Sweep & inspection
Caps & crowns
Flue relining
Masonry repair
Gas fireplace serviceLevel 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.
Fast, Reliable Chimney Sweep Across Shady Hollow
A chimney sweep in Shady Hollow typically costs $189 – $329 for a standard cleaning, and most jobs take 45 – 90 minutes from setup to final photo report. If you’re burning local oak or cedar from the heavily wooded lots around Brodie Lane or along the greenbelt, you’ll likely need a sweep every year, sometimes twice. Some Shady Hollow homes, especially the attached properties with shared masonry stacks, need attention even sooner because creosote from one fireplace can affect a neighbor’s flue. Call Hadley Chimney Austin at (361) 603-5116 and we’ll give you a written price before anyone touches a brush.
Why Hadley Chimney Austin Is Shady Hollow’s Preferred Chimney Sweep Company
Cory Mitchell founded Hadley Chimney Sweep in 2003, and the approach hasn’t changed since: tell the homeowner what’s wrong, show them the proof, and hand them a written price before work begins. Shady Hollow customers get a live arrival window, a uniformed and background-checked technician, and before-and-after photos on every job. That’s the Relay Visibility Guarantee, part of the Relay Home Co. family standard, and it’s in writing.
What makes us the right fit for Shady Hollow specifically comes down to the housing. We know these 1970s – 1990s ranchers and two-story traditionals, the original clay flue liners, the shared chimney stacks on attached properties, and the tree canopy that sends squirrels, raccoons, and chimney swifts straight for uncapped flues. Our Chimney Sweep team has worked on dozens of homes near Shady Hollow Park and along the cul-de-sacs off Escarpment Boulevard, so when we arrive, we already know what to expect before we get on the roof.
Calls are answered by a live person, 24/7, not a voicemail loop. If something feels off after a sweep, the 365-Day Done Right Promise applies: we make it right, and every repair carries a written guarantee with a free second visit if it fails.
Styles & brands we work with





Chimney Cleaning in Shady Hollow
Chimney Cleaning in Shady Hollow means removing the creosote (the flammable tar buildup that makes chimneys a fire risk) and soot from the flue liner, smoke chamber, damper, and firebox. Given the semi-rural lots and heavy use of unseasoned local oak and cedar here, creosote accumulates faster than it does in the city. A standard sweep in Shady Hollow runs $189 – $329, and we recommend annual service for most homes, with a second sweep if you burn two or more cords a season.
Creosote Removal in Thick-Cover Lots
Shady Hollow’s dense canopy means a lot of what gets burned is wood that sat through humid summers and never fully seasoned. That produces cooler fires and more smoke, which condenses as sticky creosote on flue walls. We remove first and second degree glaze buildup with rotary tools when needed, and we’ll show you photos of exactly what was there and what it looks like after.
Soot Removal and Airflow Correction
Soot is the finer byproduct that coats the firebox and damper, restricting draft and pushing smoke back into the living room. In Shady Hollow homes with original clay liners, even a moderate soot layer can mask deeper flue cracks. We clear it, then run a visual check on the liner so you’re not guessing about the condition behind it.
Fireplace Cleaning in Shady Hollow
Fireplace Cleaning in Shady Hollow is more than brushing out ash. We clean the firebox floor and walls, inspect the refractory panels, clean and lubricate the damper so it opens and closes without binding, and remove debris that’s fallen from the flue above. Expect to pay $89 – $149 for a fireplace cleaning when booked with a full chimney sweep, or slightly more as a standalone service.
Firebox and Damper Service
Many Shady Hollow fireplaces have masonry fireboxes that have absorbed decades of heat and moisture. Cracked panels are a common find, and a damper that sticks open lets your conditioned air leak out all summer. We flag both during a routine fireplace cleaning and give you a written quote before recommending any repair.
Animal Debris and Odor Removal
If a squirrel or raccoon has used your chimney as a winter den, the smell makes itself known the first time the fireplace warms up. After removing the nest material, we treat the affected areas and recommend an animal-proof cap from Copperfield or Famco, sized to your flue, so it doesn’t happen again.
Trusted Brands We Service in Shady Hollow
We stock and service parts from Gelco, Olympia Chimney, Famco, and Copperfield, which means common repair components are typically on the truck, not ordered days later. For Shady Hollow customers with older masonry fireplaces, we often install Copperfield caps and dampers because they hold up in Travis County heat. When a liner is cracked but not collapsed, our crews use HeatShield’s ceramic resurfacing, which restores a smooth, insulated flue surface without a full liner replacement.
See the difference
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AfterCommon Chimney Sweep Problems We See in Shady Hollow Homes
- Shared flue cross-contamination. Attached properties in Shady Hollow often share a masonry chimney stack with separate flue liners for each side. A crack in one liner can let smoke from your neighbor’s wood stove push into your firebox, and the only way to find it is a camera inspection of both flues.
- Creosote overload from unseasoned wood. The local oak and cedar around Shady Hollow are beautiful, but they burn wet if not split and stacked for at least a year. Wet wood makes cool, smoky fires that leave thick creosote layers fast.
- Animal intrusion through uncapped flues. Squirrels and raccoons treat an open flue like a hollow tree. We’ve pulled acorn caches and entire leaf nests from Shady Hollow chimneys, and a proper cap prevents both.
- Cracked clay flue liners from soil movement. Expansive clay soil in Travis County shifts with moisture, and homes built in the 1970s – 1990s bear that movement in their masonry. Hairline flue cracks widen over time and become a fire and carbon monoxide risk.
Pricing for Chimney Sweep in Shady Hollow, TX
A standard chimney sweep in Shady Hollow runs $189 – $329. A fireplace cleaning added on runs $89 – $149. If we’re doing a Level 1 inspection as part of the sweep, that’s included. A Level 2 inspection, which uses a camera to check the entire flue from firebox to crown, runs $249 – $399 and is worth it on any home with original clay liners or a shared stack. What moves the price is the amount of creosote, the flue height, and whether animal removal is involved. You’ll always get a written price before we start, and a free estimate is a phone call away at (361) 603-5116.
We Also Serve Cities Near Shady Hollow
Hadley Chimney Austin serves Shady Hollow and the surrounding communities, including Austin, Cedar Park, San Marcos, and Jollyville. If you’re just outside the neighborhood, we can still schedule you with the same live arrival window and photo documentation.
Serving Shady Hollow, TX - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Shady Hollow 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 Sweep in Shady Hollow
Yes, but we need to coordinate access to both flues. In Shady Hollow, many attached homes share a masonry chimney stack with separate liners for each side. We can sweep your flue without entering your neighbor’s home, but we’ll recommend both be cleaned and inspected at the same time so a crack in one liner doesn’t let smoke cross into the other firebox. Call (361) 603-5116 and we’ll walk you through what’s needed for your specific setup.
Because the dense tree canopy in Shady Hollow means squirrels, raccoons, and chimney swifts are always looking for an opening, whether or not you light fires. An uncapped flue is a standing invitation. A Copperfield or Famco animal-proof cap keeps them out, protects your damper from rain, and costs a fraction of what animal removal and flue repair will run once something nests in there.
Every year, minimum, and twice a year if you burn more than two cords or if your wood hasn’t seasoned a full 12 months. Local oak and cedar are dense and burn hot once dry, but unseasoned, they produce the cool, smoky conditions that deposit creosote quickly. A standard sweep in Shady Hollow runs $189 – $329, and a photo report after every visit tells you exactly what was removed.
A Level 1 is a visual check of the accessible chimney parts during a routine sweep. A Level 2 adds a camera scan of the entire flue interior and is the only way to see hairline cracks in the original clay liners common in Shady Hollow’s 1970s – 1990s homes. Given expansive clay soil movement in Travis County, Level 2 inspections here are worth the $249 – $399 price. Call (361) 603-5116 to book one, and we’ll show you the camera footage yourself.
No. Chimney swifts are protected under federal law, and if they’re nesting in your Shady Hollow chimney between April and August, removal is illegal until the birds migrate. That’s why we schedule cleanings outside nesting season and install caps before April so swifts never take up residence. If swifts are already in your flue, we’ll schedule your sweep for after migration and cap the chimney the same visit.
If you’re noticing a smoky smell, hearing scratching in the flue, or just know it’s been years since the last sweep, call Hadley Chimney Austin at (361) 603-5116 for a free estimate. We’ll arrive in a tracked window, show you the photos, and hand you a written price before any work begins.
Written by Cory Mitchell, Owner at Hadley Chimney Austin, serving Shady Hollow with transparent, photo-documented chimney care since 2003.