Masonry repair
Sweep & inspection
Caps & crowns
Flue relining
Gas fireplace serviceLevel 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.
Trusted Chimney Repair for Manchester Homeowners
Chimney repair in Manchester, NH, fixes the problems a sweep can’t: a cracked crown shedding water into the flue, rusted flashing that drips into the attic, a cap that came loose in winter wind, or a clay tile liner that has spalled and left the masonry open to heat and gases. A sweep tells you the flue is dirty. A repair crew fixes the reason it keeps failing. We’ve handled both sides of that work since 2012, and we carry the professional-grade materials to do it under one roof: DuraFlex flexible liners, HeatShield restoration, Gelco and Olympia Chimney products.
The alternative in Manchester is the handoff, where the sweep notes a problem, hands you a quote from a mason you’ve never met, and the two of them never talk. Manchester Chimney Cleaning handles inspection, cleaning, and repair with one crew, so what gets identified gets fixed. We come out with a camera, show you what’s wrong on the screen, and give you a written estimate before anyone touches the roof.
Call (888) 804-9712 for a free estimate. We answer 24/7, with fast dispatch from 7am to 7pm, Sunday through Friday. This is work worth booking ahead of the cold – the sooner the flashing and cap are sound, the less of your heating season gets spent worrying about water.
Chimney Cap Installation
Chimney Cap Installation means fitting a screened, weatherproof cover over the flue opening, and it’s the single cheapest safeguard most Manchester homes are missing. Without one, rain drives straight into the clay tiles, birds nest in the flue through spring, and sparks that should stay inside land on the roof shingles. An open flue in an older Manchester triple-decker or a 1920s four-square takes on water all winter, and wet masonry is the front door to freeze-thaw damage.
Manchester Chimney Cleaning measures the flue and the crown before anything is ordered, because a cap that sits badly can direct water toward the crown rather than over it. We install stainless caps sized to the flue, and if the crown needs attention underneath, we’ll tell you while we’re up there. Cap installation typically runs $250 to $550 depending on flue count, cap style, and how much roof access the home allows – the written estimate sets the price.
Single-Flue and Multi-Flue Caps
A single-flue cap covers one round or square opening. Multi-flue caps span the whole chimney top and need accurate corner measurements so the screen sits flat and the bolts land on solid masonry rather than a crumbling edge.
Stainless and Animal Guards
Stainless caps hold up to New Hampshire winters far better than painted steel, which rusts along the screen seams. Animal guards add a tighter mesh to the same framework, and we fit them for homeowners who’ve already pulled a bird or squirrel out of the firebox.
Styles & brands we work with
- Sweep & inspection
- Caps & crowns
- Flue relining
- Masonry repair
- Gas fireplace service
Chimney Cap Replacement
Chimney Cap Replacement is what you call it when the old cap has failed – rusted through, bent by a fallen limb, or knocked loose by winter wind – and the chimney underneath has been exposed. A cap that’s lost its screen or sits crooked isn’t doing much good; rain and snowmelt get in around the sides and the flue stays wet between fires. Manchester’s freeze-thaw swings are hard on caps, and the ones that go first are the painted-steel units that were never meant to last a decade.
Manchester Chimney Cleaning pulls the old cap and checks the flue top and crown before fitting a replacement, since a rusted-through cap often means water has been sitting on the crown for years. Where the chimney has multiple flues, we re-set the cap so each opening drains freely. Cap replacement typically runs $275 to $600, with multi-flue and stainless work at the higher end. The written estimate sets the price.
Why Caps Fail Early
Bolts loosen as the masonry they’re anchored into chips, and painted steel rusts at the welds within a few seasons of constant moisture. A stainless replacement with proper anchors avoids the repeat.
When to Swap Rather Than Repair
If the frame is bent or the screen is more rust than mesh, replacement costs less than chasing repairs. A cap that’s just loose or missing a few bolts can often be re-set during a longer visit.
Chimney Liner Installation
Chimney Liner Installation is the job of putting a proper flue liner inside the chimney so smoke, heat, and carbon monoxide stay contained and the masonry is protected from the gases it wasn’t built to handle. Manchester has a lot of older chimneys with unlined flues, or clay tile liners that have cracked and shifted, and those are the ones that need the work. It’s also required when you change what you burn – a wood stove or gas insert vented into a fireplace flue that was never sized for it can back-draft or corrode from the inside out.
Manchester Chimney Cleaning installs DuraFlex flexible liners, which go in where a rigid liner can’t make the bends and offsets common in old Manchester chimneys. We also use HeatShield restoration when the flue is largely intact but has cracks worth sealing – it’s a lower-cost path back to a serviceable flue, and one most sweep-only crews can’t offer because they don’t carry the material. Liner installation typically runs $2,400 to $5,600 depending on flue length, diameter, insulation, and how much masonry has to be opened to get the liner through. The written estimate sets the price.
Flexible Liners for Complex Flues
DuraFlex systems flex through offsets, which means we can line a chimney that would otherwise need a tear-out. The liner is insulated so the flue warms quickly and drafts reliably on a cold morning.
Restoring a Marginal Flue
HeatShield repairs the inside surface with a ceramic lining applied directly to the existing flue. We recommend it when the tiles are sound enough to build on and a full reline would be more than the problem warrants.
Chimney Flashing Repair
Chimney Flashing Repair deals with the metal that seals the joint where the chimney comes through the roof – the step flashing up the sides, the apron in front, and the counter-flashing set into the masonry. When it pulls loose or rusts through, water runs down the chimney and into the attic rather than off the roof. Manchester homes with the chimney on an inside wall or against a steep pitch are especially prone to it, and the leak usually shows up as a ceiling stain far from the chimney, which is why people look in the wrong place for a long time.
Manchester Chimney Cleaning inspects the flashing during any chimney sweep visit and can re-seal or replace it in the same service. We work the counter-flashing into the mortar so it’s tied to the masonry, not just caulked over. Flashing repair typically runs $400 to $1,000 depending on how much flashing has to be rebuilt and whether the chimney needs a partial re-mortar where it meets the roof. The written estimate sets the price.
Spotting a Flashing Leak
Rust stains down the outside of the chimney, peeling paint near the roofline, or a damp patch on the attic sheathing all point to flashing before anything else. A leak that shows only after heavy rain is often the step flashing on the uphill side.
Counter-Flashing and Masonry
Counter-flashing has to be set into a reglet cut into the brick or stone – that’s what keeps water from slipping behind it. When the mortar joint is crumbling, we re-point it before the new flashing goes in.
Chimney Crown Repair
Chimney Crown Repair addresses the concrete slab on top of the chimney, the part that sheds water away from the flue. A cracked crown lets rain in around the flue and down through the masonry, and once water gets into the brick, freeze-thaw cycles in Manchester open up the cracks wider each winter. A good crown is sloped and overhangs the chimney slightly so the water drips clear of the walls instead of running down the brick face.
Manchester Chimney Cleaning re-casts crowns with proper slope and overhang, and patches small cracks with the same flexible material we use on liners where it’s warranted. We check the crown on every chimney sweep, because it’s one of the cheapest problems to fix and one of the most expensive to ignore. Crown repair typically runs $450 to $1,200 depending on crown size, the number of flues, and whether the old crown has to come off entirely. The written estimate sets the price.
Cracks Worth Fixing Early
Hairline cracks let water in but are still repairable with a flexible sealant. Once the crack runs through to the flue, the crown needs to be re-cast, and that’s a bigger job.
Crowns Built to Shed Water
A properly poured crown has a slight slope, an overhang beyond the chimney walls, and a drip edge. The old flat, flush-to-the-brick crowns were never really meant to last, and that’s what fails first.
Chimney Repair Companies
Chimney Repair Companies in the Manchester area split into two groups: sweep-only outfits that can spot a problem but hand the fix to a subcontractor, and full-service crews that own the repair as well. That difference matters more than most homeowners expect, because when something goes wrong after the work is done, the sweep and the mason each have a reason the other one is responsible. Picking a chimney repair company means knowing which camp the one in front of you belongs to.
Manchester Chimney Cleaning is a full-service chimney and dryer vent specialist, not a sweep-only operation. We do the inspection, the sweep, the repair, and the dryer vent cleaning, so the problem doesn’t get passed around. We carry DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, Olympia Chimney, Famco, and Copperfield products, which means the materials on your job are the ones certified technicians use everywhere. Chimney repair work typically runs $400 to $5,600 depending on what the camera shows. The written estimate sets the price.
Full-Service Versus Sweep-Only
A sweep-only company has no reason to hold stock of liners, flashing, or crown material, so every repair becomes someone else’s job. A full-service crew can quote and complete the work, which keeps the diagnosis and the repair in the same hands.
What to Ask Before You Book
Ask what materials they carry, whether they do the repair themselves, and whether you’ll see the camera footage. A crew that can only answer the first two vaguely is probably subbing the work out.
Chimney Masonry Repair
Chimney Masonry Repair covers the brick, block, and mortar of the chimney itself – the parts that hold the flue upright and keep the weather out. Manchester’s winter cycle of wet masonry followed by a hard freeze opens mortar joints, spalls brick faces, and eventually pushes a chimney out of plumb. The fix is re-pointing deteriorated joints, replacing spalled brick, and sealing where water gets in, always working from the top down so the masonry below stays dry.
Manchester Chimney Cleaning handles masonry repair ourselves, which keeps us from leaving you a crooked quote and a subcontracted crew. We re-point with mortar matched to the original brick, since a hard modern mortar against soft old brick cracks the faces. Masonry repair typically runs $600 to $2,800 depending on how much brick has to go and how high the chimney sits. The written estimate sets the price. If the masonry work is sound but the flue needs attention, that’s when our Manchester sweep and liner services come in.
Re-Pointing and Spalled Brick
Re-pointing replaces crumbling mortar, which is what actually holds the chimney together. Spalled brick – where the face has flaked off in layers – has to be replaced rather than smeared over with mortar.
Chimneys and Freeze-Thaw Cycles
Water soaks into the top of a chimney, freezes overnight, and expands, which pries the mortar apart slightly each time. That’s why the crown and cap matter so much in Manchester: they keep the water out of the masonry in the first place.
Brands We Service
We install and repair DuraFlex flexible liner systems, and we know where those liners wear – at the top where the flue gets hottest and at any offset the liner has to flex around. We also work with HeatShield, the ceramic restoration material used to repair flue interiors without a full reline, and we’ve run it on plenty of Manchester chimneys where a reline would have been more than the flue needed. Gelco products come into play where a liner needs to be insulated or the cap needs a durable finish.
Olympia Chimney covers the caps and venting components we install and service, which is the part most affected by weather. We also work with Famco through our dryer vent service, since a dryer vent is the other fire-risk flue in a house and deserves the same material standard as the chimney. Whether you have a DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, Olympia Chimney, or Famco product, we can help – and if your chimney has none of these, we can help with that too, which is most of them.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterSigns You Need a Pro Right Now
- Water in the firebox or a damp attic around the chimney. That’s flashing or crown failure letting rain run down the masonry, and it will not dry out on its own once the heating season starts. A leak left until spring means more masonry to repair.
- Crumbling mortar or brick dust on the roof or ground. Mortar that’s given way means the chimney is losing the material that holds it together. Left when it’s bad, it can topple in a heavy wind.
- A loose or missing chimney cap or a bird inside the flue. An open flue lets water in and nests block the flue, which is a real carbon monoxide risk. A cap is cheap insurance against a much bigger job.
- Smoke rolling back into the room, or a weak draft. That can be a blocked flue, a liner that’s failed, or a chimney that was never sized for the appliance hooked to it. An assessment tells you which.
- A rusted or corroded flue liner, or no liner at all. Clay tiles that have spalled or a flue with no liner at all can’t safely contain heat and gases. Liner installation closes that gap.
Our Process, Step by Step
- 1
Call and book. Call (888) 804-9712. We answer 24/7, with fast dispatch from 7am to 7pm, Sunday through Friday. We’ll ask what you’re seeing and schedule a visit that fits your week.
- 2
Inspection with a camera. We run a camera down the flue and photograph the crown, cap, and flashing from the roof. You see the same footage we do, so nothing gets recommended that you can’t see for yourself.
- 3
A written estimate, itemized. We set out each repair with a price range, explain what can wait and what shouldn’t, and leave the estimate with you. There’s no pressure to book on the spot.
- 4
The repair, materials on hand. We bring the products the job needs – DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, Olympia Chimney, or the brick and flashing material – so the repair isn’t paused waiting on a supplier. Where we open up masonry, we close it correctly.
- 5
Final check and photo report. We re-camera the flue after the work, take a photo report, and walk you through what changed. If anything needs watching, we say so in plain terms.
How Much Does Chimney Repair Cost in Manchester?
Chimney repair in Manchester typically runs between $250 and $5,600, depending on whether you need a cap, a crown re-cast, flashing rebuilt, a partial masonry repair, or a full liner installation. A cap installation generally falls in the $250 to $550 range; cap replacement lands at $275 to $600. Crown repair comes in around $450 to $1,200, flashing repair from $400 to $1,000, and masonry repair between $600 and $2,800. Full liner installation is the largest line at $2,400 to $5,600, and it depends heavily on flue length and how much masonry has to be opened to get the liner through.
What affects the price most is access and how far the damage has spread. A chimney on a steep roof or a hidden inside-wall chimney takes more work to reach than one on the gable end, and water damage that has been running for two winters costs more to fix than damage caught in one. The way to avoid overpaying is to catch it early and to get the camera evidence before agreeing to thousands of dollars of liner work – nothing we recommend should be beyond what you can see on the screen.
Every estimate from us is free and in writing, and the written estimate sets the final price. We don’t charge a service-call or diagnostic fee, and we won’t push work that can safely wait. Near neighbors in Pinardville and Hooksett get the same terms. Call (888) 804-9712 to book.
Our Service Area Near Manchester
We serve Manchester and the towns around it – Pinardville, Hooksett, East Merrimack, Goffstown, Suncook, Raymond, Epping, Concord, and Henniker. Most of those are a short drive from Manchester, and the visit is booked rather than dispatched, so you know when to expect us. The freeze-thaw stress that cracks crowns and opens mortar in Manchester is the same in Goffstown and Concord, and the older housing stock in most of these towns means plenty of unlined or partially lined flues. If you’re not sure whether you’re in the area, call and ask.
Serving Manchester, NH – Our Local Coverage Area
We serve Manchester and nearby communities. Use the map below to see the area we cover. If you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chimney Repair in Manchester
Chimney repair is the structural and weatherproofing work on a chimney, as opposed to the cleaning of the flue. It covers the cap, crown, flashing, masonry, and liner – the parts that keep water out and gases in. A sweep cleans soot and creosote; repair fixes the thing that’s letting water or smoke go where it shouldn’t. Most Manchester jobs we see are one repair plus the annual sweep, done in the same visit.
Most repairs are done in a single visit, from one to three hours for a cap, crown, or flashing job. Liner installation and larger masonry repair take longer, often a full day, and sometimes two if the flue needs opening up. We’ll give you the time estimate with the written quote so you can plan around it. If a repair can safely be split across visits, we’ll say so.
Chimney repair in Manchester typically runs $250 to $5,600, with caps and crowns at the lower end and full liner installation at the top. Flashing repair falls around $400 to $1,000 and masonry repair around $600 to $2,800. The written estimate is what sets the final price, and the estimate itself is free. Call (888) 804-9712 for an exact quote – estimates are free.
Yes. We install and repair DuraFlex flexible liners and HeatShield restoration systems as part of our regular work, not as a special order. That matters because the HeatShield route can be a lower-cost alternative to full relining when the flue is largely intact, and most sweep-only crews can’t offer it. If your flue needs a liner, we’ll talk you through both options and show you the camera evidence for each.
Same-day service is possible when a slot opens, so call and we’ll book you into the earliest opening. We answer 24/7, and fast dispatch runs 7am to 7pm, Sunday through Friday; we’re closed on Saturday. A call outside dispatch hours gets booked into the next opening. Call (888) 804-9712 to find out what’s available.
Our work is backed by a satisfaction guarantee, and we’ll go through the specific coverage for your repair when we hand over the written estimate. We don’t bury the warranty terms in a contract – you’ll hear them in plain language before you agree to anything. If something doesn’t look right after the work, call us and we’ll take another look. Call (888) 804-9712 with any warranty question.
Clear the fireplace hearth and the floor in front of it, and make sure we can reach the roof access if there is one. Keep pets in a separate room and move anything fragile off the mantel. Nothing else is needed – we bring the drop cloths, the camera, and the materials. If a repair will open up masonry, we’ll tell you beforehand so you can plan for the dust.
Schedule Your Chimney Repair Service in Manchester Today
If your chimney is leaking, missing a cap, or showing brick dust where mortar used to be, get it looked at before the next freeze opens the crack wider. Call (888) 804-9712 for a free, no-obligation estimate. We answer 24/7, with fast dispatch from 7am to 7pm, Sunday through Friday. One crew, one call – from the annual sweep to full liner restoration, we identify the problem and fix it.
Written by Tim Sandoval, Owner at Manchester Chimney Cleaning, serving Manchester since 2012.