Smoke Alert has been in business since 2010 and we are very proud of the fact that fire safety is our top priority. Our mission is to provide superior service at reasonable prices to help save lives. Our main services are chimney sweeping and dryer vent cleaning, but every service visit also includes a free home fire safety check. Our certified technicians who are also firefighters will check the smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, and fire extinguishers. If any safety items are found to be defective or not present, the technician can install new ones for about the same amount that it costs to purchase the items in a store.
BEWARE of CHIMNEY SWEEP and DRYER VENT "DEALS"
There are a lot of other companies that say they sweep chimneys. These companies advertise that they can do full inspections and sweeping of masonry chimneys, but they are not properly insured or certified to do the work. To be properly insured for chimney work requires far more than a standard liability policy. Chimney policies can cost upwards of $8,000 even for a small policy that does not include workers' comp. The cut-rate company will show up with a standard shop vac ($100.00) versus a professional chimney vacuum ($4,000.00), and runs a high risk of getting hazardous soot or dust in your home due to using an improper system without a HEPA filter. The dryer vent brushes used will not be professional brushes, but likely an inexpensive set from a hardware store that has a high possibility of getting stuck or damaging the dryer vent. In order to make up for the other companies' reduced price you can expect to hear scary things about your chimney that will require a lot of costly and sometimes unnecessary work to repair. Smoke Alert regularly visits homes after companies like this all the time to clean up messes and get the job finished the right way. I implore you to look at online reviews and compare the caliber of work we offer versus work done by a budget company or handyman. All of our work will meet or exceed code and is done per current standards.
Our CDET certified dryer exhaust technicians use a professional rotary brush system and 400 CFM industrial HEPA vacuum.
First Floor Termination
$125
Second floor Termination
$150
Roof Termination
$175+
new dryer vent (with installation)
$300 - 1000
CHIMNEY SWEEP
Our CSIA certified sweeps use a power sweep system which is much more powerful than traditional sweeping along with an industrial HEPA vacuum so there is ZERO MESS.
LEVEL 1 INSPECTION (sweep not needed)
$150
LEVEL 2 INSPECTION (sweep not needed)
$225
DIRECT VENT/VENT FREE BOX GAS LOG SERVICE
$200
CHIMNEY SWEEP (Sweep must include an inspection)
$75
VENTED GAS LOG SERVICE (Must Include and Inspection)
$75
Additional Services
installation of metal chimney caps with spark arresters, Chase pans, Wood Stove's(inserts as well), Direct Vent fireplaces, Gas logs, Prefab fireplaces, chimney waterproofing Price varies by style and size. A written estimate will be provided.
Varies
our service locations
The Darker Shaded area is our general area we will travel without the need of a trip fee of any sort for chimney sweeping,dryer vent cleaning, and gas log service. The outside red shaded area we will service with a $99 trip fee on top of our normal rates. If you are outside of the red area we suggest you visit CSIA.ORG to search for a certified chimney sweep or dryer vent technician in your area.
Unfortunately there are a lot of companies out there that "do" dryer vent cleaning but do not have the proper training or experience. All dryer vents are cleaned with a professional Brush system and a 400 CFM HEPA VACUUM. We first check out the the vent and get an initial air flow reading. Then we hookup our HEPA VAC inside. We send our brush through the vent and take it all the way from one end to the other so you know, for sure, it made it all the way though your dryer vent system. Do not let someone clean your vent from the outside with a compressed air tool on a residential dryer vent, it just will not get the job done. DO NOT let someone come in with a SHOP VAC and some tools you can buy at Home Depot for . In order to clean dryer vents properly you must use a professional brush system along with a HEPA VACUUM, PERIOD! If you are already having trouble drying your clothes you need to get it done ASAP.
A clogged dryer vent will certainly cause a dryer to run hotter and increase the chance that something could catch fire. A dirty vent, however, is only one part in a chain of events that must occur for a fire to start. Other events may include: failure of thermostat and limit switches in the dryer, lint inside the dryer, a missing or damaged lint screen, and a crushed hose behind the dryer. Allowing a dryer to run with a clogged vent will not only cost you more to run it but reduce its life span considerably. Many fire departments and insurance companies do require that dryer vents be inspected and cleaned regularly.
Dryers are really designed to be positioned right on an exterior wall and vent directly out. In modern construction we see dryers placed, for convenience, smack in the middle of the house. Then you have a 30 foot vent to the exterior wall or a 15 foot vent to the roof. With a long dryer vent like that and multiple people in the family it MUST be done every year. Full size, brand new dryers blow better than smaller stack dryers or older dryers and therefore collect less lint in the vent system. Vents with a lot of turns and elbows blow worse and build up more lint. Most vents should be cleaned once a year as preventative maintenance. If you live alone and have a small vent then you can probably get away with every other year.
Most multi-unit buildings can be cleaned for $10.00 to $30.00 depending on the level of lint and size of the complex
Typical vent repairs that we perform include: Replacing or repairing venting in attics or crawl spaces; removing small sections of drywall in laundry closets to repair or replace venting; and drilling holes in walls to run new venting. We cannot "finish" drywall. We cannot cut holes through flat roofs but we can replace or install a roof vent on a shingle roof. Parts, labor and trip charges make the average vent repair cost between $99 and $799 depending on the length and ease of access.
We utilize a method referred to as Power Sweeping. As the name suggests, it's a lot more powerful and aggressive than the traditional method of chimney sweeping. The brush used for power sweeping looks very different than the traditional brush. The rods clip together as they go up the chimney and a drill with an adapter is used at each stage to spin the head. The head is made of tough plastic cables which when combined with the centrifugal force of the head, allows for the chimney to be cleaned with a lot more vigor than your standard chimney sweep. Power sweeping leaves the interior of the flue extremely clean.
Regardless of whether you burn wood or have a gas appliance, your chimney both carries products of combustion and creates dangerous deposits which build up on the inside walls. Wood burning leaves creosote and ash on the inside walls of your chimney, which can be extremely flammable. As creosote builds up, so does the threat of a damaging fire which could escape the chimney and damage your home and potentially be hazardous to your family. Gas appliances on the other hand leave sulfur within metal chimney pipes, which can mix with condensation and create a sulfuric acid that both damages the pipe and works its way down into the appliance causing premature failure. Both fuel sources create carbon monoxide, which can escape a damaged flue and migrate into your home. Carbon Monoxide is a tasteless, colorless, odorless gas that kills almost 200 people every year in the U.S.
The Chimney Safety Institute and the National Fire Protection Association both recommend annual cleanings for both chimneys and flues. Even if you don’t use your chimney regularly, there can be still many issues that aren't visible without the proper training and equipment.
