Master Chimney Sweepers

They showed up when they said they would and did a good job. They cleaned up after themselves and did not leave any mess.

The work and result went smoothly, aside from a glitch with the permit for the work. The individual who assessed the job suggested that a permit was not required because it was a replacement of pre-existing. Before the work was to take place, I called the town inspector who contradicted that statement. Upon informing the Master Chimney Sweeps individual, I was told that I would be responsible for all required permitting and that the install schedule was at risk because a delay waiting for the permit would cause it to be pushed out to the following month. I had a roof replacement scheduled for the following day so this threw me for a loop! I subsequently took time off from work and ran down to the town inspector and applied for the permit. The following day (one day prior to chimney install) the paperwork was ready for pickup at the town office. I was again required to take time to get the paperwork at the town office for the contractor to sign because the Master Chimney Sweep individual said dealing with town permitting was a "waste of his time" and against company policy. What about mine??? HE could have been much more accommodating to make the process and my effort easier. I was told I could meet him at their office that morning to obtain his signature. When I arrived at the office with the paperwork, he had already departed. I had to chase him down at another job site to get his signature. I was made to feel that it was MY fault that I had missed him. After that, the he arrived to do the work and just left him alone because I was somewhat miffed and didn't want a confrontation on top of what I'd already gone through. The chimney has been working effectively since then, but I wish I could say that it had been a more pleasant experience. Definitely get the details about permitting before scheduling these guys for work.

I received additional estimate that was only $1,700. I know how much the parts for the liner would be, $700, so I'm thinking they provided a ridiculous price to see if anyone would bite. I think this is a terrible way to do business.

Everything went very well. I called for an appointment about a month before the actual service date. Master Chimney Sweepers had a very full schedule, and, of course, I was calling during their high season. The delay was longer than I had expected, but honestly my expectations were not realistic. Their full schedule can be considered a testament to their high ratings. The service person arrived on time, and was very happy to explain what was to be done and how. I was surprised to find out that all the work is done in the house, and no one goes up on the roof to do the work. Naturally, I had questions about soot in the house, but all those questions were addressed, and clearly with such good ratings, I was not worried about cleanliness. Both chimneys were inspected and cleaned. I got a report for my records of what was done, including recommendations for the rarely used chimney for mason repair down the road. The billing was clear, and the discount for Angie's List was clearly noted. Notes about CO2 draft ratings, construction of the chimney, type of heating system, etc are all noted. And after the work, there was not a spec of soot to be found at either chimney location. Credit card payment was easy. I'm sure that I'll be using Master Chimney Sweepers again, but will call sooner in the season for service.

It was excellent (as above).

I recently inherited my parents' home that I now rent. Each apartment has a fireplace that had not been used or swept for many years and my tenants asked me if they could use them. I asked Master Chimney to check them out and to see if they would be safe. They suggested that I have them swept during the examination if they were usable. Also there is a separate chimney to vent both heating systems that has not been swept or examined in many years. They suggested that it be done too. I agreed and we set a date and later a time span. Matt the sweeper came at the time agreed. He called me about 30minutes before. Matt is a really great guy, very knowledgeable, careful, and overall someone who you can have confidence in. He checked out the fireplaces thoroughly and said they were safe and swept only one of them because one of the tenants decided they were not interested in using their fireplace. He then cleaned the heating systems' chimney too. He found that it wasn't in such great shape and that it will need a stainless steel liner in the future. He gave me a quote for the liner, 5K. Very expensive and something I will not be able to do very soon. At least I know it needs attention. Overall Matt was just the kind of person what you want when you hire someone to work on your house. I am extremely pleased with the job he did and the price I paid to have it done. I would recommend Master Chimney to anyone who needs the services they offer.

Very professional. The cap installation took longer then expected, but was successfully completed.

A week or so before this work, our 1920's chimney had a small internal collapse that caused the house heating boiler to back up. Master chimney Sweepers repaired it (see earlier review) but we realized we needed a flue liner for safety. We should have done this years ago but thought the job would be troublesome. It turned out to be fast and clean and I would strongly recommend it for any older house. We'd planned to wait till spring in case of weather problems but Master Chimney Sweepers encouraged us to go ahead. They had several free slots in their schedule. We decided to proceed quickly and are very happy that we did. Randy, the installer, called us the day before the work to confirm and to let us know when he would be arriving. He turned up right on time. He got the job done very cleanly and in just a couple of hours. When I commented on that he said it was because he had done thousands in all sorts of weather. Most of the work is actually from the inside. Master Chimney Sweeps uses Ventinox liners. I had read their literature which described that they were top quality double-walled stainless steel so it was informative to see the actual product. Because of the layout of our boiler and water heater, and the way that they are positioned relative to the breech in the wall, Randy had to adapt his original plan. Even though the liner has to be narrower than the original clay flue liner, the flue now draws better than ever before as confirmed by measurement, because of its circular cross-section. The flue will need checking each year to maintain its lifetime warranty and we shall definitely keep using Master chimney Sweepers for all our chimney sweeping and maintenance needs.

I have always had a great experience with them.

Master Chimney was great, especially the guy that came to our house - Jay I wanted to get my chimney swept in my new house and they were able to do it the day we moved in - the same day we called them. Jay talked us through maintenance for our chimney and was very honest - he told us our other chimney had not been used since it was last swept so he was not going to sweep it or charge us for it.

We are very satisfied with his professionalism and his open honesty.

He came earlier than the time window we had appointed, because he was in the neighborhood (he had left a voice message, but I hadn't picked it up), But that was OK--actually convenient for me. He went about his work efficiently. At one point he showed me some deterioration in the flue, and said that it would have to be replaced some time in the next few years. I had used their services in the past. He had a record of it and his bill showed a previous-customer discount.

Master Chimney was very responsive, knowledgeable, professional and thorough. I would highly recommend them.

The chimney is only for a small kitchen cooking fireplace. This chimney was cleaned prior to purchasing the house (over 2 years ago) and we have never used the fireplace. Don't call a chimney sweep for an unused chimney if all you want is an inspection and estimate for a cap. We later had it inspected by a mason at no cost.

I called Master Chimneys based on the Angie's List recommendation. This is the busiest season for all chimney sweepers, and with apologies I was given a date of Jan. 2. I explained that I would have a visitors from Florida coming by Dec. 13 and asked to be put on a cancellation list. Fortunately, I was called in the morning and was able to be home for a visit in the afternoon. The chimney cleaner was professional and thorough. I will use them again.

Nick came in and talked to me about how he was going to check both my chimneys and also my furnace and then give me some recommendations. He looked around and told me that only one of my chimneys needed to be cleaned but the other one needed a new cap because the old one was rusted out. He was very knowledgable and nice with a sense of humor. He explained everything to me. How much each thing costs and the over all total and then gave me some money off because I'm an Angies List client. He also explained how to start a proper fire in my fireplace, and that I needed to heat the chimney first, and a few other bits of information. He was really great. I will be using him again to install some glass doors on both my fireplaces. Because he knows I'm really excited to use my fireplaces he is going to come on a Saturday, (his day off) to install them sooner then later. I always appreciate someone who is willing to go that extra step. Because sadly, customer service is a dying practice. Luckily, you don't have to worry about that with this company. =) The only reason I gave a B on the price is because paying $900 for anything is never excellent. lol

I was referred to work with Master Chimney and then I also scoped them out on Angie's and saw the good reviews so I gave them a call to book an appointment. The person on the phone was friendly, knowledgeable and professional. We just bought our home in April, it's 50+ years old and the previous owners said they hadn't used the fireplace. I wasn't sure what could be living up there or also if it had been cleaned so before firing up either of our fireplaces, we wanted to make sure everything was safe. I'm blanking on the guy's name but he arrived promptly and got to work right away. Like the person on the phone, he was friendly, knowledgeable and professional. He looked at our first fireplace and said it had probably only been used a hand full of times since the home was built and did not need to be cleaned at all. He checked the 2nd fireplace and said it had never been used! Unfortunately, I already knew that I was paying around $300 regardless for someone to come out. He then went to the roof to measure for a chimney cap as my home inspector had recommended that we get one. He told me if I'm not afraid of heights, I could join him on the roof so he could go over it with me. He showed me that some of the brick on the chimney was coming loose and there were also some cracks. He recommended having the work done but said with the current weather, we would need to wait until the spring to do the job. He quoted me the job for the brick work and new chimney cap and as part of the quote, deducted the cost of the visit for that day since he didn't have to do any other work. He also said since we would be using our fireplaces during the winter, he would sweep them for free in the spring when he comes back to do the other job. While I wasn't pleased with the news that it's going to cost me more money (such is the life of a home owner), I was very pleased with the overall experience. I'll let you know if my experience with this company changes when they come back in May 2013!

It was days before Hurricane Sandy, our son was 3 months old, and I needed to get our fireplace working in case we lost power. They had no appointments on such short notice, but said they'd try to fit me in. They were able to come out on a Saturday, and got it working in a few hours (the fireplace hadn't been used in 30 years and the flue was rusted shut). The guy who came out was great. They are the #1 chimney business on Angies list for a reason.

I had noticed soot in the gas boiler and discovered the boiler vents were almost blocked.I dismantled and cleaned out the boiler but realized that the flue would need to be inspected and swept. After I described the situation by phone to Master Chimney Sweepers, the representative found an opening within a few days even though their schedule was very full because of the season. They said they would call around 9am and be there between 1 and 4pm and they were right on schedule with both. The phone assistance was professional and courteous. Sean arrived at about 2pm on the promised day and quickly inspected the living room fireplace telling me that it did not need sweeping since we only planned to burn a few fires over the winter. However, when he checked the basement boiler flue he saw that it was almost completely blocked near the bottom and some bricks had collapsed into it. He showed me the problem and advised me that it might take a while. He opened up the wall area to investigate the problem further and carefully removed a couple of bucket loads of broken brick and cement. He determined that this had come away from the lowest point of the chimney, and the good news was that the terra cotta flue lining was still intact even though a chunk had broken off the bottom piece. He also showed me that the bricks had fallen onto the duct from the water heater and was blocking it. Sean lengthened the duct from the water heater after explaining that it was too short and didn't quite reach the flue. He swept the flue and we discussed installing a liner, something I had been planning on anyway. sean gave me a written estimate for a liner and provided some literature on the brand that Master Sweepers uses. I had read that previously and was already convinced that it was a good product. The charge for sweeping and repair was very reasonable and Sean let me know before he extended the duct that there would be an additional charge for that. I was given a discount for using Angies list and for being a previous customer. I put a deposit down on the liner installation and scheduled it with Sean. There was an opening in the schedule in December but I decided to schedule for March instead and that was not a problem. Throughout, I found Sean to be thorough, professional, extremely competent, and friendly. I will report separately on the liner installation after it has taken place. I am very satisfied with Master Chimney Sweepers and will continue to use their services.

Very good work on chimney, but unable to repair stove. Very expensive!

Jay was prompt, efficient and concerned about keeping my living room as clean as when he arrived. He thoroughly explained all of the issues he found with the fireplace and flutes and ran the fixes (and prices) by me before he completed any work.

Having never had my current wood stove chimney professionally cleaned or inspected, I decided to act on a coupon from Angies list and scheduled a cleaning and inspection on 10/26/2012. All seemed well. Within three weeks or so, the stove suddenly acted like it was clogged, and smoke was flowing back into the house. At one point it was actually flowing out of every crevice in the flue pipe. I called Master Chimney back and told them the problem, and asked that they "rush" one of their technicians back since: 1. I use the wood stove to heat the house and without it I would be without heat, and 2. I had had no issues with this stove for 8 years, and now had an issue. My only problem with them was that I could not get them so send someone until the day after Thanksgiving ( believe I called on or about 11/19). As a result I was without heat for 3 days. On the plus side they did not charge me for the extra visit, and the guy who came the second time advised I remove a screen on the flue cap (added to prevent birds from getting trapped) saying is was to small a mesh and appread to have become blinded by ash. I am not sure how after 8 years this could have happened, especially since that screen should have been cleaned before. Anyway, I gave the following grades for the following reasons: OVERALL Experience B, They were good, just not great. Price: B, I opted not to price shop this time. I might next time. Quality: B, The experience was odd, but I didn't feel there was a lack of quality on their side per say. Responsiveness: B, if a fireplace or wood stove is used for aesthetics, thats one thing. But I would have really hoped for a quicker appointment given it was a heating issue. Punctuality: A, they always showed up when they said. Professionalism: A, they were very professional.

They put on the chimney cap. This seemed to have also solved the water problem I was having. The service was fabulous.

We wanted someone to clean our chimney, tell us whether and how well it was lined, and give us an estimate for lining (if needed) and capping. I noticed the coupon in the Angie's List magazine, and called. We're a household of 3 adults, all working full-time. I work the closest to home and have the most flexible and predictable schedule, so I'm generally the one who stays home for service people. In order to avoid taking a round trip from work (2.5 hours) out of my workday, I always ask for the first appointment in the morning. I called in late September, and was told that the first 9 a.m. appointment available was 11/20. So I've waited around 2 months for the sweep to come. This a. m. I got up and was busy around the house, getting ready for the guy. Taking the laundry down, so he'd have room to work in the basement. Getting done with dishes, because I knew the hot water would be turned off while he was there. At 9, when he was supposed to turn up, I started looking for him. Nothing. The phone rang; it was MCS. The conversation went very badly. I asked where the guy was. He was still at the office. Why? He was supposed to be at my house at 9 sharp. Because they'd made a confirmation call at 8:15 (I think I was in the shower) and I hadn't picked up so they didn't send him out. I said they hadn't TOLD me that they were going to make a same-day confirmation call; if I'd known that I'd have had my cell phone in my pocket. The lady said "We've been doing business this way for 35 years," and I said that doesn't help me as a first- (and last!) time customer know that you won't send a truck out unless I pick up the phone. 35 years ago it might have been more usual for a housewife to be home all day -- but not very; 35 years ago was not the 1950s. When someone calls and says specifically "I want your first appointment in the morning because I work full-time" you know you're not dealing with a stay-at-home housewife. The lady offered to send him out then, he'd be there by 10 a.m. I said no, that wasn't acceptable; I'd waited 2 months for a 9 a.m. appointment. It's a short work week, and I had to get to the office. I fired them. This is really sloppy, irresponsible practice. If they're not dispatching a truck without me answering the phone between 8 and 8:30 or whatever, they need to say so in advance. Or they could make like reasonable people and make the confirmation call the day before. There was no mention of this made when I called for the appointment, and that's not acceptable.

They clean my chimneys and fireplaces every year. In 2011 they discovered that the chimney lining was beginning to deteriorate. A new liner was put in with a minimum amount of fuss and a great deal of efficiency. Since then, they have been back for my yearly inspection and cleanup. I have no problem recommending them to others.