How much does a chimney sweep cost?
A chimney sweep costs $150 to $375 for a masonry chimney with a wood-burning fireplace, according to HomeGuide, which puts the national average at $275. A gas fireplace costs $80 to $150 to clean. The number of flues, how long since the last cleaning, roof access and any inspection beyond the basic level move the price.
The short version
- National average: $275; typical range $150 to $375; low $80, high $700 (HomeGuide).
- Gas fireplace: $80 to $150. Wood or pellet stove: $130 to $300 (HomeGuide).
- Level 1 inspection with a basic cleaning: $100 to $250 (HomeGuide).
- Most repairs: $200 to $850 (HomeGuide); see chimney repair costs.
Fireplace sweep cost by chimney type
| Chimney or appliance | HomeGuide |
|---|---|
| Masonry chimney, wood-burning fireplace | $150 to $375 |
| Gas fireplace | $80 to $150 |
| Prefabricated (metal) chimney | $90 to $175 |
| Wood or pellet stove and its vent | $130 to $300 |
HomeGuide's masonry price assumes a brick or stone chimney with one main flue on a one-story home with easy roof access, and says it rises with a heavy load of ash in the firebox. It says gas fireplaces cost less because gas burns cleaner with less residue, and that a prefabricated chimney has a metal flue and a metal vent through the roof instead of brick or stone.
Chimney sweep cost with an inspection
Most sweeps inspect while they clean. The inspection level sets most of the difference in price:
| Inspection level | HomeGuide | Fixr |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1: visual check, usually with the cleaning | $100 to $250 | $85 to $950 |
| Level 2: adds a video inspection, attic, crawl space or basement | $250 to $600 | $150 to $1,000 |
| Level 3: opens concealed parts of the structure | $900 to $5,000 | $500 to $5,000 |
Fixr puts the average inspection with cleaning at around $175 for a Level 1 inspection of one flue and around $450 for a Level 2 inspection of two flues. What each level covers is on the chimney inspection page.
What raises the price
- More flues. Fixr's inspection prices rise from $85 to $250 for one flue to $550 to $950 for four at Level 1.
- A long gap since the last sweep. HomeGuide says a sweep takes 1 to 2 hours on average and can take twice as long if the chimney has not been cleaned in more than a year.
- Ash and debris. HomeGuide's masonry price rises with a heavy load of ash in the firebox.
- Repairs found on the visit. Price them separately and in writing; see chimney repair costs.
When to book
Book in early fall. The NFPA says to have chimneys cleaned and inspected every year, and in fire department records for 2020 to 2024, 57.4% of chimney fires happened in December, January and February. More on the service itself in what a chimney sweep does; the form below sends your request to a chimney company that serves your ZIP code.
Chimney sweep cost: common questions
How much does a chimney sweep cost?
How much does it cost to clean a chimney?
How much does a chimney inspection cost?
Fireplace sweep cost
How much does chimney cleaning cost?
Sources
- 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, page dated January 22, 2026: homeguide.com
- Fixr, chimney inspection cost, updated August 29, 2025: fixr.com
- NFPA, Heating safety tip sheet: content.nfpa.org
- FEMA, OpenFEMA, NFIRS Annual Data, downloaded September 25, 2026: fema.gov; our analysis: chimney-fires-by-month.csv