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 Lost Creek
Chimney sweep service in Lost Creek costs between $189 and $329 for a standard cleaning with a Level 1 inspection, and most jobs are completed in under two hours. That’s the range for homes in the 78746 zip code from Westbank Drive up to the cul-de-sacs off Lost Creek Boulevard. Ashton Chimney works throughout Lost Creek’s wooded neighborhoods, and our technicians know the specific issues that come with 1970s and 1980s Hill Country construction. Call (855) 507-9184 to talk through what your fireplace needs.
Why Ashton Chimney Is Lost Creek’s Preferred Chimney Sweep Company
Lost Creek homeowners call us because we explain what we’re doing before we do it. When our Chimney Sweep team arrives at a home near Loop 360 or off Barton Creek Boulevard, the homeowner usually wants to know two things: is my fireplace safe to use, and what does it actually need. We answer both with camera footage, not guesswork. Local homeowners appreciate that we carry professional-grade materials on the truck – DuraFlex liner components, Olympia Chimney caps, Famco connectors – so a routine sweep doesn’t turn into two appointments when we find something.
Nolan Pruett leads our Lost Creek work personally. His approach is simple: we document everything, show you what we see, and recommend only what the camera proves you need. That matters in Lost Creek, where homes are old enough for flue problems but too valuable for lazy upselling. We also work around your schedule, not ours. Most Lost Creek customers get their sweep done within a week of calling, and we’re fully licensed and insured for work throughout Travis County.
Styles & brands we work with
Chimney Cleaning in Lost Creek
Chimney Cleaning in Lost Creek is a different job than it is in newer subdivisions out east. Our techs start by laying drop cloths from the front door to the firebox, then run a rotary brush or standard rods up through the flue depending on what the inspection shows. For a typical open-hearth fireplace in a 1980s ranch home off Westbank Drive, expect the full cleaning and Level 1 inspection to land between $189 and $289. If we’re dealing with a wood stove connected to a clay-tile flue, the range runs $249 to $329 because the disassembly and reassembly takes longer.
Creosote Removal
The creosote we pull from Lost Creek flues is often second or third degree after dry, hot summers. It hardens into a glaze that a standard plastic brush won’t touch. We use flat-wire brush heads and occasionally a rotary loop attachment to break it down without damaging the clay tiles underneath.
Soot Removal
Soot comes out easier than creosote, but the job isn’t done when the firebox looks clean. We remove the soot from the firebox, the damper, the smoke shelf, and the full height of the flue. That top third of the chimney is where Lost Creek’s oak pollen and leaf fall mix with soot to form a paste that blocks the cap screen.
Fireplace Cleaning in Lost Creek
Fireplace Cleaning in Lost Creek means more than brushing the firebox floor. We clean the entire visible appliance: firebox walls, grate, andirons, damper plate, smoke chamber, and the glass on gas inserts when applicable. Most Lost Creek customers pay $150 to $250 for a fireplace cleaning when it’s bundled with a full chimney sweep. That bundle is the smart move because a clean firebox with a dirty flue is still a house fire waiting to happen.
Prefab Metal Firebox Cleaning
A lot of Lost Creek homes have factory-built fireplaces installed in the 1980s and 1990s. These need a different cleaning approach: no aggressive wire brushing that could scratch the refractory panels or damage the metal seams. We use nylon brushes and vacuum out the entire smoke path, including the offset elbows where debris collects.
Fireplace Odor Treatment
If your fireplace smells musty in the summer or smoky when a cold front blows through, the cause is usually creosote residue plus humidity. We clean the residue and, when needed, apply a neutralizer to the firebox and flue. This is a common request in Lost Creek, where homes sit under dense tree canopy and humidity infiltrates dormant chimneys from spring through fall.
Trusted Brands We Service in Lost Creek
Ashton Chimney stocks and installs components from DuraFlex and Olympia Chimney – the same names commercial services specify. When a Lost Creek homeowner needs a new cap with a spark arrestor screen, we install an Olympia unit designed for the Hill Country’s wind and debris load. For gas inserts and wood-burning systems, DuraFlex liners give us a flexible stainless solution rated for the appliance. We’ll name every product before it goes into your home. You won’t get a mystery cap from a hardware store shelf or a liner whose manufacturer we can’t tell you.
See the difference
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After
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AfterCommon Chimney Sweep Problems We See in Lost Creek Homes
- Squirrel and bird nests in the first flue section. The live oak overhang on Lost Creek lots gives squirrels a direct path to uncapped or loose-capped chimneys. We pull nests out weekly during the fall.
- Third-degree creosote in wood stove flues. Long, slow burns in modern stoves produce a tar-like glaze. Hot summers bake it onto the clay tile. It only comes out with a rotary head and a lot of muscle.
- Spalling mortar in the smoke chamber. The smoke chamber might look fine from below, but gap-filled mortar joints leak heat and smoke into the wall cavity. A camera inspection documents it so you can decide whether repair is needed or whether we note it for monitoring.
- Clogged cap screens from pollen and leaves. It looks like a solid sheet of brown fuzz. The damper sticks, smoke spills out on startup, and the whole system drafts poorly until the screen is cleaned or replaced.
Pricing for Chimney Sweep in Lost Creek, TX
Here’s what a Chimney Sweep in Lost Creek costs at Ashton Chimney:
- Standard chimney sweep + Level 1 inspection: $189-$289
- Wood stove cleaning + Level 1 inspection: $249-$329
- Fireplace cleaning add-on with sweep: $150-$250
- Level 2 camera inspection (with written documentation): $350-$500
- Chimney cap replacement with spark arrestor: $280-$520 depending on flue size
What moves the price is flue condition, access on the roof, and whether we find third-degree creosote that requires more care and labor than a standard pass. We always quote before we start, and we actually show up with the equipment to handle what we find. Call (855) 507-9184 and we’ll give you a working estimate over the phone.
We Also Serve Cities Near Lost Creek
Our service area includes West Lake Hills, Austin, Barton Creek, and Rollingwood. If you’re just across the line in a neighboring community, the drive time doesn’t change the quality of the work – it just changes the route. We’ll schedule Lost Creek and nearby jobs on the same day when we can to keep routing efficient.
Serving Lost Creek, TX — Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Lost Creek 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 Lost Creek
Not necessarily, and that’s exactly the kind of question we answer with a Level 2 camera inspection instead of a sales pitch. Original clay tile can still be structurally sound if the mortar joints between tiles aren’t spalling and there’s no flue offset creating gaps. If we see gap-filled joints, water staining, or heat transfer through the tile, we’ll show you that footage on our monitor and talk through your options, including HeatShield resurfacing as a repair path that doesn’t require ripping out the old flue. Call (855) 507-9184 if you want to know what you actually have before anyone sells you anything.
Lost Creek sits inside a wildfire-prone Hill Country interface, and many neighborhoods around Westbank Drive and Lost Creek Boulevard expect chimney caps fitted with spark arrestor screens to keep embers from landing in surrounding live oak and cedar brush. A cap without a proper screen is a fire risk and, in some cases, a code compliance issue. We install Olympia Chimney caps sized to your flue so the screen keeps sparks in and animals out.
Every year, even if you only light fires on holidays. The problem in Lost Creek is that long dormant periods let creosote harden, animals nest, and cap screens clog with oak pollen. A dormant flue doesn’t clean itself, and the first fire after eleven months of neglect is exactly when a chimney fire or smoke spill happens. The inspection catches it before your family does.
Third-degree creosote is the tar-like glaze that forms when unburned wood particles and moisture condense inside a flue that’s running below its ideal burn temperature. It matters in Lost Creek because long dry summers bake it onto clay tile until it’s hard as asphalt. A standard plastic brush does nothing to it. We use a rotary head to break it loose, but the bigger point is that third-degree creosote is fuel sitting inside your chimney. One hot fire with that glaze in place is how you end up calling 911. Don’t let it get there.
Yes, and we treat factory-built systems differently than masonry fireplaces. The metal firebox fires faster, runs cooler, and cannot handle aggressive wire brushing without risking the refractory panels and metal seams. We use the correct method for factory-built units, check the manufacturer’s clearance requirements, and inspect the entire metal flue for rust and seam separation. If yours was installed in the 1980s or 1990s, the age doesn’t disqualify it – but it means we document its condition every time we’re there.
Written by Nolan Pruett, Owner at Ashton Chimney, serving Lost Creek since he founded the company.