Do you live in Pleasant Hill? When was the last time you had your chimney, dryer vent, and air ducts cleaned? Every year, preventable fires and extensive structural damages are caused by clogged or neglected chimneys and dryer vents. But the good news is: with some simple maintenance and regular cleanings and inspections, you can keep fires and damage at bay.
Top Notch Chimney Sweep & Services is Pleasant Hill, Iowa’s local chimney and venting care company. We travel throughout Central Iowa, down Route 65 and 163, and can be there for you when you need us most. We have been providing professional chimney care to homeowners in Pleasant Hill since 2002. We know what it takes to maintain your chimneys and venting, which is why we provide the following services, installations and repairs: Chimney Sweeping, Chimney Inspection, Gas Log Service, Chimney Caps & Dampers, Chimney Crown Repair, Factory Fireplace Repair, Minor Masonry Repairs, Chimney Relining, HeatShield®, Waterproofing, Flashing Repair, Air Duct Cleaning, Dryer Vent Cleaning. If it has to do with your chimney, fireplace, dryer vent, and air ducts, you can bet we can help!
Experience The Top Notch Difference
When we named our business Top Notch in 2002, we knew we would have to live up to our name in every single thing we did. That’s why we’ve put our best foot forward since day one. We continue to put our customers’ safety and satisfaction first, and we are so proud and honored that our customers recognize the hard work, craftsmanship, and expertise we bring to every service call. If you live in Pleasant Hill and could benefit from our quality service, please give us a call! We look forward to helping! You can also request an appointment online here.
We are proud to be part of the Pleasant Hill community. We look forward to caring for all of your chimney, venting, and masonry needs. Call us to schedule your appointment today!
Carlisle is known as a community that is “carrying the traditions of yesteryear while embracing change,” and we’re known as a top-notch provider of chimney and vent services to this important service location.
Reading the Outside of Your Chimney
You can learn a lot about a chimney just by looking at it from the yard. A few things to watch for:
- White staining. Known as efflorescence, it is left behind when water moves through the brick and carries minerals to the surface. It means moisture is getting in.
- Spalling brick. Faces that flake or pop off are usually a sign of water freezing inside the masonry.
- Gaps in the mortar. Missing or crumbling mortar lets in more water and weakens the stack.
- A cracked crown. The concrete cap on top should be solid and sloped to shed water.
- Bent or missing cap. Storms and animals both knock caps loose.
If you spot any of these, our masons can repair the brick and mortar, rebuild the crown and stop the water at its source. See our chimney repair and leak repair pages.
Gas Fireplaces and Inserts Still Need a Check
Switching from wood to gas cuts down on mess, but it does not remove the need for service. A gas appliance still makes carbon monoxide, and that gas has to be vented out of the house through a clear, working flue or vent.
Nests, debris and a stuck damper can all block venting. We check the burner, pilot, valves and connections, look at the log placement and watch for soot. Excess soot is a sign the fuel is not burning cleanly, and it should be looked into before the next season.
Moving In or Moving Out
Real estate sales are one of the times NFPA 211 calls for a Level 2 inspection. A Level 2 includes a video inspection of the inside of the flue. If you are listing a Pleasant Hill home, an inspection gives you a chance to make repairs before a buyer finds them. If you are buying, it tells you whether the fireplace is ready to use.
Why Booking in the Off-Season Helps
From April through August our schedule has more room, so you get more choice of appointment times. Once the weather cools, emergency calls pick up and the calendar fills quickly. Spring or summer service also leaves time for repairs. Read our appointment tips to get ready.
Who You Will Meet
Top Notch is a family business led by owner Tom Hunkele, a Past President of the National Chimney Sweep Guild. Our crew includes CSIA Certified Sweeps, and we have been doing this work since 2002. Read about them on our team page.
When a Chimney Liner Needs Work
The liner runs up the inside of the chimney and keeps heat and combustion gases away from the brick and the framing around it. Heat, acidic byproducts, water and even animals can damage it over time. A cracked or gapped liner should not be used until it is repaired.
For clay tile liners that are still structurally sound, HeatShield can repair the joints or resurface the flue. If the damage goes further, a stainless steel liner is a durable replacement that works with all fuels and has a lifetime warranty when professionally installed. Read about chimney relining.
A Clean Dryer Vent Is a Safer Dryer
Lint that slips past the trap builds up inside the vent duct over time. That restricts airflow, so the dryer has to run longer and hotter to finish a load. Wasted energy is one problem; fire is the bigger one. With a gas dryer, a clogged vent can also send carbon monoxide back into the house.
Our dryer vent service pairs a damage check of the duct with a thorough cleaning, using a HEPA vacuum to catch the lint. A clean vent can cut energy use and help the dryer last longer. See our vent cleaning services.
No Mess Left Behind
Our sweeps lay down floor protection and use dust control equipment on every job, and our sweeping comes with a mess-free guarantee.
When the job is done, we clean up the work area and go over what we found, so you know the condition of your system before we leave.
Factory-Built Fireplace Repairs
Prefabricated fireplaces are built as a matched system, with a metal firebox, refractory panels, a metal flue and a chase cover on top. When one piece fails, it needs to be replaced with a part designed for that model. Mixing in generic parts can affect how safely the whole unit operates.
The repairs we see most often are cracked refractory panels, rusted chase covers and caps that have been lost to wind. If you are not sure of your fireplace’s make or model, our technicians can help figure out what you have.
East Side Towns We Also Serve
Along with Pleasant Hill, we work in Altoona, Runnells and Mitchellville. Call (515) 249-6337 or schedule online to book your visit.
