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.
HeatShield Chimney Inspection in Marietta: What to Know First
HeatShield chimney inspection in Marietta typically runs $189 – $349 depending on whether you need a standard Level 1 check or a Level 2 camera inspection. We are an independent HeatShield service provider, not a manufacturer-authorized shop, which means we tell you what’s actually failing without a brand loyalty filter. Most inspections take 45 to 90 minutes, and you get the written report before we recommend a single repair.
This page is for Marietta homeowners who had HeatShield installed years ago, or who bought a house with HeatShield already in the flue, and need to know what they’re looking at. If that’s you, give us a call at (478) 796-8742 and we’ll walk you through what to expect. Nathan Corliss set the standard for how we handle these jobs: tell you the price first, show you the work, put it in writing. That’s the whole job.
How HeatShield Products Fail – and How We Fix Them
- Joint separation at the flue offset. HeatShield’s CeCure and JointCure systems rely on a ceramic sealant applied at mortar joints and offset transitions. In Marietta chimneys that run up two-story exteriors, thermal cycling from hot fires followed by cold snaps causes that ceramic to microcrack. We’ve pulled camera footage from homes near Kennesaw Mountain where the offset joint looked fine from the firebox but had a visible gap at the 45-degree transition. The fix is a targeted JointCure reapplication, not a full reline.
- Ceramic delamination on unlined flues. HeatShield’s CeCure product is often applied directly to old clay tile liners as a resurfacing treatment. When the original clay has spalled or the mortar between tiles has degenerated, the CeCure layer starts to delaminate in sheets. In Marietta’s humid summers, trapped moisture behind the coating accelerates this. During inspection, we look specifically for blistered or flaking sections where the underlying clay is visible. A patch here buys you time; a full polyurethane resurfacing is the longer fix.
- Improper original application at the smoke chamber. The Smoktite line from HeatShield is designed to parge and smooth the smoke chamber, but we regularly see homes where the installer skipped the chamber entirely and focused on the flue. The result is turbulence and creosote buildup right above the damper. A camera inspection through the throat shows a rough, corbelled smokestack instead of a smooth parged surface. That’s a straightforward Smoktite application and significantly improves draft on older Marietta fireplaces.
- Deteriorated cast-in-place liners from the early 2000s. HeatShield’s Molded Ceramic Fiber inserts, used in some custom applications, can degrade unevenly depending on how hot the fireplace was run. In homes where the previous owner burned pine or construction scraps, we see fiber erosion near the top of the flue where temperatures peak. The inspection line is to measure wall thickness at three different heights with the camera, not just one. If the thinnest section is under spec, replacement beats patch repair.
- Wrong diameter sizing causing draft complaints. HeatShield systems are installed to match the original liner diameter, but if an installer down-sized the flue to cut cost, the fireplace never drew properly. Marietta homeowners will describe smoke rolling into the room even with a fully open damper. We confirm this with a camera measurement and a draft test. The correction is relining at the correct diameter, and we’ll show you the camera footage before you spend a dollar on it.
Styles & brands we work with
Our HeatShield Chimney Inspection Process
- 1
Call and book. You reach a live person, 24/7. We set a written arrival window and send a uniformed, background-checked technician. No callbacks, no waiting until Monday.
- 2
On-site walkthrough. Before we touch anything, we ask about the fireplace’s history: when HeatShield was installed, what you burn, any smoke complaints, any recent roof work. We note the age and condition of the firebox and damper.
- 3
Camera inspection of the full flue. We run a camera from the firebox to the termination cap, recording the entire length. We slow down at every joint, offset, and transition. You see the footage live on our monitor. You see exactly what we see.
- 4
HeatShield-specific evaluation. We measure coating thickness where accessible, check for delamination, inspect joint integrity, and verify the smoke chamber. We document any gaps, cracks, or spalled areas with still images from the camera.
- 5
Written report and flat price. You get a written inspection report, including stills, and if anything needs repair, we give you a written flat price before any work starts. No vague verbal estimates. The number on the invoice matches the number we quoted at the door.
- 6
Repair and guarantee. If you approve the work, we complete it using HeatShield’s specified products or a quality aftermarket equivalent where it makes sense, and we put the guarantee in writing. If a covered repair fails inside the guarantee period, we return and correct it at no charge. That’s the 365-Day Done Right Promise.
See the difference
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AfterWhat HeatShield Chimney Inspection Costs in Marietta
Most HeatShield chimney inspections in Marietta land between $189 and $349. A standard Level 1 inspection for a fireplace that’s been regularly maintained runs on the low end. A Level 2 camera inspection, which we recommend for any HeatShield system that’s more than five years old or that hasn’t been looked at since you moved in, runs toward the upper end. If the flue needs cleaning before we can see the liner clearly, add $150 – $200 for a sweep depending on creosote volume.
What moves the price: roof access difficulty, a flue that hasn’t been cleaned in several seasons, or a real estate inspection with a formal written report. Repairs are priced separately, and you’ll get a written flat quote before anything starts. Call (478) 796-8742 for a free estimate on your specific setup.
Why Marietta Homeowners Call Ashby Chimney Marietta for HeatShield Work
We’ve been at this since 2002, and the lesson we keep learning in Marietta is simple: homeowners want to see the problem before they pay to fix it. That’s why every HeatShield inspection includes camera footage you can watch live, and every repair includes a written guarantee. The Kingswell Guarantee covers the work for the full guarantee period. If a repair fails inside that window, we come back at no charge. Your second visit is free if we didn’t get it right.
When a HeatShield repair calls for materials beyond the HeatShield system, we carry or order from the same trusted trade brands we’ve used for years: DuraFlex for stainless relining and Gelco for cast-in-place liners. We’re not tied to one manufacturer. If your HeatShield liner has reached the end of its service life, we’ll show you the camera evidence and talk straight about whether to patch, reline, or replace, with real numbers either way.
FAQs
No. We’re an independent HeatShield service provider, and an inspection from a qualified chimney professional does not void a manufacturer’s warranty. In fact, most HeatShield warranty language requires regular documented inspection, so having us out actually helps you if a claim ever comes up. We’ll document everything with camera stills and a written report you can submit.
We schedule most inspections within a week. Our phone is answered by a live person 24/7, so call (478) 796-8742 and we’ll give you a written arrival window when you book, not a vague “somewhere between eight and noon” promise.
Depends on two things: the extent of the damage and the thickness of the remaining coating. If delamination is localized to one or two joints, targeted patching with HeatShield JointCure makes sense and costs far less than a reline. If the camera shows widespread separation or substrate breakdown over more than 30 percent of the flue, patchwork gets expensive quickly and a DuraFlex stainless liner becomes the cleaner long-term option. We’ll show you the footage and give you written numbers for both paths. Call (478) 796-8742 and we’ll lay it out.
It covers workmanship and the materials we install for a full year. If a joint we sealed reopens or a parge coat we applied begins to fail inside 365 days, we return and fix it at no charge. The guarantee is written, not verbal, and it’s included with every repair at no extra cost.
Sometimes. HeatShield’s CeCure and Smoktite systems are strong options for older homes near areas like Whitlock Avenue or the historic district, where the existing clay liner is mostly intact and the budget doesn’t call for a full stainless reline. But we also install DuraFlex and Gelco systems when the flue is too far gone for resurfacing. We’ll tell you which makes sense for your chimney, and why, with the camera footage to back it up.
If you own a HeatShield system and you haven’t had the flue inspected in the last year, give us a call. Tell you the price first, show you the work, put it in writing. That’s the whole job. Call (478) 796-8742 for a free estimate.
Written by Nathan Corliss, Owner, Ashby Chimney Marietta at Ashby Chimney Marietta, serving Marietta and nearby areas.