Chimney sweep in Boston, MA
A chimney sweep in Boston costs about $150 to $375 for a masonry chimney with a wood-burning fireplace and $80 to $150 for a gas fireplace, going by HomeGuide's national price survey; no survey publishes Boston-only prices, so compare two written quotes against those ranges. The NFPA says to have chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional. Use the form below and we send your request to a chimney company that serves your Boston ZIP code.
Chimney sweep Boston: the local facts
| Boston, MA | |
|---|---|
| Population | 666,442 |
| Homes built in 1939 or earlier | 46.7% |
| Median year homes were built | 1947 |
| Single-family detached homes | 11.9% |
| Nights at or below freezing, per year | 92 |
| Average temperature, December to February | 32.5°F |
| Chimney fires, share of residential fires, Massachusetts | 3.6% |
| Massachusetts chimney fires in December to February | 53.6% |
Boston homes and their chimneys
46.7% of Boston's homes were built in 1939 or earlier, and half were built in 1947 or earlier. HomeGuide lists lining old and unlined brick chimneys among the most common uses of a stainless steel liner, and says clay flue tiles were traditionally used in older homes. HomeGuide's chimney repair price table puts liner replacement at $1,500 to $7,000, so in an older Boston house, ask for the liner to be checked on camera during the inspection.
Boston winters and your chimney
Boston averages 92 nights a year at or below freezing and a December to February average of 32.5°F (NOAA normals, Boston Logan International Airport). That matters for the outside of the chimney: HomeGuide says cracks in brick and mortar usually start small at the corners but can expand quickly if water seeps in and freezes. Brick repair runs $150 to $500 for minor cracks and $1,000 to $3,500 for replacing brick from the crown to the roofline, according to HomeGuide.
Chimney fires in Massachusetts
Chimney fires confined to the chimney or flue made up 3.6% of residential structure fires in Massachusetts fire department records for 2020 to 2024, about the same as the national 3.4%. 53.6% of Massachusetts's chimney fires happened in December, January and February, a smaller winter share than the national 57.4%. State-by-state figures: chimney-fires-by-state.csv.
Local rules and resources in Boston
The Massachusetts Department of Fire Services says about half of all Massachusetts heating fires involve chimneys, fireplaces and wood stoves, and tells residents to have the chimney and flue inspected and cleaned each year. You need a building permit before installing a fireplace or a wood, pellet or coal stove, and the local building inspector must inspect it before it is used. The state's rules also say a solid fuel heating appliance must not share a flue with another solid fuel, fossil fuel or gas appliance.
Selling a Boston home? Most residential owners need the Boston Fire Department to inspect the smoke and carbon monoxide alarm system before a sale.
Chimney cleaning, inspection and repair in Boston
A yearly Level 1 inspection costs $100 to $250 with a basic cleaning, according to HomeGuide, and a Level 2 inspection, which adds a video inspection, costs $250 to $600; HomeGuide recommends Level 2 when buying a home with a chimney. Common repairs such as a cap replacement or crown repair cost $200 to $850. Ask whether the sweep is CSIA certified. Details: chimney sweep cost, chimney inspection and chimney repair.
Other cities we cover
- Chimney sweep in Baltimore, MD
- Chimney sweep in Pittsburgh, PA
- Chimney sweep in Dallas, TX
- Chimney sweep in Houston, TX
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates, tables B01003, B25024, B25034, B25035: data.census.gov
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991 to 2020: www.ncei.noaa.gov
- NFPA, Heating safety tip sheet: content.nfpa.org
- Chimney Safety Institute of America, "Preventing Chimney Fires": www.csia.org
- HomeGuide, chimney sweep cost, page dated February 9, 2026: homeguide.com
- HomeGuide, chimney inspection cost, page dated February 9, 2026: homeguide.com
- HomeGuide, chimney repair cost: homeguide.com
- HomeGuide, chimney liner cost: homeguide.com
- FEMA, OpenFEMA, NFIRS Annual Data, fire files 2020 to 2024, downloaded September 25, 2026: www.fema.gov
- Vent & Flue analysis, chimney fires by state (CSV): chimney-fires-by-state.csv
- Massachusetts Department of Fire Services, Fireplace, Wood Stove, and Chimney Safety: www.mass.gov
- Boston Fire Department, Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector Inspections: www.boston.gov