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.
Chimney Cleaning Services in Malden, MA
Chimney cleaning in Malden typically runs $189-$289 for a standard sweep and Level-1 inspection, with Level-2 camera inspections starting around $349. Most appointments are completed in a single visit, and our Boston office dispatches crews across Malden six days a week. Call (857) 392-4709 to speak with a live person, any hour, and we’ll find you the next available opening.
We’ve been working on chimneys long enough to know what a Malden triple-decker stack looks like before we pull up. Three flues, one chimney, often three different heating systems, and brick that’s been freezing and thawing through Eastern Massachusetts winters since the Coolidge administration. Russell Haines built this company on the principle that a homeowner deserves to see what we see, understand what it means, and know exactly what it costs before anyone picks up a tool. That hasn’t changed in 42 years.
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.
Why Malden Homeowners Choose Hearthstone Chimney Co.
Malden homeowners don’t call us because we’re the cheapest option. They call because the last contractor walked out with a deposit and a promise, or because their neighbor in Maplewood Square watched a sweep leave in twenty minutes without opening the damper. We’re the call you make when you’ve already been burned once.
Our technicians are background-checked, uniformed, and trained to document everything. You get photos from the camera inspection, a plain-English verdict on what needs attention now versus what can wait, and a written estimate with no-hassle upfront pricing. The number we quote is the number on the invoice. We complete most jobs in a single visit, and every call is answered by a live person, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Not a voicemail. Not a callback queue. A real person.
We’ve worked from Chimney Cleaning & Sweep in Malden projects in Edgeworth down through Ferryway and up toward the Fellsway, and we understand the rhythms of this city’s housing stock. The 90-Day Done Right Promise backs every job in writing, no arguing. If it’s not right, we come back. That’s the Keystone Standard, and it’s governed by our K.E.Y.S. values: Krafted right, Every time, Your home first, Standing behind it.
Chimney Cleaning Services We Offer in Malden
Chimney Cleaning & Sweep
A proper sweep removes creosote buildup, bird nests, and debris that obstruct airflow and create fire hazards. In Malden’s triple-deckers, we often find multiple flues in varying condition, each requiring individual assessment. We use professional-grade brushes and vacuums, and we finish with a Level-1 inspection included in the standard price.
Learn more about our Chimney Cleaning & Sweep in Malden.

Chimney Repair
Malden’s freeze-thaw cycles punish old mortar joints. We repoint, rebuild crowns, and address spalling brick before water infiltration compromises the stack’s structural integrity. Every repair recommendation comes with photos you can see and a plain-English explanation of why it matters.
Learn more about our Chimney Repair in Malden.

Fireplace Services
From damper repair to firebox refractory panel replacement, we restore safe, efficient fireplace function. Malden’s older homes often have original throat dampers rusted solid or missing entirely, and we stock replacements that fit period construction without forcing modern components where they don’t belong.
Learn more about our Fireplace Services in Malden.

Chimney Cap & Crown Installation
A proper cap keeps rain, animals, and debris out of your flue. We fabricate and install crowns and caps using materials from Copperfield and Gelco, sized to your specific chimney, not a universal fit that gaps in six months. In Malden’s dense housing, a failed crown often goes unnoticed until water stains appear on the ceiling below.
Learn more about our Chimney Cap & Crown services in Malden.

Chimney Liner & Rebuild
When clay flue tiles crack or a liner fails, we install stainless steel relining systems using DuraFlex and HeatShield materials, sized correctly for your appliance. In Malden’s converted triple-decker chimneys, this is often the critical repair, oversized flues running cool gas exhaust being particularly prone to condensation damage and liner deterioration.
Learn more about our Chimney Liner & Rebuild services in Malden.

Neighborhoods We Serve in Malden
Our crews cover the full city, from the dense triple-deckers near Malden Center to the wood-frame pockets toward the Melrose line. Typical response time is within a few days of calling, faster for urgent safety concerns.
- Edgeworth - Late-19th-century homes with original masonry chimneys, many converted from coal to gas
- Maplewood Square - Dense two- and three-family stock, shared stacks common
- Ferryway - Mixed housing age with significant freeze-thaw exposure
- Fellsway East - Slightly newer construction but still pre-war, with aging flue systems
- Malden Center - Condo conversions in historic buildings, multi-party chimney coordination frequent
Why Malden’s Climate & Housing Affect Chimney Cleaning
Malden’s housing stock is dominated by triple-deckers built ca. 1890-1930, whose single masonry chimney stacks typically contain multiple flues, one per unit, originally sized for coal furnaces and later jury-rigged through oil conversion and now increasingly serving low-temperature gas appliances. These oversized, century-old flues running cool exhaust from modern gas equipment trap moisture and accelerate clay-tile liner breakdown far faster than a single-family chimney would, making relining and annual inspection disproportionately urgent in Malden compared to neighboring lower-density suburbs.
Eastern Massachusetts averages 35-45 freeze-thaw cycles per winter, and Malden’s older, porous brick chimneys, many never repointed in decades, absorb moisture that expands and contracts with each cycle, accelerating spalling, mortar joint failure, and cracked flue tiles at a rate that makes post-winter inspections essentially mandatory. We’ve pulled broken tile shards from flues in Maplewood Square that hadn’t been opened in thirty years, and we’ve documented liner failures in Edgeworth triple-deckers where all three units were running gas appliances through coal-era chimneys with no functional liner remaining.
In a Malden triple-decker, a chimney tech often faces one shared chimney stack with three separate flues belonging to three separately-tenanted or separately-owned units, each potentially on a different heating fuel, meaning any relining or repair job requires buy-in and coordination across multiple landlords or condo owners before a single permit can be pulled, a multi-party headache that is essentially built into the city’s housing DNA. We’ve navigated this process dozens of times, and we can advise on the sequencing and documentation that gets everyone to yes.
Pricing for Chimney Cleaning in Malden
We believe in no-hassle upfront pricing. The number on the estimate is the number on the invoice.
| Service | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Standard chimney sweep with Level-1 inspection | $189 - $289 |
| Level-2 camera inspection with photo report | $349 - $499 |
| Chimney cap installation (standard) | $289 - $489 |
| Crown repair/rebuild | $489 - $1,289 |
| Stainless steel liner installation (per flue) | $2,489 - $4,989 |
| Fireplace damper replacement | $389 - $789 |
Standing offers include $50 off any repair over $250, a free second opinion on any written estimate, an $89 seasonal tune-up, and a permanent 5% senior and veteran discount. Call (857) 392-4709 for an exact quote, estimates are free.
Common Local Scenarios We Handle in Malden
The “It Was Fine Last Year” Call
We get this from Fellsway East every February. The chimney worked fine, then one cold morning the living room smells like a fireplace that hasn’t been cleaned. What happened? A partial blockage, a cracked flue tile, or a bird nest that wasn’t there in October. Annual inspection catches these before the first fire.
The Three-Unit Stack with Three Different Problems
Typical of Edgeworth or Ferryway. First floor has a functioning gas insert, second floor still burns oil, third floor converted to high-efficiency gas and the flue is too big, running below condensation temperature. Each flue needs different assessment, and the repair timeline depends on coordinating all three owners. We’ve done this enough to know the conversation that needs to happen and in what order.
The Post-Purchase Inspection Surprise
New owners in Malden Center condos call us after the home inspector noted “chimney should be evaluated by specialist.” We run the camera, show them the photos, and explain whether they’re looking at a $289 sweep or a $3,500 relining, and whether it needs to happen before closing or can wait one season. No panic, no pressure. Just facts they can use.
The Water Stain That Isn’t the Roof
Crown failure in a Maplewood Square triple-decker often masquerades as a roof leak. Water enters through cracked crown concrete, runs down the flue interior, and exits on the second-floor ceiling. We’ve saved homeowners thousands in unnecessary roof work by correctly diagnosing the actual entry point.
Service Area - Cities Near Malden
Our Boston office dispatches crews throughout the immediate metro area. We regularly work in Everett, where similar triple-decker stock faces identical liner challenges; Melrose, with its mix of Victorian singles and early-20th-century doubles; Medford, sharing Malden’s density and housing age; and Chelsea, where industrial-era conversions create their own chimney complexities. Each city gets the same documentation standard and the same written guarantee.
Serving Malden, MA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Malden 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 Cleaning in Malden
A standard chimney sweep with Level-1 inspection in Malden typically costs between $189 and $289. Level-2 camera inspections, which we recommend for any chimney over twenty years old or one with a change of heating appliance, start around $349. Call (857) 392-4709 for an exact quote, estimates are free.
The National Fire Protection Association recommends annual inspection, and for Malden’s triple-decker housing stock with century-old flues, we consider this a minimum. Homes burning wood regularly need annual sweeping; gas appliance flues should be inspected for condensation damage and liner deterioration at least yearly. Call (857) 392-4709 to schedule before burning season.
You shouldn’t accept any liner recommendation without seeing camera evidence. Our Level-2 inspection includes photos of your actual flue interior, and we explain what we’re showing you in plain English. If the clay tiles are intact and properly sized for your appliance, we’ll tell you so. If they’re cracked, missing, or oversized for a modern gas unit, we’ll show you exactly where and why relining matters for safety. Nothing is recommended without documentation you can see yourself, and we’ll be direct about what can safely wait. Call (857) 392-4709 for a free second opinion on any written estimate.
Skipped maintenance leads to creosote accumulation, which can ignite at temperatures above 1,000 degrees and cause chimney fires that damage flue liners and spread to framing. In Malden’s older triple-deckers, a single chimney fire threatens multiple units. Blocked or deteriorated flues also risk carbon monoxide backing up into living spaces. These are genuine hazards, not scare tactics, and they’re preventable with annual inspection. Call (857) 392-4709 to book before you light the first fire.
Yes, and it’s often simpler. We can inspect all three flues in a single visit, document conditions for each unit separately, and provide individual estimates. If relining or rebuild work is needed, we can coordinate the permitting and scheduling across multiple owners, something we’ve done repeatedly in Malden’s shared-stack housing. Call (857) 392-4709 and we’ll explain how the process works for your specific situation.
Written by Russell Haines, Owner at Hearthstone Chimney Co., serving local communities for over 42 years.
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 Malden Customers Say
"Second property I have had them at. Both times the tech showed me photos from inside the flue before quoting anything."
- Ryan Hoffman"Swept it, capped it, and fitted a proper damper. The downdraft smell we had lived with every summer is gone."
- Allison Doyle"The cap keeps the birds out now, which after two springs of scratching noises above the bedroom is worth every penny."
- Nisha Gupta





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