Learn how to clean a spark arrestor on your chimney or combustion engine safely and effectively to prevent clogs or a buildup of fumes.
How Much Does a Chimney Sweep Cost? [2025 Data]
Normal Range: $129 - $380
It costs about $254 to hire a chimney sweep, but the national average ranges between $129 and $380.
How we get this data
Photo: Michael Robinson / Corbis Documentary / Getty Images
Photo: Michael Robinson / Corbis Documentary / Getty Images
Highlights
For a few hundred dollars, an annual chimney cleaning can help prevent creosote or debris build-up.
Chimney inspections can also catch minor issues before they become costly repairs that impact your home's safety.
If your home is older or you haven’t maintained your chimney’s physical structure, your cleaner might recommend repairs in addition to cleaning the flue.
Homes with steep peaks and hard-to-reach chimneys will cost more to clean than a ranch-style home.
When it comes to your fireplace, a chimney sweep is as important as fuzzy slippers and a good book. These pros inspect, clean, and help maintain your fireplace so you can enjoy it with peace of mind. Hiring a chimney sweep costs an average of $254, but prices often range between $129 and $380, depending on the work they do. Let's take a closer look at the costs.
Chimney Sweep Cost Factors
While chimney sweep estimates fall within a common range for level-one inspections and basic cleanings, prices may vary based on your specific needs. Get quotes from at least three pros, and check their online reviews.
Chimney Condition
A chimney in poor condition will cost more to clean and maintain. Expect increased costs if your chimney has heavy creosote buildup, structural damage such as cracks or loose bricks, or blockages from animal nests or other debris. These issues are more common in neglected chimneys that haven't been regularly cleaned or maintained in some time.
Chimney Type
Don’t forget to consider how your type of fireplace or stove will impact the chimney sweeping cost. When getting quotes from local chimney sweeps, mention the type of fireplace or stove to the company representative.
Gas fireplace maintenance: $80–$130
Pellet stove inspection and cleaning: $130–$200
Standard wood stove upkeep: $150–$300
Number of Flues
The number of flues also matters, as each flue requires a separate cleaning job. Sweeping a regular open fireplace with a single flue will cost less than sweeping one with multiple flues.
Chimney Accessibility
If the chimney sweep will have difficulty accessing your chimney—like if your roof has a steep pitch or a high peak—you can expect to pay more for sweep services. That’s because the project will take more time and skill, and it poses a greater safety risk.
Time Between Cleanings
If you use your fireplace frequently but have been neglecting your chimney inspections, your next chimney sweeping service will cost more. Layers of soot can build up in the fireplace, which requires more time and effort to remove.
Chimney Use Frequency
The more you use your chimney, the more creosote will build up inside. This extra buildup will require more intensive cleaning and additional time and labor from a chimney sweep to remove.
Seasonality
Seasonality affects chimney sweep costs because of supply and demand. Services are more expensive during peak season (late summer and fall) when homeowners are preparing to use their fireplaces during the chilly months. Scheduling a chimney sweep during the off-season (spring or summer) could save you money.
Location
The cost of chimney sweep services varies by your home’s location. If you live in an area with a high cost of living, such as New York City or California, you can expect your chimney sweep to cost more than the same service in a lower cost-of-living area. Here's a look at common chimney sweep costs by U.S. states:
| State | Average Chimney Sweep Cost |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $140 |
| Colorado | $170 |
| Florida | $250 |
| Iowa | $230 |
| Massachusetts | $380 |
| New Jersey | $550 |
| Oregon | $200 |
| Wisconsin | $210 |
Inspections
The level of chimney and fireplace inspection required is a determining factor in the final cost of your bill. The National Fire Protection Association, which sets standards for chimney inspections nationwide, outlines three levels of chimney inspection that range in comprehensiveness and cost.
A Level 1 chimney inspection costs $160 to $300. This is the most common inspection level and ensures the basic function of a chimney and its venting system.
A Level 2 chimney inspection costs $260 to $460 and is recommended whenever buying or selling a home or after a chimney is damaged by weather or fire.
A Level 3 chimney inspection costs $500 to $800 and is required when a chimney sweep suspects a serious problem with the chimney or if it requires reconstruction.
How Often Should You Sweep Your Chimney?
The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) both recommend that homeowners have their chimneys inspected and cleaned annually. That said, the frequency of chimney cleaning will depend on how often you use the fireplace, the type of fuel, and other factors. You might need a chimney sweep if you notice the following signs:
Soot and creosote are gathering inside the fireplace; you should clean your chimney after the buildup reaches ⅛ of an inch
Bad odors are coming from the fireplace
Smoke is not exiting the chimney properly
Fires won’t stay lit
There’s evidence of animals inside the chimney
Cost of Common Chimney Sweep Add-Ons
Chimneys need a little TLC over time, particularly in older homes. During your annual visit, chimney sweeps may recommend further repairs to keep your chimney running safely and efficiently. These are some of the most common additional services, along with their prices:
Chimney cap replacement cost: $75–$500
Chimney liner installation cost: $1,500–$5,000
Cost to repair chimney flashing: $400–$1,600
Fireplace damper replacement cost: $160–$520
Cost to repair fireplace damper: $100–$250
Depending on the extent of damage found during the inspection, you may need to budget for a larger chimney repair cost (often between $160 and $750). In extreme cases, you might have to replace the whole thing, which can cost significantly more—chimney replacement prices can go as high as $15,000.
Finally, you may occasionally discover an animal trapped in your chimney. A chimney sweep can help free the critter for between $200 and $600.
DIY Chimney Sweeping vs. Hiring a Pro
You should not attempt to clean your own chimney. Chimney sweeps are highly trained and certified professionals. If you’re not trained, cleaning your own chimney could lead to dangerous, costly, and even fatal consequences. That’s because your chimney may have a fragile structure, and the buildup that forms inside the chimney could be toxic.
Beyond the safety risks, a DIY job that goes wrong can lead to costly repairs, potentially exceeding what a professional sweep would have charged in the first place.
How to Save Money on Chimney Sweeping
While chimney sweeping is often a fixed rate, you might be able to save money with these tips:
Have your chimney inspected regularly to avoid problems that could lead to costly repairs in the long run
Schedule a chimney sweep during the off-season (spring or summer) when demand isn’t as high
Conduct basic maintenance yourself, like removing excess ash and debris
Only burn dry, seasoned hardwoods, which don’t build up creosote as quickly as softwoods and unseasoned woods
How Angi Gets Its Cost Data
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We’ve surveyed over 10,000 real Angi customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to [email protected]. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best time to clean your chimney is before you actually need to use it. For most of us, that means getting your chimney cleaned in the spring, summer, or early fall. You may find that chimney sweeps are booked up when the winter months fade and the first round of customers begin to hire them for cleanings, but you also don’t want to wait until too late in the fall when chimney sweeps might be responding to other customers who waited until the last minute. Thus, the safest bet may be the summer.
The service time for a standard chimney sweep is 45 minutes to one hour, making this a quick-and-easy service. However, if you have severe soot buildup or need your chimney pro to install new features, you can expect the service to take longer.
While it’s not the most glamorous task, cleaning your chimney is vitally important to the safety of your home. Neglecting chimney cleaning can cause a blockage and buildup of toxic gasses in your flue, which could lead to a dangerous chimney fire. That’s why it’s important to maintain your chimney and schedule annual cleanings from a professional.
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