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.
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterChimney Cleaning Before & After in North Bergen, NJ
We could tell you Wendell has swept thousands of flues across North Bergen since 1999, but seeing the work hits different. The photos below show what actually comes out of a chimney and what a properly cleaned flue should look like afterward. No filters, no stock images. Just camera footage from real jobs, explained in plain English.
Recent Transformations
Heavy Creosote Removal in a Wood-Burning Fireplace
This North Bergen homeowner had been burning green wood for two winters. The flue was coated in shiny, tar-like creosote, the kind that ignites above 450°F and burns like jet fuel. Wendell and his crew ran rotary chains first, then a chemical treatment to break down the glaze. The after photo shows flue tile you can actually see, and the homeowner told us the draft felt stronger that same night.
Animal Nest and Debris Blockage in a Colonial on the Boulevard
The homeowner called because smoke was rolling back into the living room every time they lit a fire. The camera showed why: a squirrel had built a two-foot nest, and somewhere along the way a tennis ball had joined the pile. We removed it all, swept the flue clean, and installed a new cap with proper screening. Your flue doesn’t care how the fire looks. It cares how it breathes.
Stage Two Creosote in a Gas Fireplace Conversion
People assume gas fireplaces don’t need sweeping. This Bergenline Avenue home proved otherwise. The previous owner had burned wood for years before the gas logs went in, and nobody had cleaned the flue since. First-degree creosote is a brush job. Third-degree is a glaze. This one sat right in the middle, flaky and crusted. A thorough sweep and a camera verification later, the flue was clean enough to eat off, and we documented it with photos the homeowner kept.
Smoky Fireplace in an Older North Bergen Home
This wasn’t creosote so much as poor draft. The flue was half-blocked with old mortar that had crumbled over decades, and the firebox looked like it hadn’t been touched since the 1980s. Wendell swept the full length, removed the loose mortar, and showed the homeowner exactly what he found on camera before recommending anything further. Nothing needed rebuilding. A clean flue fixed the smoke problem completely.
Annual Maintenance Sweep With a Surprise
This customer had us out every year like clockwork, and this visit looked routine until the camera caught a cracked flue tile about twelve feet up. We showed them the footage on the spot. It wasn’t urgent, but it wasn’t going to fix itself either. They booked the repair the same week. Once a year, burn or no burn. Chimneys break in the off-season too.
Want Results Like These?
If your chimney hasn’t been swept in a while, or you just want the peace of mind that comes from camera-verified proof, call Top Hat Chimney at (848) 361-3227. You’ll get upfront pricing before any work begins, and every job ends with the 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing. Ask anyone on your street.
Written by Wendell Pike, Owner at Top Hat Chimney, serving North Bergen since 1999.