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.
Chimney Company in Montclair, CA
Chimney repair in Montclair usually means one of two things: a cracked flue liner in a 1960s ranch home, or a chimney crown that’s been letting rain soak into the masonry for years. We see both patterns constantly across the 91763 ZIP. Much of Montclair’s housing stock dates to the 1950s through 1970s, and those original brick fireplaces sat unused through decades of inland heat, which means the real work often isn’t sweeping at all, it’s restoring what time and weather have quietly damaged. Call Mantel Chimney Sweep at (844) 821-5749 and we’ll tell you plainly whether your fireplace needs a sweep, a repair, or nothing at all this year.
Why Montclair Homes Are Different
Montclair’s chimney work is shaped by two things: the age of its housing and the inland Southern California climate. Most homes here are single-story stucco tract builds from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. The fireplaces in those homes were built with clay tile liners and brick masonry that has now had fifty to seventy years to dry, settle, and crack. The hot, dry summers that stretch from May through October leave mortar brittle. Then the occasional winter rain finds every hairline crack in the crown and starts wicking moisture down into the chimney chase.
We also notice something specific to Montclair: a large share of these original fireplaces have been sealed off entirely or converted to gas logs. That means the flue hasn’t been swept in decades, and the first time a homeowner tries to use the fireplace during a winter cold snap, they get a smoky smell or a draft from a damper that’s rusted shut. By the time we’re called, the chimney needs more than a cleaning. It needs an actual diagnosis. That’s the repair side of the work, and it’s where we spend most of our time in Montclair.
Styles & brands we work with
Our Main Montclair Services
Most Montclair homeowners call us about one of two fire hazards: a chimney that hasn’t been touched in decades, or a dryer vent that’s packed with lint. Both are preventable fires waiting for the right conditions.
Chimney Sweep in Montclair
In Montclair’s older tract homes, a sweep is often the first time anyone has looked inside the flue since the house was built. We remove creosote and debris, then check the damper, the liner, and the crown while we’re already there. If your fireplace has been sealed off or converted to gas, the flue may not need a full sweep, but it almost certainly needs an inspection before you light anything. Read more on our dedicated Chimney Sweep in Montclair page, which covers what a Montclair sweep involves and what it costs.
Dryer Vent Cleaning in Montclair
Montclair’s single-story homes often have laundry rooms in the center of the house, which means the dryer vent run is longer than it needs to be. Every bend in that run catches lint. Combined with the dry indoor air from running the AC through long summers, that lint turns into fuel. We clean the full vent run from the dryer to the exterior cap, and we’re one of the few companies in the area that treats dryer vent work as a real fire-prevention service, not an add-on. See the Dryer Vent Cleaning in Montclair page for specifics.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees — you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
- 4
You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Chimney Repair in Montclair
Chimney repair in Montclair tends to follow a pattern we’ve seen on hundreds of homes: the fireplace went dormant for twenty or thirty years, then a homeowner decides to use it again and finds a rusted damper, a cracked flue, or a crown that’s been silently failing since the Clinton administration. The hot summers and occasional downpours have done their work. What’s needed isn’t a quick sweep, it’s a repair that restores the chimney to the point where it actually contains the fire and vents the smoke. That’s the work we do every week across Montclair’s 1950s and 1960s tract neighborhoods, and we bring the same materials and methods to a small crown repair that we bring to a full liner replacement. If you want a deeper look at our repair approach, see our Chimney Repair overview.
Chimney Crown Repair
Signs you need it
Hairline cracks spiderwebbing across the top of the chimney, flaking mortar, or damp spots on the ceiling near the fireplace are the usual tells in Montclair.
What it costs in Montclair
Chimney crown repair in Montclair typically runs $350 to $750, with a full rebuild from $1,100 to $1,900 when the crown has crumbled past patching.
How we do it
We clean out the damaged crown material, recoat or rebuild the crown with a tapered design that sheds water outward, and confirm the edges overhang the brick so rain stops sitting on the masonry.
Chimney Flashing Repair
Signs you need it
Water stains on the ceiling around the chimney chase, peeling paint near the roofline, or visible rust where the metal meets the brick are the reliable indicators.
What it costs in Montclair
Chimney flashing repair in Montclair typically costs $350 to $750, and replacing the full flashing set runs from $700 to $1,400.
How we do it
We remove the old flashing, install new step flashing and counterflashing sealed with high-temperature silicone, and check that the roofline mates tightly so water can’t follow the chimney down into the house.
Chimney Cap Installation
Signs you need it
You need a cap if you don’t have one, or if your existing cap is rusted through, missing its screen, or letting water and birds into the flue.
What it costs in Montclair
Chimney cap installation in Montclair runs $250 to $500, and replacement is $300 to $550.
How we do it
We fit a stainless steel or copper cap to your flue size, secure it with mechanical fasteners, and screen it to keep embers in and wildlife out.
Chimney Liner Installation
Signs you need it
Cracked clay tiles, a chimney that won’t draft, or an old unlined flue that can’t handle the heat of a modern wood stove are the reasons we recommend a liner.
What it costs in Montclair
A DuraFlex stainless steel liner installation in Montclair runs $2,500 to $5,000, and HeatShield cerfractory resurfacing, when the clay liner is still sound enough to save, runs $2,500 to $5,000.
How we do it
We measure the flue, drop a DuraFlex liner down from the top, insulate as needed, and connect it to the appliance and a new cap so the whole system vents cleanly.
What Chimney Repair Costs in Montclair
| Item | Typical range in Montclair |
|---|---|
| Chimney cap installation | $250 – $500 |
| Chimney cap replacement | $300 – $550 |
| Chimney crown repair | $350 – $750 |
| Chimney flashing repair | $350 – $750 |
| Chimney liner installation (DuraFlex) | $2,500 – $5,000 |
Those figures reflect what we actually quote in Montclair, not a national average. Masonry repairs on older brick always cost more than on newer construction, because the original materials are often too far gone to patch. We price a repair as a fixed quote before we start, so the number you hear on the phone is the number on the invoice.
Can you repair a chimney without rebuilding it?
In most Montclair homes, yes. Crown repair, flashing repair, and cap replacement all restore function without touching the brick. When the liner has failed, HeatShield lets us resurface the flue from the inside, which avoids demolition. A full rebuild is only needed when the masonry itself has structural damage.
How long does a chimney repair last in Montclair?
A properly rebuilt crown with a good overhang lasts 20 to 30 years in this climate. Stainless steel flashing sealed correctly lasts 15 to 25 years. The variable is water: Montclair’s dry heat is hard on mortar, but the rain is what accelerates damage. Repairs that shed water properly hold up. Call (844) 821-5749 for a specific assessment.
Brands We Service in Montclair
We service and install the brands that hold up in Montclair’s dry heat: HeatShield for flue resurfacing, DuraFlex for stainless liners, and Olympia Chimney and Gelco hardware and caps. Most common components are on our trucks or available within a day, so repairs rarely wait on parts. Our full list lives on our brands page.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterPricing for Chimney Company in Montclair, CA
| Service | Typical range in Montclair |
|---|---|
| Chimney sweep (standard) | $189 – $319 |
| Chimney sweep with full inspection report | $249 – $399 |
| Dryer vent cleaning | $129 – $189 |
| Dryer vent cleaning with roof or high-access cap | $159 – $219 |
| Chimney cap installation | $250 – $500 |
| Chimney cap replacement | $300 – $550 |
| Chimney crown repair | $350 – $750 |
| Chimney flashing repair | $350 – $750 |
| Chimney liner installation (DuraFlex) | $2,500 – $5,000 |
| HeatShield flue resurfacing | $2,500 – $5,000 |
What pushes a Montclair chimney repair toward the top of its range is usually access: a steep roofline, a chimney that’s hard to reach from a ladder, or masonry that needs extra prep before the repair can hold. We give a fixed-price quote before the work starts, so you’ll never hear a different number after the fact.
Neighborhoods We Serve in Montclair
We work throughout the 91763 ZIP, from the central streets lined with 1960s ranch homes up to the newer builds closer to the Pomona border. The neighborhoods below are where we spend most of our days, but if your street isn’t listed, call anyway. We cover all of Montclair.
- Central Montclair
- Kingsley area
- North Montclair
- Alameda corridor
- State Street area
Most Montclair appointments get on the schedule within about a week, and we can often fit a simple crown or cap repair in sooner if the job is small.
Service Area – Cities Near Montclair
We also handle chimney repairs and sweeping in the neighboring cities throughout the Pomona Valley. If you’re in Claremont, CA, Ontario, CA, Upland, CA, or La Verne, CA, the housing stock is similar and so are the problems. Same team, same fixed-price quoting, and the same repair-grade materials on every job.
Serving Montclair, CA — Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Montclair 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 Company in Montclair
Most repairs we do here, like crown repair, flashing, caps, and liner installation, don’t require a city permit because they’re considered maintenance or appliance-level work. Structural rebuilds can trigger a permit requirement. We’ll tell you straight on the phone if yours does. That’s part of the upfront estimate.
Most jobs get scheduled within about a week, and smaller repairs are often sooner. If you smell smoke inside the house or see water stains near the chimney, tell us when you call and we’ll treat it as urgent. Call (844) 821-5749 and we’ll give you the next open slot.
Some Montclair HOAs have rules about visible chimney changes, like cap styles or exterior materials. We can usually work within those. If your HOA needs written specs or a description of the repair before they approve the work, give us the requirements and we’ll put the paperwork in order.
What happens when you call
- 1A real person answersNo phone trees — talk to a local chimney cleaning pro.
- 2You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched. No surprises.
- 3We come out and measureLicensed & insured, at a time that suits you — the visit and the quote are both free.
- 4You get the price in writingLine-itemed, yours to keep, and nothing starts until you say go.
What Montclair Customers Say
"Crown was cracked and taking water. Repaired it rather than quoting a rebuild, which the previous company had pushed hard for."
— Gilbert Garcia"They were the only ones willing to just tell me the price. Everyone else wanted to "come take a look" first, which in my experience means come apply pressure in person."
— Matt Delaney"Level two inspection before we bought the house. The report was detailed enough to use as a negotiating point and he explained every photo in it."
— Diego Delgado