Level 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 Cleaning in Severn, MD
Chimney cleaning in Severn usually costs $189-$339 for a standard sweep with a Level 1 inspection, and most jobs are done in under two hours. What makes Severn different is what our technicians keep finding: homes near Fort Meade that have changed hands two or three times in a decade, where the fireplace got used every winter and the flue never got looked at. If you’re a new homeowner in a 1970s colonial off Reece Road or a contractor coordinating a VA loan closing inspection, call (980) 580-8641 and we’ll give you a written price before anyone sets foot in the house.
Why Severn Homes Are Different
Severn sits directly adjacent to Fort Meade and the NSA campus, which means a huge share of the housing stock turns over every few years as military families PCS-move and federal contractors relocate. The bulk of Severn’s homes are 1970s-1990s colonials and split-levels built during the Fort Meade workforce expansion. These houses almost always have original masonry fireplaces with clay-tile flue liners that are now 40 to 50 years old. A smaller but significant share have factory-built zero-clearance metal fireplaces from the same era, and those fireboxes and class-A chimney systems are well past typical service life.
The climate does not help. Severn sits in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, so year-round humidity accelerates mortar joint deterioration and leaves brick chimneys with visible efflorescence. Winter freeze-thaw cycles do the rest, causing spalling that can go unnoticed on two-story colonials until water has already worked its way into interior framing. And because so many Severn homes are rentals or short-tenure properties near the Fort Meade perimeter, our technicians routinely find chimneys that haven’t been swept in 5 to 10 years despite active use. The creosote and liner damage we document here is often more severe than the home’s age alone would suggest.
Our Main Severn Services
Severn homeowners call us most about two things beyond the annual sweep: getting a fireplace working safely again, and keeping water out of the chimney top. Both are services where a camera inspection changes the whole conversation.
Fireplace Services in Severn
Severn’s 1970s and 1980s fireplaces often look fine from the hearth but hide cracked fireboxes, failing dampers, or zero-clearance units that have outlived their service life. We inspect the firebox, damper, and flue with a camera, document what we find, and give you a written price for any repair before work begins. For the full scope of what we handle here, see Fireplace Services in Severn.

Chimney Cap & Crown in Severn
A cracked crown or missing cap is the single most common water entry point we find on Severn chimneys, and the humid Chesapeake climate turns that into a repair that cannot wait. We replace crowns, install caps sized for the flue, and document the result with photos. Details are on the Chimney Cap & Crown in Severn page.

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.
Before
AfterChimney Sweep in Severn

A chimney sweep in Severn usually costs $189-$339, and if you’ve just bought a home near Fort Meade where the previous owner can’t tell you the last time the flue was cleaned, it’s the first thing you should book. Our camera-scan inspection is part of every sweep, so you’ll see the condition of the liner with your own eyes before we recommend anything. The full scope of our Chimney Sweep work is documented, priced in writing, and backed by the 365-Day Done Right Promise.
What we find in Severn is consistent: homes off Telegraph Road and Quarterfield Road with Class III creosote, which is the hard, glazed, tar-like buildup that ignites at lower temperatures and cannot be removed by a brush alone. Homes with original clay liners from the 1970s will show hairline cracks under the camera, and that’s the conversation we have about liner replacement rather than a surprise upcharge at the end of a sweep.
Creosote Removal
Signs you need it
You see a thick, shiny black coating when you look up from the firebox, or you smell a sharp, campfire-like odor in the house even when the fireplace hasn’t been used for days.
What it costs in Severn
Creosote removal in Severn costs $250-$400 when it requires chemical treatment or mechanical removal beyond a standard brush sweep.
How we do it
We identify the creosote stage with the camera, apply the right removal method for that specific buildup, and take follow-up photos so you can see the flue walls are clean before we leave.
Level 2 Inspection
Signs you need it
You’re buying or selling a home in Severn, you’ve had a chimney fire, or the fireplace hasn’t been used in years and no one can confirm the liner condition.
What it costs in Severn
A Level 2 inspection in Severn runs $150-$300 and is usually added to a sweep or ordered separately for VA loan closings.
How we do it
We run the camera through the full flue from top to bottom, document any cracks, gaps, or animal damage, and hand you a written report with photos before recommending any repair.
What Chimney Sweep Costs in Severn
| Item | Typical range in Severn |
|---|---|
| Standard sweep with Level 1 inspection | $189-$339 |
| Level 2 camera inspection | $150-$300 |
| Creosote removal (chemical or mechanical) | $250-$400 |
How often should a chimney be swept in Severn?
Every 40 to 50 fires or at least once a year if you use the fireplace regularly. In Severn, we recommend an inspection before your first fire after buying a home, regardless of what the previous owner told you.
Do I really need a Level 2 camera inspection?
If the home changed hands and the liner has never been documented, yes. Severn homes from the 1970s and 1980s are at the age where clay liner cracks and zero-clearance failures are common, and a camera is the only way to see them.
Chimney Repair in Severn

Chimney repair in Severn most often means our technicians are dealing with mortar that has softened from decades of Chesapeake humidity, brick faces that have popped off during a freeze-thaw cycle, or flashing that has pulled away from the roof line of a two-story colonial. The repair itself is usually straightforward; what matters is that we diagnose the full extent of the damage with a camera before anyone starts pulling bricks. That’s the standard we work to on every Chimney Repair job, and why you get a written price and written scope before any work begins.
Mortar Repointing
Signs you need it
You can scrape crumbling mortar out by hand from between the bricks, or you see white chalky deposits on the chimney exterior.
What it costs in Severn
Mortar repointing in Severn runs $500-$1,500 depending on how much of the chimney face needs work.
How we do it
We grind out the failed joints, pack in new mortar matched to the existing color and density, and document the finished work with photos.
Flashing Repair
Signs you need it
You’ve got water staining on the ceiling near the chimney, or you can see rust and gaps where the metal flashing meets the roofline.
What it costs in Severn
Flashing repair in Severn typically costs $350-$900, with the range depending on whether we’re resealing or cutting in new metal.
How we do it
We remove the compromised flashing, install new step flashing and counter-flashing, and close everything with the right sealant so water never reaches the roof deck.
What Chimney Repair Costs in Severn
| Item | Typical range in Severn |
|---|---|
| Mortar repointing | $500-$1,500 |
| Flashing repair | $350-$900 |
| Crown repair | $400-$1,200 |
Is chimney repair urgent in Severn’s humid climate?
Usually yes. Open mortar joints and cracked crowns let moisture into the brick, and Severn’s humidity plus winter freeze-thaw cycling turns a small repair into spalling and structural damage within a season or two.
What if someone already quoted me something cheaper?
Bring us the written estimate. We offer a Free Second Opinion on any competitor’s written quote, and we’ll match the scope line by line so you can actually compare what’s included.
Chimney Liner & Rebuild in Severn

The homes being bought and sold around Fort Meade right now are at the exact age where original clay-tile liners are failing, and that’s what drives most Chimney Liner & Rebuild calls in Severn. A camera scan might show cracked clay tiles, a liner that has rotated out of alignment, or a zero-clearance fireplace system that was never meant to be repaired at all. When the liner goes, the fix is either a stainless steel system sized to the flue, or a partial rebuild of the chimney structure itself, and either way you get photographs of the damage before we touch anything.
Stainless Steel Liner
Signs you need it
The camera shows cracked or missing clay tiles, or you’re switching fuel types and need a liner rated for the new appliance.
What it costs in Severn
A stainless steel liner in Severn runs $2,500-$5,000 installed, depending on flue height and accessibility.
How we do it
We size the liner to the appliance and flue, insulate where required by code, pull it through, reconnect, and document the install with before-and-after camera footage.
Partial Rebuild
Signs you need it
Bricks are spalling from the top courses and the chimney crown has failed to the point that water is getting into the structure below the roofline.
What it costs in Severn
A partial rebuild in Severn typically runs $4,000-$9,000 when it includes the new liner, crown, and top-course masonry.
How we do it
We tear down to the damaged course, rebuild with new brick and the correct mortar, pour a new crown, and install a liner if the camera says the old one failed.
What Chimney Liner & Rebuild Costs in Severn
| Item | Typical range in Severn |
|---|---|
| Stainless steel liner | $2,500-$5,000 |
| Partial rebuild with liner | $4,000-$9,000 |
| Full chimney rebuild | $8,000-$15,000 |
How do I know if my liner is actually bad?
Our camera scan shows you the cracks, gaps, or missing tiles in real time. You’ll see the footage, and you’ll get the photos. No one in Severn should accept a liner replacement recommendation that isn’t backed by that kind of evidence.
Can a Severn home’s liner wait until next year?
If the camera shows minor surface cracks but the flue is still structurally intact, sometimes yes, and we’ll tell you that plainly. If tiles are missing or the liner has separated, the risk of flue gas leaking into the house or a chimney fire means the work shouldn’t wait.
Brands We Service in Severn

We install and service chimney components from our brands, including Gelco, Olympia Chimney, and Copperfield, with materials sourced through the Haven buying network to keep customer prices honest. Common parts for Severn’s 1970s-1990s chimneys are stocked locally, so liner and cap jobs usually don’t wait on shipping.
Pricing for Chimney Cleaning in Severn, MD
| Service | Typical range in Severn |
|---|---|
| Standard sweep with Level 1 inspection | $189-$339 |
| Level 2 camera inspection | $150-$300 |
| Creosote removal | $250-$400 |
| Mortar repointing | $500-$1,500 |
| Flashing repair | $350-$900 |
| Crown repair | $400-$1,200 |
| Stainless steel liner | $2,500-$5,000 |
| Partial rebuild with liner | $4,000-$9,000 |
| Full chimney rebuild | $8,000-$15,000 |
What pushes a Severn chimney job to the higher end of the range is access: steep rooflines on split-levels, two-story colonial flues that need staging or a taller ladder, and the extra chemical treatment required for heavy Class III creosote when a chimney hasn’t been swept in years. Whatever the job, you’ll have a written price and written scope before we start, never after.
Neighborhoods We Serve in Severn

We work throughout Severn and the surrounding communities, and our technicians know these streets from the flue side. Response time across the area is usually same-week, with faster scheduling for VA loan closing inspections once you call.
- Severn Meadows
- Severn Crossing
- Ridgeview
- Still Meadows
- Severn Forest
Service Area - Cities Near Severn
We also serve homeowners across the western Anne Arundel and eastern Howard County corridor. If you’re in Hanover, MD, Odenton, MD, Glen Burnie, MD, or Crofton, MD, the same written-price standard and camera-scan documentation apply to every job.
Serving Severn, MD - Our Local Coverage Area

We’re based in the Severn 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 Cleaning in Severn
Yes. We perform Level 2 camera inspections for VA loan closings throughout the Fort Meade area, and we format the written report so it’s ready for your lender. Call (980) 580-8641 and tell us it’s for a closing, and we’ll prioritize the scheduling.
Chimney cleaning and minor repairs generally do not require a permit in Anne Arundel County. For full rebuilds or structural changes, permitting rules can apply, and we’ll let you know in writing before the job begins if something needs to be filed.
Most sweeps and inspections in Severn are scheduled within the same week, and VA loan closings get priority placement. Call (980) 580-8641 and we’ll give you a specific date and a written price before anyone arrives.
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 Severn Customers Say
"Gas insert service done properly with the readings written down. The technician had the certification number printed on the paperwork."
- Bettina A."We were buying the house and needed a real inspection. The report had photographs, the standard it was done to, and a clear repair figure. The seller paid for the repair."
- Lorna D."They ran a camera down the flue and showed me the cracked tiles on a screen. The previous company had swept it twice and never mentioned it."
- Gregory F.





Before
After
Before
After