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 Sweep Across Upland
A chimney sweep in Upland typically costs between $189 and $379, depending on the level of inspection and what’s inside the flue. For most homes in 91784, 91785, and 91786, we’re at your door within 3 to 5 business days, often sooner in the off-season. Ontario Chimney has swept fireplaces and chimneys throughout Upland for years, from the foothill ranch tracts backing up to the San Gabriel Mountains to the citrus-era bungalows near downtown. If you’re seeing soot fall back into the firebox, smelling smoke indoors, or you simply can’t remember the last time anyone looked at the flue, call (833) 467-7685 and we’ll get it sorted.
We know Upland’s housing stock and we know how it behaves in fire season. That matters more than a generic one-size-fits-all sweep.
Why Ontario Chimney Is Upland’s Preferred Chimney Sweep Company
Upland homeowners call us because we explain what we found, show the evidence, and give options without pushing work that can wait. That approach has built our reputation across the 91786 and 91784 ZIP codes, where word travels between neighbors on the same block. When we sweep a chimney on a street of attached bungalows near 2nd Avenue, it’s common for the neighbor to book an inspection the same week.
Al Vickers runs our team and has spent years working on Upland’s specific chimney problems: shared masonry stacks, seized dampers, spalled clay tile liners, and uncapped flues full of eucalyptus litter. We don’t send a pressure-wash crew to sweep your chimney. Every technician on your roof is trained to spot structural issues, venting problems, and fire-interface hazards. That’s the difference between a brush through the flue and an actual chimney inspection.
We work with a curated set of professional-grade materials: DuraFlex liner systems, HeatShield ceramic resurfacing, Gelco caps and dampers, and components sourced through Copperfield and Olympia Chimney. When a Upland home needs more than a sweep, the repair materials are the same ones certified chimney professionals specify, not bargain substitutes from a hardware store.
Styles & brands we work with
Chimney Cleaning in Upland
Chimney cleaning in Upland is different from chimney cleaning in most Southern California markets because of the Santa Ana wind corridor and the wildland interface along the foothills. A standard cleaning here means removing soot and creosote from the flue, clearing wind-blown debris and eucalyptus litter, checking the spark arrestor, and verifying the damper opens and closes. A routine sweep in Upland runs $189 to $289 for a single flue with standard access.
For homes in the 91784 ZIP backing against the Angeles National Forest boundary, we often find dry-season debris that has been sitting in the flue for months. A sweep is less about heavy creosote buildup and more about restoring a clear, safe draft before the first cold-snap burn.
Creosote and Soot Removal
Creosote removal is the core of any sweep. In Upland’s mild climate, fireplaces sit idle most of the year, so what builds up is often a mix of first-degree creosote, soot, and airborne debris. We run the brush the full length of the flue, then document what came out so you know exactly what was in there.
Annual Maintenance Sweeps
An annual sweep for a single fireplace in Upland runs $189 to $249. We suggest booking it in early fall, before the holiday burn season, especially in the foothill neighborhoods where spark arrestor clearance is a fire-safety issue. Waiting until December means colder inspections and busier calendars.
Fireplace Cleaning in Upland
Fireplace cleaning in Upland homes often turns up more than ash. In the older bungalows near downtown, we regularly find that the firebox itself hasn’t been cleaned in years, with ash packed against the firebrick and old embers sitting in the ash dump. A fireplace cleaning in Upland runs $119 to $199 when bundled with a full chimney sweep, and includes removing ash, vacuuming the firebox, wiping down the surround, and checking the grate and refractory panels.
If you use your fireplace every year, the firebox deserves attention even when the flue looks fine. A clean firebox burns hotter and drafts better, which means less smoke pushing back into the room on windy Santa Ana days.
Full Sweep and Inspection Bundle
For $289 to $379, we combine the complete chimney sweep with a Level 1 inspection, a camera check of the flue liner, and a written report with photos. That bundle is the most popular option in Upland because it answers the two questions homeowners actually have: what’s in there, and is it safe to burn?
Pre-Listing and Move-In Cleanings
If you’re selling a home in Upland or just bought one, a documented chimney sweep and inspection clears the one item home inspectors consistently flag. We provide a written report you can hand to a buyer or keep for your records. Flat-price quote agreed before we book, no surprises after the fact.
Trusted Brands We Service in Upland
We service and install what we trust, and we stock the components Upland homes actually need. That means DuraFlex stainless steel liner systems for the offset flues you find in older Craftsman homes, HeatShield for ceramic resurfacing when a clay tile liner is cracked but the chimney structure is sound, and Gelco dampers and caps when a top-sealing damper or a spark arrestor needs replacing. Because we stock these locally, a Upland customer with a failed damper isn’t waiting two weeks for a part to ship. We carry what the trade actually uses, not what the big-box store sells.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterCommon Chimney Sweep Problems We See in Upland Homes
- Shared flue cross-contamination in attached bungalows. In dense downtown blocks around 91786, many citrus-era homes share a masonry stack with the neighboring unit. If one unit’s gas appliance is venting into that common stack, your wood-burning fireplace can be pushing smoke into their side, or vice versa. A standard sweep misses this every time.
- Wildlife nests and wind-driven debris in uncapped flues. North Upland homes in 91784 sit against the foothills. Squirrels, birds, and eucalyptus litter find their way into uncapped flues during the dry months, and the first cold-snap burn turns that into a blocked chimney or a chimney fire.
- Spalled and cracked clay tile liners in mid-century ranch tracts. Original clay tile liners in Upland’s 1950s through 1970s homes crack from decades of heating and cooling. Creosote seeps behind the liner where a brush can’t reach, and the flue becomes a fire risk even after a sweep.
- Seized dampers and draft smells in older homes. The original cast-iron dampers in Upland’s citrus-era and mid-century fireplaces rust, warp, or seize open. Homeowners get a permanent draft smell and can’t control the fire’s burn rate. A sweep can identify it, but the fix is usually a new top-sealing damper.
Pricing for Chimney Sweep in Upland, CA
Here’s what Upland homeowners should expect to pay. A basic chimney sweep for a single flue runs $189 to $249. A sweep with a Level 1 inspection and written report runs $289 to $329. Adding a full fireplace cleaning brings the total to $329 to $379. If you need a Level 2 camera inspection because of a shared flue, a prior chimney fire, or a recent property transfer, that adds $199 to $299 depending on access and what the camera shows. We give a flat quote before booking, and the estimate is free. Call (833) 467-7685 and we’ll walk through exactly what your home needs.
We Also Serve Cities Near Upland
Our Chimney Sweep team regularly works in San Antonio Heights, Claremont, Montclair, and Rancho Cucamonga. If you’re right on the Upland line or just across it, you’ll get the same flat pricing and the same written report. For a closer look at our local coverage, see Upland service details.
Serving Upland, CA — Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Upland 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 Sweep in Upland
Yes, we can sweep just your side, but we always inspect the full stack before we do. In Upland’s attached citrus-era bungalows, two units often share one masonry chimney with separate flues, or worse, a common flue. If your neighbor’s gas appliance vents into the same stack, your sweep can’t fix a cross-contamination problem alone. We’ll tell you what’s yours, what’s shared, and what needs to happen before you burn again. Call (833) 467-7685 for a shared-stack inspection, free estimates included.
Every year, before the first burn. North Upland homes in 91784 sit against the San Gabriel foothills, and uncapped flues collect eucalyptus litter, leaves, and animal nests during the long dry season. A single Santa Ana event can drive embers and ash back down the flue and into whatever has accumulated. We recommend an annual sweep and Level 1 inspection, and if you back onto open space, a spark arrestor check every visit. Call (833) 467-7685 to book a pre-season sweep.
Sometimes, but usually not. If the damper is simply jammed with soot and creosote, a sweep can free it. If the cast-iron throat damper in your Upland home is rusted, warped, or seized from years of disuse, the fix is a replacement, often a top-sealing damper. The draft smell won’t go away until the damper seals. We’ll show you what we found and quote the repair before any work happens. Call (833) 467-7685 for a damper assessment.
First-degree creosote is a dry, dusty soot that brushes off easily, and it’s what we find in most Upland fireplaces. Third-degree creosote is a hard, glazed, tar-like layer that won’t come off with a standard brush, and it’s a serious fire hazard. Homes that burn unseasoned wood, or that haven’t been swept in years, can develop it. In Upland’s mild climate, third-degree is less common than in colder markets, but we do find it in the older bungalows where fireplaces have gone unsupervised. Call (833) 467-7685 for a creosote assessment and a straight answer.
Yes, and we see them every week. Clay tile liners in Upland’s early-1900s and mid-century homes crack from decades of thermal cycling, and the cracks let creosote and moisture get behind the liner where a brush can’t reach. If the liner is intact, we sweep and maintain it. If it’s cracked, we can often restore it with HeatShield ceramic resurfacing rather than a full tear-out. The camera shows you exactly what we’re seeing. Call (833) 467-7685 for a liner inspection.
Written by Al Vickers, Owner at Ontario Chimney, serving Upland and the surrounding Foothill communities.