Let There Be Light Chimney Sweep

Jim arrived as scheduled, set-up, explained the work to be done, then went about it. The result was great, even leaving an adequate bed of ashes for the next fire. We discussed the job on Sunday evening, and the work was done on Tuesday morning - excellent response-time. I heartily recommend him!

We couldn't be happier with the work that John did. Our damper was broken, so we asked him about replacing it with a top-mounted damper. He gave us the pros and cons of doing that (versus a traditional damper), and we decided to go with that. He swept out the chimney first and did an extremely thorough job (he made sure to show us the "before" and "after" and it was obvious how much cleaner it was when he was done). He also had his shop vac going the whole time so as not to get the living room dirty. Then he installed the top-mounted damper, complete with a chain that hooks onto the side of the chimney. He showed us how to use it; you could hear the damper sealing as we lifted it up and down. Then he had us go outside while he lifted it up and down himself and showed us how to operate it. We've had it for about two months now and have had no issues with it with all the winter weather. We've also noticed that the living room is slightly warmer with the chimney properly sealed. All while he was working, John was telling stories and cracking jokes and giving his recommendations for different restaurants and service providers in the area. We'll definitely be using him again the next time we need to get our chimney swept!

John was great! He showed up right on time. He was very nice and professional. He even took off his boots in the doorway without me asking so he wouldn't track in snow, etc. throughout my house! He did a thorough job and showed me pictures of the chimney to show it was clean. He explained every step in the process and gave me other recommendations to maximize my fireplace's efficiency. I would definitely recommend him to anyone who needs a chimney clean. It was nice to have a courteous professional in my house. A+

John was fantastic! Right from the beginning you know John is an expert and passionate about the services he provides. Certified and insured. Propane fireplace: Cleaned and critical assessment to fill a gap behind the mantel. Wood fireplace: Cleaned with wire brush and recommended (warning) exhaust fan to remove the odor coming back into the house. (negative airflow) Gas flu: Cleaned, replaced rusting elbow from burner and critical assessment to reline the chimney. We moved into our home a little over a year ago without knowledge of the last chimney cleaning and we wanted to make sure they were functioning well. After John's assessment, we did need to have all three chimney's cleaned but that was not all. John pointed out two critical issues that needed to be addressed immediately. After each assessment of the chimneys, John showed me what the issues were and what he was going to clean or fix. Very information all along the way and provided additional things to think about that we also found very helpful. Examples: Confirm the right glass doors are being used, new mantel was positioned within safety tolerances, and suggested gas insert as a secondary source of heat verses my current open propane fireplace. (John does not sell these) Gave an idea of savings, installation process, and cost for something like that. John went above and beyond when addressing my oil burner which had been serviced by a local heating service company in Berwyn for the past 10 years. (service card receipts hanging in the basement). After cleaning the terracotta liner and addressing the need to reline the flu. He replaced a rusting elbow (free) as part of the assessment. Also, gave (free) the correct fireplace mortar to use to fix the gap. (I asked if I could do it versus him) With a 2 year old boy and another son on the way we are very thankful for John's services. I would recommend John, Let there be Light to anyone. I would feel perfectly comfortable sending John to my Grandmomther's house without a worry for safety or getting over charged. Thank you.

John's service was great. We moved recently to an older home and wanted see the chimney's overall state after a good cleaning. It has some issues but John told me what to do to avoid paying too much and get it to work promptly.

He did our liner years ago, and we had him back to sweep. My sense is he knows his stuff, and is trustworthy and knowledgeable. Easy to set appointment with, and they called to confirm the day before.

They were very good and I was impressed with them. He was a really pleasant man and had a lot of funny stories. He got the job done in about 3-4 hours. The scheduling was very easy.

We have had John service our chimney four times. I will tell you without doubt that John is the nicest serviceman you will ever meet bar none. He called to asking if he could come earlier than scheduled because he happened to be in the area so punctuality is not a question, he comes on time. He is genuinely a warm hearted, friendly gentleman who truly loves what he is doing and the result is that he is booked weeks ahead at a time. You're in for a real treat when he comes because let me tell you, we talked about more than just chimneys. This man can talk to you about philosophy, history, physics, medicine and something tells me that's just the tip of the ice berg. He is very polite, kind, keeps his work area neat and clean and as we've used him four times we can vouch that the quality of his work is consistent and always excellent. If you have a chimney let John be the one who takes care of it for you.

John has to be one of the friendliest people I have ever met. He is truly an expert in chimneys and he was incredibly helpful. He explained everything he was doing. I would absolutely recommend him again.

I contacted Let there be Light Chimney Sweep on 10-25-14. John the owner of the company was out on Monday morning (10-27-14) to perform a Level 2 inspection on the chimney of a prospective house we have an offer on. He fit us in during the busiest time of the year for him in order to provide us with the inspection so we could get back to the seller with all of our inspection information. John not only had great news for me (the chimney was in good shape), but he also took the time to show me from top to bottom what preventative maintenance could be done to ensure that the fireplace and chimney were in good working order for years to come. I would recommend John and his services to any one in need of a good chimney sweep. He knows his stuff

The inspection was thorough and he discovered a small crack which he quickly repaired. John is extremely knowledgable.

Our experience with this provider was a positive one from the outset. John responded promptly to my e-mail and follow-up call. He took the time to listen to my description of our situation involving a gas log unit that was no longer working. My concern before peoceeding with the purchase of another gas log set was to establish the condition of our chimney and to determine whether or not we had sufficient draft to safely operate a particular type of gas log system. John is extremely personable and knowledgeable. We contacted him because of the number of positive comments posted on Angie's List website. He arrived at the time we had mutually agreed upon and spent 3 hours evaluating our situation, making repairs to the chimney and answering questions we had about what we need to do to address the moisture problem. John also provided us with the name of a contractor to seal the outside of the chimney to prevent further deterioration. Given our particular situation, John recommended we go with a gas log fireplace insert for safety and comfort reasons. We asked him for the names of area gas log dealers with whom he has had a good experience and he provided this information. Finally, to show how considerate and professional he is, John took care of two other small safety matters near the area of the chimney and did not charge us for these. We could not have asked for a better experience than we had with John and Let There Be Light! Thanks again, Angie's List.

It went very well. John is a one of a kind professional - very friendly and knows his trade inside and out. He was very thorough - showed me some issues with the rear of the fireplace, applied a patch, and offered a suggestion for a permanent fix that was reasonable and easy to do. He explained the work he was going to do - went about his business quickly and effciently - did not leave a mess and made sure that I understood what he was doing throughout the process. I plan on bringing him back for annual cleanings and very much appreciated the sound advice and the high quality work.

John was terrific. Had him over for a chimney sweep. He inspected the chimney and advised me not to sweep it since it was clean. Thanks for the integrity John! Replaced the chimney caps at a reasonable cost and removed all roofing nails lying around from a prior roof replacement.

I have never used my fireplace and after last winter decided I needed to get it cleaned and repaired. I came across Let There Be Light Chimney though Angie's List. John was personable, professional and answered all of my many questions. John was very thorough and he gave me excellent advice. I highly recommend him.

Everything went very well - prompt, clean, responsive, knowledgeable, helpful.

John was very professional and clean. He contacted me within 24hrs of my initial call and made an appointment for a few days later. He was on time and thoroughly inspected and explain clearly what he saw.

John called ahead of the appointment time to let me know he would be about 20 mins late due to a previous job that took a little longer than expected - much appreciated. John provided an education on the repairs and preventative measures to be taken to correct a long standing problem we have had with water infiltration that has damaged our interior floors in our house. The chimney is structurally sound, but suffers from absorption during long or hard driving rains, resulting in saturation of the bricks, moss and mildew growth, significant efflorescence, and ultimately floor damage by water infiltration. We happen to live in a single home that is on a slab, no basement, so the floors are laid on sub-floors over the concrete. Our intention is to remodel our first floor, but we've been holding off for years until we get our water infiltration issues fixed for good. Two previous contractors were useless and will remain nameless. John explained how he will complete some remaining exterior surface repairs and preparation, complete a chimney crown seal, repair the main terra cotta tube on one side, and then finish the job overall by sealing the entire chimney with a product called Chimney Saver that has a 10 year guarantee. John also surveyed the conditions of the roof and gutters, and made other recommendations to keep the gutters clear and flowing properly away from the house. He also made recommendations on how to clean the interior fire chamber and the efflorescence appearing on the hearth and brick face inside. We will be scheduling the follow up work with John as described in the recommendations above. It won't be super cheap (in the $1,200 to $1,400 range), but we are looking forward to finally having this chronic issue resolved once and for all. I will post a follow up review with the results of the work after completion this month (August, 2014). 11/1/204 - Update: I am happy to share that since we have now been more than 2 months since the work was performed, we have had no issues with water infiltration. I wanted to wait a while before posting this so we could get through some significant fall rains. We have had several storms, including what I would call a mild Nor'easter, and the chimney has held up. This seems to have finally fixed an issue that's been there unsolved for more than 5 years. We now plan to engage our designer, and begin our first floor remodel, including the hardwood floors we've always dreamed of having. John is the man!

My daughter will be selling her town home this coming winter. Besides needing the chimney cleaned, I needed a thorough inspection. Have sold real estate in Chester County for 20 years and have seen many chimney sweeps. John did a great job and I would certainly hire him again. Dianne C, Malvern

I learned a ton about my fireplace as well as building fires. John was really helpful explaining the details of my chimney that has a special Belfire insert. He showed me the proper way to use it for maximum efficiency as well as adjusted the damper handle that wasn't staying closed properly.

John was friendly and full of fun facts. He returned my original voicemail promptly and set up a appointment for the next day. The inspection was in response to a home inspection. He did a thorough job and documented all his work for me to submit. I would recommend John to anyone needing a chimney sweep.

John was very friendly and professional. The work was performed in a timely and efficient manner. I was having a plumbing problem that may have been the result of a clogged vent pipe on the roof. I told John I was having a problem getting a plumber to go up on the roof. John volunteered to look at the pipe and even ran water down to make sure it was not clogged. That eliminated one of the possible causes for the gurgling pipes. I then had a plumber snake the sink drain and the problem was solved. THANK YOU JOHN

Work was performed by Mr. John Wisnewski. I left a messageon the company website requesting an estimate. I received a call back the next day, at which time I sent Mr. Wisnewski a copy of my home inspection report (we just purchased the home). He discussed the germane parts of the inspection report with me and gave me an estimate for the work to be done, specifically repairing a chimney crown. Because this is a new home for us, I also requested a Level II inspection for both the oil boiler chimney and propane gas fireplace chimney. Mr. Wisnewski arrived on time and prepared with all necessary materials on his truck. He explained what he was finding in his inspections. It was immediately clear upon his inspection that the chimney crown needed to be replaced, as I watched him pick up crown pieces that were literally just lying on top of the chimney, completely anchored to the brick. With an estimate and my approval, Mr. Wisnewski replaced the crown. He then inspected the chimneys and explained what he was doing and what he was finding along the way. Mr. Wisnewski explained how I might do some of the further recommended work (for example, removing insulation and creating a firebreak in the attic space from around the chimney), if I was feeling handy. At the end of the inspections it started to rain, and Mr. Wisnewski went back on the roof to cover the new crown to protect it from being damaged from the rain while drying. He returned the following day to remove the covering from crown, and later that day he e-mailed me a summary of his work and inspections along with digital pictures to document his work and inspections. The new chimney crown looks great. The inspections were thorough and informative. The first terms that come to mind are prompt, professional, high quality, and competitive pricing. Let There Be Light will be my first-choice chimney sweep in the future.

The work went fabulous. John is very knowledgeable and explained everything to us. We like when contractors take the time to explain "the science" behind the work and John did an excellent job of doing just that. His work is impeccable and he cleaned up so that you would have never known he was there. We really appreciated his work and would recommend him to anyone needing help with their chimney.

John did an outstanding job. He truly knows his profession. I found him to be very professional and thorough. While inspecting my heating system he correctly diagnosed a bad connection between my furnace and the chimney. He corrected it quickly and explained the reasons for the change.