Level 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.
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterTrusted Fireplace Services for Northampton Homeowners
A fireplace that won’t draw, a gas log set that clicks but won’t light, a damper rusted half-open: these are the calls we’ve been answering in Northampton since 1999. Wendell Pike founded Top Hat Chimney to be the kind of chimney service he’d want at his own house, someone local you can find again on Saturday morning at the hardware store. Our Fireplace Services - Northampton cover everything from gas fireplace tune-ups to full firebox rebuilds, and we do it with upfront pricing that matches the invoice every time. If your fireplace is acting up in Northampton, call (484) 859-1367 and you’ll get a live person, not a voicemail box. It might be Wendell himself on the line.
Key Takeaways
- Fireplace services in Northampton start with a camera inspection, every time, no exceptions.
- We service gas fireplaces, wood burning fireplaces, inserts, dampers, fireboxes, and do fireplace conversions.
- Every job is backed by the 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing.
- Upfront pricing before a single tool comes off the truck.
- Local, owner-operated, and serving Northampton since 1999.
What happens when you call
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A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
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You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
What Our Fireplace Services Service Includes
Fireplace work covers a lot of ground. What follows is the plain-English version of what we actually do under this roof, broken down by the specific services Northampton homeowners call us for. If you’re not sure which one describes your situation, call us and Wendell or one of the crew will talk it through with you.
Gas Fireplace Service
Gas fireplaces are convenient, but they’re not maintenance-free. Thermocouples wear out, burner ports clog with dust and spiderwebs, and pilot assemblies get finicky after a few seasons of intermittent use. When you call Top Hat Chimney for gas fireplace service in Northampton, we clean the burner and pilot assembly, check gas pressure, verify the thermocouple and safety shutoff, and make sure the unit vents properly. We service the major gas log set brands you’ll find in homes across the Lehigh Valley, and we’ll tell you plainly if a part just needs cleaning or genuinely needs replacing.
Wood Burning Fireplace
A wood burning fireplace is a pleasure, but it’s also a system that demands respect. From creosote buildup to failing mortar joints to a throat damper that won’t seat, there are a dozen ways an open hearth can become a problem instead of a comfort. Our wood fireplace service starts with a full inspection: flue condition, smoke chamber, damper operation, firebox integrity, and clearances. Then we sweep what needs sweeping and tell you honestly what does not need doing. “Your flue doesn’t care how the fire looks. It cares how it breathes.”
Fireplace Insert
Inserts are a smart way to turn a drafty decorative hearth into a working heat source, whether wood, gas, or pellet. But an insert installed wrong or paired with an undersized liner is a performance problem and a potential safety risk. We install and service fireplace inserts from quality manufacturers, and the job always includes a proper liner sized to the unit and the flue. If you’re considering an insert in Northampton, we’ll show you what fits your existing fireplace and what it will cost before you commit.
Damper Repair
Your damper is the only thing standing between your living room and a column of cold air every winter night. When a damper is rusted open, bent, or so warped it won’t close, you’re literally paying to heat the outdoors. We repair and replace fireplace dampers, including top-sealing dampers that do a better job than the original throat style in most older Northampton homes. The fix is usually straightforward, and it pays for itself in a season or two of lower heating bills.
Firebox Repair
The firebox is the chamber that holds the fire, and it takes real abuse: direct flame, thermal cycling, occasional water intrusion. Cracked firebrick, missing mortar joints, spalling brick faces, all of these let heat reach places it should never go. We do firebox repair with fire-rated materials, whether repairing damaged sections or rebuilding the whole box. If the damage is surface-level cosmetic, we’ll tell you that too, and we won’t sell you work that can wait.
Fireplace Conversion
Plenty of Northampton homeowners love the look of a wood fireplace but are tired of the wood hauling, the ash cleanup, and the tending. That’s where conversion to gas or a ventless log set makes sense. We handle the full conversion: gas line, log set or insert selection, liner work when needed, and final safety check. The result is a fireplace that lights from a switch or remote. We’ll walk you through the options honestly, including the tradeoffs, before any work is scheduled.
Brands We Service for Fireplace Services
We work with trusted industry names because they make consistent, serviceable products that hold up over time. DuraFlex is our go-to for chimney liner systems, and we’ve installed enough of them that we can quote you accurately over the phone in most cases. HeatShield is the product we use for resurfacing and sealing damaged flue tiles, and we trust it because it’s an engineered product, not a patch job.
We also regularly service and install equipment from Olympia Chimney and Gelco, and we stock the common wear parts for the gas and wood units common in this part of Pennsylvania. Whether you have one of those brands or any other make, we can help. If your unit is off-brand or older, that’s fine; the camera doesn’t care what label is on the front of the fireplace.
Signs You Need Fireplace Services Right Now
- Smoke rolls back into the room when you light a fire. This is the most common complaint we hear in Northampton, and it usually means a blocked flue, a closed or stuck damper, or negative air pressure in the house. It’s not something to live with; smoke in the living space is a carbon monoxide and respiratory risk.
- You smell something like an old campfire even when the fireplace isn’t in use. That’s creosote off-gassing, and it usually means a heavy buildup in the flue. “First-degree creosote is a brush job. Third-degree is a glaze, catch it early.” If you smell it, it’s time to have a look.
- Gas fireplace flames are yellow, lazy, or flickering oddly. A healthy gas flame is blue and steady. Yellow or orange flames suggest incomplete combustion, which means fouled burners or inadequate venting. This is a tune-up call, and it’s usually an inexpensive fix if caught early.
- You can see cracks, gaps, or missing mortar in the firebox. These let heat transmit through to the framing behind the fireplace. In a Northampton winter, with the freeze-thaw cycles we get, small cracks become bigger ones. This is the kind of thing to fix before you use the fireplace again.
- The damper won’t open or close fully, or the handle feels loose or frozen. A damper that won’t seat properly is a year-round problem: heat loss in winter, conditioned air loss in summer, and an open pathway for birds and squirrels. It’s also one of the least expensive fireplace repairs we do.
Our Fireplace Services Process - Step by Step
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You call and talk to a person. You call (484) 859-1367 and one of us answers. We ask what’s going on, ask a few questions about your fireplace, and give you a real arrival window. No call center, no voicemail tree, and no trip charge if you’re inside our service county.
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We inspect first, always. Wendell or one of the crew shows up in uniform, background-checked, and on time. The inspection starts with a high-resolution camera run up the flue. You see the footage. “The camera footage and a plain-English verdict - every time, no exceptions.” That’s not a slogan; that’s the way we work.
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You get plain-English findings and an honest recommendation. We show you what we found, explain what it means, and tell you what needs doing and what can wait. If you need no work done, that’s what we say. If you need work, the price we quote is the price on the invoice.
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We do the work right the first time. Fireplace service, repair, or conversion is done with proper materials and attention to code. We don’t cut corners, and we don’t rush. In Northampton, with older masonry chimneys, attention to the details is what separates a job that lasts from one that doesn’t.
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We back the work in writing. Every completed job carries the 90-Day Done Right Promise. If something’s not right, one call brings us back. No charge, no argument, no chasing. Wendell puts his name on the work because he runs into you again on Saturday.
How Much Does Fireplace Services Cost in Northampton?
If you’re wondering how much Fireplace Services costs, a standard fireplace sweep and safety inspection in Northampton typically runs $189 to $289 depending on flue height, accessibility, and how long it’s been since the last cleaning. Gas fireplace tune-ups typically fall between $159 and $249, including cleaning the burner and pilot, checking the thermocouple, and verifying venting. Firebox repairs start around $350 for minor repointing and go up from there based on the extent of the damage and the materials required. Fireplace conversions to gas start around $1,200 and up, and depend on the log set or insert you choose and whether you need a liner.
What affects the price: the condition of the flue, the type and age of the fireplace, whether you need parts, and how accessible the roof is. What shouldn’t affect the price: whether the technician thinks you can afford more. That’s how national chains end up quoting one number on the phone and another at the door. We quote upfront, before a single tool comes off the truck, and the number doesn’t move. We also offer a free second opinion on any competing written estimate, $40 off any repair over $200, and 10% off always for seniors and veterans.
Fireplace Services Near Northampton - Our Service Area
Top Hat Chimney is based right here in Northampton, and we work throughout the surrounding communities: Fireplace Services in Allen, Fireplace Services in Catasauqua, Palmerton, East Allen, Slatington, Hokendauqua, Coplay, Schnecksville, East Penn, Eldred, and Bath. We’ve been doing this since 1999, and our service area reflects that: these are the towns where we live, shop, and raise families. You can read more on our home page about the full range of chimney and fireplace services we offer.
Serving Northampton, PA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Northampton area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
Frequently Asked Questions - Fireplace Services in Northampton
Fireplace services cover the inspection, cleaning, repair, and installation work related to the firebox, damper, flue, and the unit itself, whether gas or wood burning. That includes gas fireplace tune-ups, wood fireplace sweeping and repair, insert installation, damper replacement, firebox rebuilding, and converting a wood fireplace to gas. In Northampton, our service always begins with a camera inspection so you see exactly what we see.
A standard sweep and safety inspection usually takes 60 to 90 minutes from setup to cleanup. A gas fireplace tune-up is often under an hour. Firebox repairs, insert installations, and conversions take longer, anywhere from a half day to two days depending on scope. We’ll give you a time estimate at booking, and we call if anything changes.
For most fireplace services in Northampton, the base price ranges from $159 for a gas tune-up to $289 for a full wood fireplace sweep and camera inspection. Repairs and conversions are quoted upfront after inspection, and the number we give you is the number on the invoice. Every estimate is free, and seniors and veterans always get 10% off. Call (484) 859-1367 for an exact quote.
Yes, we service gas and wood burning fireplaces, inserts, and log sets from DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, Olympia Chimney, and many other manufacturers. We stock common wear parts for the units most common in Northampton homes. If your unit is older or off-brand, we can usually source what’s needed and the camera inspection gives us a clear picture of what we’re working with.
Yes. Our phones are staffed by a live person twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. If you smell gas, see smoke backing into the room, or notice firebox damage that’s getting worse, call (484) 859-1367 and we’ll help you figure out the right next step. If you smell gas, also shut off the gas line at the valve outside and leave the house until a professional arrives. We’ll walk you through it over the phone.
Every completed job is covered by the 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If the work isn’t done right, one call brings us back at no additional cost to make it right. No fine print, no chasing, no argument. That’s the promise Wendell Pike has backed since 1999.
Clear the area around the fireplace so we have about six feet of working room, and if the fire has been used recently, give it a few hours to cool before we arrive. Have any gas keys or remotes available for gas units. You don’t need to clean anything up; we’ll lay down drop cloths and clean up after the job is done.
Schedule Your Fireplace Services Service in Northampton Today
If your fireplace is due for a tune-up, acting up, or just hasn’t been looked at in a few years, call (484) 859-1367 now. We’ll set up a free, no-obligation inspection at a time that works for you. A live person answers, around the clock, and it might be Wendell himself on the line. If you’re in Northampton or the surrounding area, there’s no trip charge. Get the plain-English answer you’ve been looking for.
Written by Wendell Pike, Owner at Top Hat Chimney, serving Northampton since 1999.