Before & After Gallery - Hadley Chimney Atlanta

Chimney Cleaning Before & After in Atlanta, GA

We could tell you we do thorough work. Every chimney company says that. What most can’t do is show you the inside of your own flue before and after the job. At Hadley Chimney Atlanta, we photograph everything. The creosote you couldn’t see, the obstruction blocking your draft, the liner condition before we touch it, and the clean result after. Here’s what that actually looks like in Atlanta homes.

Call (762) 320-6525

Recent Transformations

Third-Stage Creosote Removal in a Buckhead Fireplace

BeforeAfter

This Buckhead homeowner called after noticing a tar-like smell in the living room during the warmer months. When we ran the camera up, the flue was coated in third-stage creosote, the hardened, shiny kind that doesn’t brush off easily and burns at a higher temperature than standard soot. We used a rotary cleaning loop with steel cable heads to break the glaze down, then swept the full length and ran the camera again. The before photo showed a flue that looked like the inside of a barbecue pit. The after photo looked like new masonry.

Flue Obstruction from a Bird’s Nest in Decatur

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The homeowner in Decatur hadn’t used the fireplace in two seasons and wanted it ready before fall. Smoke wasn’t drawing at all during a test burn, which tipped us off before the camera even went up. We found a fully packed bird’s nest about six feet down from the crown, with twigs and dried grass making up most of it. We removed the nest by hand from the top, swept the residual debris, and installed a Copperfield chimney cap to keep it from happening again. The difference in draft was immediate, and the after photo shows a completely clear path from the firebox to the sky.

Heavy Soot Buildup in a Midtown Gas Fireplace Flue

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Gas fireplaces don’t produce creosote the way wood does, but they absolutely produce soot, especially when the burner isn’t adjusted correctly. This Midtown condo had a gas log set that was burning rich, leaving fine black soot across the flue walls and a gray film on the glass. We cleaned the flue and the firebox, then adjusted the air shutter on the burner to get the flame back to the right color. The after photo shows a flue that looks bare metal again, not dusted in carbon, and the homeowner noticed the glass stayed clear much longer than before.

Pre-Purchase Inspection Cleanout in East Atlanta

A buyer under contract in East Atlanta needed the fireplace checked before closing. The sellers hadn’t swept it in years, and there was moderate creosote plus some minor spalling on the smoke chamber, the area just above the firebox where the chimney narrows. We swept the full system, then ran our camera through so the buyer could see everything with their own eyes. The spalling turned out to be surface-level, no liner replacement needed. The buyer got a clean fireplace and clear documentation of the actual chimney condition before signing.

Odor and Airflow Fix in a Virginia-Highland Craftsman

This Virginia-Highland house had a smell that only showed up on humid days, which in Atlanta means most of the summer. The culprit was a thick layer of creosote sitting on the smoke shelf, the flat ledge just behind the damper where debris naturally collects. That shelf traps moisture, holds the creosote smell, and restricts airflow even when the damper is open. We swept from the top and vacuumed the smoke shelf clean by hand from the firebox side. The after photo shows a smoke shelf you could eat off, and the homeowner said the odor was gone within a day.

Chimney Crown Debris and Water Staining in Sandy Springs

A Sandy Springs homeowner noticed white stains on the firebox brick and wanted to know if the chimney was leaking. Before we could diagnose anything, we had to get the debris off the crown, the concrete cap at the top of the chimney. Leaves, pine straw, and a decomposing squirrel carcass were holding moisture right against the flue tiles. We removed everything, wire-brushed the crown surface, and swept the flue. The before photos documented exactly what was trapping water up there. The after photos gave us a clean view of the crown so we could see where the real water entry points were.

Want Results Like These?

Every Hadley Chimney Atlanta job includes before-and-after photo documentation plus a written price before we start. You’ll see what we saw, and you’ll see what you paid for. If a repair is needed, you get a written guarantee covering it for 365 days, with a free second visit if it fails. Call (762) 320-6525 and talk to a real person, day or night.

Written by Cory Mitchell, Owner at Hadley Chimney Atlanta, serving Atlanta since 2003.