Chimney sweep in Wellesley, MA
A chimney sweep in Wellesley 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 Wellesley-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 Wellesley ZIP code.
Chimney sweep Wellesley: the local facts
| Wellesley, MA | |
|---|---|
| Population | 30,347 |
| Homes built in 1939 or earlier | 33.7% |
| Median year homes were built | 1955 |
| Single-family detached homes | 82.4% |
| Nights at or below freezing, per year | 139 |
| Average temperature, December to February | 32.4°F |
| Chimney fires, share of residential fires, Massachusetts | 3.6% |
| Massachusetts chimney fires in December to February | 53.6% |
Wellesley homes and their chimneys
33.7% of Wellesley's homes were built in 1939 or earlier, and half were built in 1955 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 Wellesley house, ask for the liner to be checked on camera during the inspection.
Wellesley winters and your chimney
Wellesley averages 139 nights a year at or below freezing and a December to February average of 32.4°F (NOAA normals, Norwood Memorial 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 Wellesley
The Town of Wellesley's building permit fee schedule, marked effective 04/01/25, lists a fee of $50 per stove. The same schedule lists $50 for Chimneys/Fireplace, and as a fee table it does not say which chimney or fireplace work needs a permit.
For a home sale, the Wellesley Fire Department charges $50 for a 26F smoke and carbon monoxide detector inspection of a one-family home and $100 for a two-family home. Its Home Sale Inspections page tells owners to make sure no alarm has expired, giving 10 years for smoke alarms and 7 years for CO detectors. The page says smoke certificates are good for 60 days.
For outdoor fires only, the fire department permits chimineas, fire pits and outdoor fireplaces at 1 and 2 family homes, with a $35 permit fee, the device 20 feet from any building, combustible structure, property line or trees, and dry seasoned firewood only. The page calls these conditions guidelines, with the final determination made by the Fire Inspector. Indoors, the Health Department's Cold Weather Safety page says to use care with space heaters and fireplaces and to keep anything that could catch fire at least 3 feet from the heat.
Chimney cleaning, inspection and repair in Wellesley
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 Boston, MA
- Chimney sweep in Marlborough, MA
- Chimney sweep in Providence, RI
- Chimney sweep in Hartford, CT
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
- Town of Wellesley, Building Permit Fees (effective 04/01/25): wellesleyma.gov
- Wellesley Fire Department, Home Sale Inspections: wellesleyma.gov
- Wellesley Fire Department, Outdoor Fireplaces/Chiminea: wellesleyma.gov
- Town of Wellesley Health Department, Cold Weather Safety: wellesleyma.gov