"In over 20 years of having our fireplace serviced, Chimney Discounters is the best! Best service, best expertise, best value for the cost! Richard, the owner, answered every question I had. We will be customers of this stellar provider from now on."
"Top notch professionals…they were the only company that used a camera to inspect the chimney and didn’t try to sell me anything I didn’t need. Highly recommended"
"I've used American Professional several times at various houses I've lived in or owned. They are an honest and professional company that does good work and stands behind it. I recently got them to give me an estimate on rebuilding the top portion of a chimney that needs brickwork. They inspected the chimney, told me it was safe to use, and gave me a very reasonable estimate for the chimney rebuild, saying that it can wait until spring if I wish. From my experience, they will do everything they can to satisfy the customer, whether it's a simple chimney cleaning or custom work. This is the best chimney company in the DC area by far."
"We are planning to install vent-free gas logs in our two wood burning fireplaces so we could have heat during power outages and for the warmth and ambiance. I called three of the fireplace installers from Angie's List based on customer reviews for estimates. Two of the fireplace companies suggested that I have both chimneys cleaned and inspected before doing the gas log installation. Even though the gas logs are natural gas and vent-free and would not need the damper to be opened so do not need a working chimney for the gas logs, we had never had the chimneys inspected or cleaned since we moved in 6 years ago. So we thought that was a good idea to get it done once and then we don't have to have it done again unless there is a problem. Steve the Fire Place Guy suggested that I call MCP Chimney & Masonry. He said that he had worked with them before and they are very good. I looked on Angie's List to see the reviews and there were only 4 reviews with an average of B overall rating. I was a little skeptical but Steve told me that they would be up front with me and would not try to sell something I do not need so I scheduled an appointment. Tammy is really very friendly and helpful. She told me that an inspection and cleaning is $159 per chimney. I had seen somewhere else where it costs between $99-$229 but I think the $99 is for either the inspection or cleaning but not for both and the high end prices included other cleaning such as dryer vent. Anyway, I went ahead and scheduled the inspection and cleaning with Tammy. Brandon and Jose arrived within the scheduled time window. They put the tarp down on my beige carpet and began to clean each chimney from the bottom to top method from inside the house. After they were done, there was not a bit of dust or soot from the chimney. Brandon had vacuum all that into his vacuum inside the fireplace before it could get out into the room. My fireplace, mantel, and beige carpet were still clean. Then they went on the roof to do the inspection. Brandon came down with pictures of the crowns that he took with his phone and he also brought down a few pieces of the concrete crown from one of the chimneys. He said that one of the chimney looked like it was the original crown when the house was built 29 years ago and never been replaced or repaired. The concrete was separating from the crown and loosely sitting or dangling from the edge and he was able to bring a few pieces down to show me. The other crown looked like it was repaired previously but not done very well or professionally, Someone that the previous owner has hired used concrete fillers in the cracks of the crown and now has more cracks and some separation. Brandon recommends that I get the repair done especially since our chimneys showed no signs of internal water damage. If there were water damage, it could damage the liner or weaken the integrity of the bricks in the chimney and if left it is not repaired overtime the chimney may need to be replaced which could run about $6,000 or higher. Brandon recommended that we repair both crowns with the poxy compound which has a 20 year warranty. It is put on over the concrete creating a cover. I had seen this done with our neighbor's crown so I had an idea of what he is talking about. He said to use concrete to repair the crown will only have a 2 year warranty so of course I went with the compound. The cost for the repair was $600 for both crowns but Brandon gave me a 15% discount making the repair cost $520 and the total for cleaning, inspecting and repairs to $838. I guess I am happy with that since I have no idea what the average costs would be. So I scheduled the repair with Tammy for the following week. They came out and did the job and as far as I know everything seems fine (it is not like I am going to climb on a ladder on the roof to check). So far so good and I am happy with the staff and work. Usually, since I am the one in the household that calls for repairs or maintenance I would be the one companies would be talking with. Some male representatives have a tendency to think since I am a female I may not understand or need to know how or what the job entails so they do not bother to fully explain things to me or ask to speak with my husband. Good luck with that, my husband do not want to be bother and he would say talk with my wife. So if you do not want to talk with me...Good bye, you are not getting the job. Brandon was completely opposite and took the time to explain all the aspect of the job and why. He was absolutely wonderful and so was Tammy in the office. I would definitely call them again and since they do masonry work, I may have projects for them in the future. So as long as this repair job continues to be problem free, I would definitely recommend them and I would ask for Brandon Morris."
"Lewis (Louis?) and his team were very responsive. They assessed what needed to be done and had an estimate before they left. They were able to address some other challenges I was facing. They cleaned the gutters (checked gutter fasteners and down spouts and added a gutter guard), installed a chimney cap, cleaned and mitigated black mold in my HVAC, installed a UV light to provide hospital quality air in the house, cleaned the fireplace and inspected the chimney. So happy with the service. I’d be happy to have them come out again for any job that I needed help with. Can’t recommend American Chimney enough and I’m so glad I found them here on Angi."
"DMV Chimney inspected and cleaned my stove
The tech was professional, nice and polite and did the best and cleanest job. Recommended to my neighbors!"
"Chip was punctual, professional and knowledgeable. He inspected, cleaned and serviced two gas fireplaces in my home. Chip was also responsive when I had a follow up question after the service. I will use the company again and recommend them to others."
"Tim was timely, thorough, and honest about the state of my chimney and work that needed to be done. He was very professional, but down to earth and easy to work with. I have worked with him in the past, and know that he is meticulous with his inspection and trust his professional guidance with the work that needs to be done. I highly recommend Top Shelf Chimney. I will be using them again for the repairs and for future inspections."
The installation may have been done correctly. However, improperly installed gutter guards can easily damage your shingles. Also, cheap gutter guards rarely come with installation fixtures. In the worst cases, they simply ask you to nail the guards in, which would sabotage your roof’s water resistance and thus void the warranty. To be sure, always check with your home warranty provider before making any modifications.
A roof's ability to handle snow depends on its strength and the snow's weight, as wet snow is much heavier than dry, fluffy snow. While designs in snowy regions often allow for 35 to 50 pounds per square foot, a general guideline is that a typical roof can withstand about four feet of fresh snow, two feet of packed snow, or just one inch of ice. Factors like the roof's age, slope, and support structure also affect its capacity; newer, sloped roofs generally hold more weight than older, flat ones. Ice and ice dams add significant, dangerous weight. Because capacity varies, it is best to contact a professional roofing contractor or the original builder to determine the maximum snow load for your specific home.
Whether you should replace your roof if it is not leaking depends on the specific problem. Just because your roof isn’t leaking doesn’t mean there’s no damage or wood rot. Roof leaks can take a while to spot—and the damage could be extensive by the time you realize your roof is leaking.
Even if you don’t see a leak, you should have a roofing pro perform an inspection on your roof at least once a year. A pro can spot damage you might miss. They can recommend whether you should consider roof replacement.
You can tell if you have ridge vents by looking at the roof’s peak from outside. A ridge vent will look like a speed bump or slight rise away from the roof’s surface and will likely be covered in the same material as the rest of the roof. You can also tell from inside your attic—look up at the roof ridge to see if there is light coming through along the length of the ridge.
Whether replacing the entire roof or just installing roof shingle replacements in small areas, always pull up the old roof shingles. While you can technically put new roof shingles (but not other roof materials) over old shingles, this can add weight strain to the roof and prevent the new shingles from securing properly to the roof.
The Glen Echo, MD homeowners’ guide to chimney inspection services
From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
Find out the average roof inspection cost in Washington, DC. Learn what you can expect to pay for local roof assessments and catch hidden damage early.
Getting annual chimney inspections is essential for maintaining a functioning chimney. Prepare for a chimney inspection by understanding what to expect and how to prepare.
Stay on top of your chimney safety and maintenance with our chimney inspection checklist featuring expert tips on how to work with an inspector near you.
If you want to be sure your chimney is working properly, you’ll need a professional inspection. So who does chimney inspections? We’ve got all the info.
