Beware of Chimney Scams

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*Consumer Warning*
We have had a large number of customers tell us about companies advertising very low prices for chimney sweeps who then come out and tell the customer the price is really $500-$700 for a chimney sweep (way beyond the usual range).  Customers who agreed to the bait and switch then had these companies do a bad job and ended up with lots of soot in their homes.  When they wrote bad reviews, they were then threatened by these companies.  On checking with the California Contractors License Bureau, none of these companies have contractor’s licenses, so it is illegal for them to charge more than $500.  The company names are often similar to legitimate companies who do have a contractor’s license.

Lucky Sully Chimney Sweep has been serving Long Beach & southern California since 2004. We have over 25,000 satisfied customers. All of our technicians have been with us for at least 15 years. We are committed to giving you the very best in chimney and fireplace services. Get a chimney inspection from a licensed company here.

We are certified, licensed, bonded and insured for your protection.

Chimney scams

Chimney Bricks and Crown Repair

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Chimney Bricks and Crown Repair, before and after photos.

before-after-chimney-repair

Rebuild of Chimney and Crown

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Chimney was cracking due to moisture penetration of bricks. Got the rebar wet, rusting began and iron when rusts, expands and breaks bricks and concrete.

Removed broken, loose bricks, cut out rusted rebar, and rebuilt the chimney and crown, aka mortar cap.

Rebuild of chimney and crown

Chimney Brick Repair

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Here is some before, during and after pictures of bricks repaired on a chimney.

chimney brick repair

Warning – Don’t delay getting the cracks in your chimney repaired

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This is a picture of a Rampart General Pre-Cast chimney which had a significant portion of the chimney collapse after the heavy January rains.

These chimneys are made of concrete, even though they usually have a brick pattern.  Visit www.luckysully.com for more information on these chimneys.  There are tens of thousands of homes in Orange County with these chimneys.  If you see any vertical cracking, it is important to get the repairs done immediately as the cracks will only expand.  If the cracks are repaired quickly enough you can get many more years of use out of your fireplace.  If you wait you may have to demolish and rebuild the entire chimney and fireplace.  In this case, we could only recommend that the homeowner find someone to demolish the chimney and replace it.

Rampart General Pre-cast chimney

Chimney Cap Replacement

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Here is a before and after of a Chimney Cap we replaced in Southern California.

Before

Before

Chimney Cap Replacement After

After

Custom made satin nickel finished fireplace glass doors

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These 2 pictures are a set of custom made satin nickel finished for fireplace glass doors. Gives a very nice contemporary look to an old fireplace.

Custom Fireplace Glass Doors Custom Satin Nickel Glass Fireplace Doors

Chimney repair preparations

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There are many preparations that go into doing chimney repairs. Scaffolding is set up to do repairs and stay off breakable roof tiles. Proper leg levelers are added and 2×4’s removed before doing any work.

Scaffolding-set-up-to-avoid-delicate-roof-tiles

Badly cracked up chimney bricks

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These cracks are caused by rebar originally installed during construction to give strength to the chimney. Lack of maintenance, waterproofing, allowed moisture to penetrate to rebar and the expansion rusting rebar shatters chimney bricks. Extensive cracking due to lack of maintenance. Because chimney bricks are porous, water can soak through to rebar. Metal as it rusts, expands and blows up bricks. 

cracked chimney bricks

Chimney Brick Repair

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Had to replace all these bricks. Sprinklers kept soaking bricks and got rebar wet. It rusted and destroyed the bricks. The black stains are from creosote/soot/smoke/ hot gases escaping flue and firebox, potentially getting into combustibles and house fire.

rusted and destroyed bricks