire that damages the HeatShield coating beyond repair and possibly the masonry behind it. Call (516) 963-1068 and we’ll get you on the schedule before the burning season.
Yes, we install, repair, and re-coat HeatShield systems as an independent service provider. We’re not a HeatShield authorized dealer, which means our loyalty is to you and what your camera inspection actually shows, not to a manufacturer’s sales target. If HeatShield isn’t the right fix, we’ll say so. If it doesn’t need doing, I’ll tell you. Call (516) 963-1068 and we’ll get you a straight answer.
Written by Wendell Pike, Owner, Top Hat Chimney at Top Hat Chimney, serving Hempstead and nearby areas.





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