Sweep & inspection
Caps & crowns
Flue relining
Masonry repair
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.
Chimney Company in Santa Monica, CA
Chimney repair in Santa Monica is a different job than it is ten miles inland, and anyone who tells you otherwise hasn’t worked on the pre-war Spanish Colonials and beach bungalows that fill the 90402 and 90405 ZIP codes. The marine layer, salt air, and occasional decorative fires mean we’re usually fixing corroded dampers, spalled mortar crowns, and clay-tile flues that were never built for heavy burning. Corona Chimney Sweep has served Santa Monica since 2018, and we repair what we find, in-house, no referrals to a third company. Call (855) 382-6159 for a free estimate.
Why Santa Monica Homes Are Different
Walk through north-of-Montana or Sunset Park and you’ll see the same thing: 1920s and 1930s Spanish Colonial homes with original masonry fireplaces built for ambiance, not heat. These chimneys have clay-tile flue liners, often unlined smoke chambers, and mortar that gets attacked year-round by salt-laden onshore air coming off the Pacific. We see it on nearly every repair call: rusted steel dampers that won’t open, spalling brick where moisture wicked in and sat, and crowns with hairline cracks that let water behind the tile liner.
The mild coastal climate means Santa Monica fireplaces rarely build up the heavy creosote that inland mountain homes do. That’s the good news. The bad news is that light, occasional fires produce a tacky, acidic creosote that clings to flue walls and corrodes metal components even in small amounts. Then there are the birds. In Ocean Park and Sunset Park bungalows, chimney swifts nest in uncapped flues every spring, and homeowners often don’t notice until the first cool evening they try to light a fire and the house fills with smoke. Between the salt air, the nesting season, and the age of the housing stock, chimney caps and waterproofing get more repeat business here than almost any other repair category.
Multi-unit rentals in 90401 and the condo and townhome infill throughout 90404 often have shared or capped flues, which changes what you can legally and safely do. If you’re in an HOA, the association may handle the exterior stack and crown while you’re responsible for the flue interior. We work with those arrangements every week, and we’ll tell you plainly what’s yours to fix and what belongs to the HOA.
Styles & brands we work with
Our Main Santa Monica Services
Most Santa Monica homeowners call us for one of two things: a routine sweep on a fireplace they use a few times a year, or a dryer vent that nobody has cleaned since the house was bought. Here’s how each works on the Westside.
Chimney Sweep in Santa Monica
A chimney sweep in Santa Monica is typically a light-service job, but the salt air and nesting season add checks you won’t get from a generic sweep-and-go crew. We remove the creosote, give the flue a camera inspection, and verify that the damper actually opens and closes after years of coastal humidity have done their thing. In Sunset Park and Ocean Park, we also look for bird nests and debris in the smoke shelf, which is the most common reason a fire smokes out the living room. For full details on this service, see our Chimney Sweep in Santa Monica page.
Dryer Vent Cleaning in Santa Monica
Dryer vent cleaning in Santa Monica is fire prevention, not a convenience call. A clogged dryer vent is a fire waiting to happen, and in older bungalows and apartment buildings with long or convoluted vent runs, lint builds faster than homeowners expect. The same combustion-venting technicians who handle our chimney work clean these vents, not a separate, less-qualified crew, so you’re getting the same standard of inspection on both systems. See our dedicated Dryer Vent Cleaning in Santa Monica page for what’s involved.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees — you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
- 4
You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Chimney Repair in Santa Monica
Chimney repair in Santa Monica is our primary service, and the specific problem here is the marine environment. The salt air off the Pacific eats dampers, cap flashing, and mortar joints in ways inland repair crews rarely see. Most homes in 90402 and 90405 were built between 1920 and 1950 with clay-tile flue liners that are now 70 to 100 years old, and the mortar between those tiles cracks over time and lets heat and gases reach the surrounding masonry. When we find that on a sweep, we fix it ourselves. No handoff to a referral partner, no “call a mason” note on the invoice. That repair capability is the whole point of Corona Chimney Sweep, and it’s what separates us from sweep-only crews. You can read Chimney Repair for the full scope of the service.
Chimney Cap Installation
Signs you need it
You hear birds in the chimney, water drips down the flue after rain, or you can see daylight where a cap should be.
What it costs in Santa Monica
Chimney cap installation in Santa Monica typically runs $250 to $550 for the cap and the install labor, depending on flue size and roof access.
How we do it
We measure the flue, match a cap to the tile or pipe size, install it with stainless hardware, and check that draft remains unaffected.
Chimney Cap Replacement
Signs you need it
The existing cap is rusted through, mesh is torn open, or the cap has come loose and is letting water and birds into the flue.
What it costs in Santa Monica
Replacing a corroded chimney cap in Santa Monica costs $300 to $600, with the old cap removed and disposed of as part of the job.
How we do it
We pull the old cap, check the flue tile or pipe for damage from its failed state, then install a new cap sized to the opening and anchored properly.
Chimney Liner Installation
Signs you need it
The flue tiles are cracked, gaps are visible between tile sections, or a camera inspection shows interior spalling that a sweep can’t fix.
What it costs in Santa Monica
A new flue liner in Santa Monica runs $2,200 to $5,500, with material and labor varying by flue height, liner type, and chimney accessibility.
How we do it
We run a DuraFlex stainless flexible liner down the flue, connect it to the appliance or fireplace, insulate where code requires, and top it with a cap and flashing.
Chimney Crown Repair
Signs you need it
The concrete or mortar crown on top of the chimney has cracks, chunks missing, or a soft, sandy surface where water is penetrating.
What it costs in Santa Monica
Chimney crown repair in Santa Monica typically costs $450 to $900, with the final price depending on crown size and the extent of patching versus full resealing.
How we do it
We grind out cracks, fill or resurface the crown with a waterproof bonding material, and slope the surface so water sheds away from the flue.
What Chimney Repair Costs in Santa Monica
| Item | Typical range in Santa Monica |
|---|---|
| Chimney cap installation | $250 – $550 |
| Chimney cap replacement | $300 – $600 |
| Chimney crown repair | $450 – $900 |
| Chimney liner installation | $2,200 – $5,500 |
How long does chimney repair take in Santa Monica?
Most cap, crown, and flashing repairs are done in one visit, usually two to four hours. A full liner installation can take a full day or two, depending on flue height and roof access.
Do I need a permit for chimney repair in Santa Monica?
Most cap, crown, and liner repair work done from inside the flue doesn’t trigger a permit, but exterior masonry work may. We’ll tell you upfront if your job needs one, and we handle the paperwork where required.
Brands We Service in Santa Monica
We install and service chimney systems built with DuraFlex stainless flexible liners, HeatShield resurfacing material, Gelco caps and dampers, and Olympia Chimney masonry and flashing products. We stock common parts locally, so most cap and damper replacements don’t wait on supply orders. See our brands for the full range.
See the difference
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AfterPricing for Chimney Company in Santa Monica, CA
| Service | Typical range in Santa Monica |
|---|---|
| Chimney sweep (standard fireplace) | $180 – $280 |
| Chimney sweep (with bird nest removal) | $280 – $420 |
| Chimney cap installation | $250 – $550 |
| Chimney cap replacement | $300 – $600 |
| Chimney crown repair | $450 – $900 |
| Chimney flashing repair | $350 – $800 |
| Chimney liner installation | $2,200 – $5,500 |
| Dryer vent cleaning | $150 – $300 |
Prices in Santa Monica run slightly higher than inland because roof access on older Spanish Colonials and bungalows is often tighter, and salt-corroded components sometimes need more labor to remove than their inland equivalents. We quote a flat price before any work starts, and that price doesn’t change unless we find a condition that changes the scope, which we’ll show you with a camera before you approve it.
Neighborhoods We Serve in Santa Monica
We work throughout all of Santa Monica, from the beach lots near Ocean Avenue to the inland condos and townhomes east of Lincoln. The neighborhoods we see most often are the older housing pockets where original fireplaces and flues still stand.
- North of Montana (90402)
- Sunset Park (90405)
- Ocean Park (90405)
- Mid-City Santa Monica (90404)
- Downtown and Wilshire corridor (90401)
Most of our Santa Monica jobs are within 20 to 30 minutes of our scheduling window once we’re in the area, because the city is geographically compact and we batch Westside calls by zone.
Service Area – Cities Near Santa Monica
In addition to Santa Monica proper, we serve the surrounding Westside communities. That includes Venice, CA with its 1920s beach bungalows, Century City, CA where condo flues and HOA rules dominate, Culver City, CA with its mix of pre-war and mid-century homes, and Beverly Hills, CA where older estate fireplaces often need liner work and cap replacement.
Serving Santa Monica, CA — Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Santa Monica area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage — if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs About Chimney Company in Santa Monica
Most Santa Monica appointments happen within three to five business days. For active chimney issues like water intrusion or a flue blockage, we prioritize calls by risk and can often get to the Westside within a day or two. Call (855) 382-6159 and we’ll give you a straight answer on scheduling.
Yes, and in 90401 and 90404 especially, multi-unit HOAs often own the exterior stack and crown while unit owners are responsible for the flue interior. We’ll clarify exactly who’s responsible for what before we start, so you don’t pay for someone else’s repair or skip something that’s actually yours.
We do. Many of the pre-war multi-unit properties in 90401, 90402, and 90404 have shared or capped flues, and we’re familiar with the access and code issues those buildings present. If the chimney belongs to a rental property, we work with owners and property managers directly.
What happens when you call
- 1A real person answersNo phone trees — talk to a local chimney cleaning pro.
- 2You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched. No surprises.
- 3We come out and measureLicensed & insured, at a time that suits you — the visit and the quote are both free.
- 4You get the price in writingLine-itemed, yours to keep, and nothing starts until you say go.
What Santa Monica Customers Say
"Drop cloths everywhere, HEPA vac, and not a speck of soot on the carpet. I'd been dreading the mess for nothing."
— Jodi Brooks"Swept it, capped it, and installed a proper damper. The downdraft smell in the summer that we'd lived with for years is gone."
— Marcy Padgett"Good work. The written inspection report took about a week to arrive after I asked for it, which was slower than I expected."
— Raj Patel