Gas fireplace service
Sweep & inspection
Caps & crowns
Flue relining
Masonry repairLevel 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.
Why Pasadena Homeowners Choose DuraFlex Chimney Cleaning
We provide independent DuraFlex in Pasadena: chimney cleaning, inspection, and repair across the city, from Bungalow Heaven to Madison Heights and the neighborhoods along the Arroyo Seco. We’re not authorized by DuraFlex, and we don’t pretend to be. What we are is a local crew that pulls, camera-inspects, cleans, and reinstalls DuraFlex stainless steel liners every week, so we know what actually goes wrong with them in Southern California masonry chimneys. A DuraFlex liner cleaned by someone who understands its corrugated profile and failure points lasts longer, drafts better, and costs less to maintain than one serviced by a generalist with a standard wire brush. Call (626) 657-5513 for a written quote before any work starts.
Key Takeaways
- Independent DuraFlex service provider in Pasadena since 2002, part of the Garrison Partners family
- We service DuraFlex Pro, SW, 304L, and 316Ti liner systems
- Written price before any work begins, every job, no exceptions
- 365-Day Done Right Promise on every repair, in writing
- Camera inspection and photo report included with DuraFlex service
Why Trust Flint Chimney Co Pasadena for Your DuraFlex Chimney Cleaning?
DuraFlex liners are engineered as a system. The connectors, tees, caps, and clamps are designed to fit together in specific ways, and when a liner fails, it’s usually because one of those relationships was ignored. Our technicians work with these components daily and can identify whether a draft problem is coming from creosote buildup in the corrugated valleys, a crushed section behind the damper, or a connector that was installed off-spec. That diagnosis determines everything that follows.
Hank Delano, our owner, grew up in Los Angeles and learned the mechanical side of this trade through the HVAC and sheet metal program at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College. He’s been cleaning and inspecting chimneys for going on eighteen years, and his crew has worked DuraFlex systems in Craftsman bungalows near the Arroyo Seco and across the San Gabriel Valley. We stock genuine DuraFlex components locally for fast turnaround on common repairs, and we specify parts by job, not by margin.
Every DuraFlex service call starts with a written price. You approve that number before a tool comes off the truck. If a repair is covered and fails within one full year, we return at no charge. That’s the Garrison Standard, and it applies to every Chimney Sweep and repair job we do in Pasadena.
Styles & brands we work with
Common DuraFlex Chimney Cleaning Problems We Fix in Pasadena
- Pinholing and corrosion at seam welds on DuraFlex 304L liners. High-efficiency gas appliances produce acidic condensate, and on older 304L liners, that condensate eats through the seam welds first. We find pinholes with a camera inspection, not guesswork. Small pinholes in accessible sections can sometimes be addressed with genuine DuraFlex repair components, but when corrosion is widespread across a flex run, replacement of the affected section is usually the honest call.
- Creosote glazing in the corrugated valleys of flexible DuraFlex liners. A standard wire brush polishes the peaks and skims right over the valleys. In Pasadena’s mild climate, chimneys get used sporadically, and that intermittent burning promotes a hard, shiny creosote glaze that bonds to the stainless. Our tech pulled a 6-inch DuraFlex Pro liner from a 1940s masonry chimney near the Arroyo Seco and found precisely that; a rotary chain whip at low speed, followed by a chemical glaze remover and a second pass, restored the full inner diameter before the liner went back in.
- Delamination of the inner liner wall from thermal cycling. Wood-burning fireplaces heat and cool the liner rapidly, and repeated cycling can separate the inner wall from the outer in some DuraFlex double-wall configurations. That hidden gap traps moisture and creosote, and a standard sweep won’t touch it. Camera inspection catches it. If the delamination is localized, we discuss options; if it’s extensive, we recommend replacing the flex run rather than patching corrugated stainless under heat stress.
- Crushed or ovalized liner sections from improper installation. When a flex liner is forced through an offset clay tile flue or pulled too aggressively around a bend, it can ovalize. That restriction kills draft, increases soot accumulation behind the crushed point, and puts more heat against the masonry. We see it most often in Pasadena’s older single-wythe brick chimneys where the clay tile flue has shifted over decades. Removing, re-rounding, and properly reinstalling a DuraFlex liner with the correct pull cone and support solves it.
- Whistling during burn, caused by liner geometry or an undersized connector. Corrugated flex liners change the airflow dynamics of a chimney, and when a connector or cap is undersized relative to the liner ID, the system can whistle. The flue either draws or it doesn’t. Let’s find out which. We measure draft, check the connector sizing, and adjust the installation rather than telling you to live with the noise.
DuraFlex Parts & Our Repair-vs-Replace Approach
For liner repairs, we prefer genuine DuraFlex components: connectors, tees, caps, and clamps. The product family is engineered to fit as a system, and mixing in generic components creates the same kind of weak points that cause premature failure. We stock common DuraFlex connectors and termination components locally for faster turnaround on Pasadena service calls.
When a liner is corroded through in multiple spots, badly crushed, or delaminated across a significant section, we usually recommend replacing the affected run rather than patching. Patch kits rarely hold on corrugated stainless under the heat stress of a wood fire, and a patch that fails mid-season means another service call and another burn season lost. Replace when it’s the honest choice. Repair when the damage is localized and the rest of the liner has life in it. We’ll show you the camera footage either way, so you’re deciding with evidence, not a sales pitch. Call (626) 657-5513 for a written quote.
Our DuraFlex Service Process – Step by Step
- 1
Diagnosis. We start with a camera inspection of the entire DuraFlex run, from termination cap to appliance connector. We measure draft at the appliance outlet and note the liner’s inner diameter, profile condition, and any signs of distortion. The written quote includes what we found and what we recommend, with the camera evidence available to you.
- 2
Repair or cleaning. For cleaning, we match the method to the liner and the buildup. Light soot on a Pro or SW liner gets a poly brush sized to the ID. Glazed creosote in the corrugations gets a rotary chain whip at controlled low speed, then a chemical treatment if the glaze persists. For repairs, we install genuine DuraFlex components where the system calls for them.
- 3
Test. After the work, we re-run the camera and take a draft reading. We confirm the liner is seated properly, the connector is tight, and the draft matches what the appliance needs. That 0.05-inch water column reading we pulled on the Arroyo Seco liner wasn’t a guess; it was verification.
- 4
Warranty. Every repair carries our 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If a covered repair fails within one full year, we return at no charge. No argument. No re-quote. That’s the commitment, and it’s in writing before we start.
See the difference
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After
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After
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AfterDuraFlex Products We Service & Install in Pasadena
We service and install the full DuraFlex flex liner range: DuraFlex Pro (double-wall flexible stainless steel liner for wood and gas applications), DuraFlex SW (smooth-wall flexible liner with reduced creosote buildup), DuraFlex 304L (light-duty flexible liner), and DuraFlex 316Ti (heavy-duty flexible liner built for high-temperature appliances). We stock common connectors, tees, and termination caps locally, which means faster turnaround on replacements in Pasadena. We also handle the associated masonry work: crown repair, cap installation, and waterproofing.
We Also Service These Brands
DuraFlex is a major part of what we do, but it’s not the only part. We work with HeatShield cerfractory flue sealant systems for masonry chimney restoration, and Gelco chimney caps and chase covers for weather protection. Being multi-brand keeps us honest about what each system does well and where one makes more sense than another.
FAQs – DuraFlex Chimney Cleaning Service in Pasadena
We don’t use a standard hard-bristle wire brush on corrugated flex; it polishes the peaks and leaves glaze in the valleys. Instead, we match the method to the buildup. Light soot responds to a poly brush sized to the liner ID. Dense creosote glazing gets a rotary chain whip run at controlled low speed, sometimes followed by a chemical glaze remover and a second pass. The stainless holds up when the tool speed and pressure are right. We’ve pulled, inspected, and reinstalled enough DuraFlex liners in Pasadena to know the difference between cleaning one and polishing one. If your liner hasn’t been camera-inspected in the last year, call (626) 657-5513 and we’ll schedule a written-price service call.
It depends on how many pinholes, where they are, and the overall condition of the liner. A single pinhole in an accessible section can sometimes be addressed with genuine DuraFlex components sized for that run. Widespread pinholes across the flex section mean the stainless has reached the end of its service life, and patching becomes an expensive band-aid. We’ll camera-inspect the entire run and show you the footage before recommending anything. Call (626) 657-5513 for an exact quote, estimates are free.
Whistling comes from airflow moving through a geometry it doesn’t like. That usually means an undersized connector or cap relative to the liner ID, or a section of liner that’s been ovalized during installation. We measure the draft, check the connector sizing, and trace the airflow path. Sometimes the fix is a correctly sized connector; sometimes it’s re-rounding a crushed section. The flue either draws or it doesn’t. We’ll find out which and show you the numbers.
Waterproofing is a masonry treatment, not a liner treatment. It keeps water from soaking into the brick and mortar of the chimney structure itself, which matters in Pasadena because occasional rain combined with decades of thermal cycling breaks down older mortar and spalls brick. The DuraFlex liner handles the flue gases inside; waterproofing protects the masonry around it. They’re separate jobs with separate purposes, and we do both. If you’re seeing efflorescence or spalling on your chimney exterior, the liner may be fine but the masonry needs attention.
The NFPA standard is an inspection once a year, and for a wood-burning fireplace with a DuraFlex liner, we recommend a sweep at that same annual visit. Pasadena’s mild climate means sporadic burning, and sporadic burning produces glazed creosote faster than steady use. Even one season of occasional fires on an already-glazed liner thickens the problem. If it’s been more than a year, call (626) 657-5513 for a written quote; we’ll inspect first and tell you honestly whether a sweep is needed now or can safely wait.
No. We’re an independent DuraFlex service provider. We install and service DuraFlex products, and we use genuine DuraFlex components for repairs, but we’re not an authorized dealer or warranty agent. What that means for you: our recommendations are based on what the camera shows and what the liner actually needs, not on a manufacturer relationship. The 365-Day Done Right Promise is our guarantee, in writing, and it’s independent of any manufacturer warranty.
We prefer genuine DuraFlex components: connectors, tees, caps, and clamps. The product family is designed to work as a system, and mixing in generic components creates weak points. We stock common DuraFlex parts locally in Pasadena for faster turnaround. When a liner is too far gone to repair with components, we’ll say so and quote a replacement rather than selling a patch we don’t believe in.
A standard DuraFlex cleaning and camera inspection in a single-story Pasadena home typically runs two to three hours on site. Glazed creosote requiring a chemical treatment adds time, because the chemical needs dwell time before the second pass. Repairs depend on the part and the access. We book in windows, not exact times, and we show up inside the window we commit to. All work is priced in writing before we start.
We service all four major DuraFlex flex liner lines: Pro, SW, 304L, and 316Ti. That covers everything from light-duty gas vent liners to heavy-duty high-temperature wood and pellet applications. We also work on the connectors, tees, caps, and clamps that make up the broader DuraFlex system. If you’re not sure which liner you have, we’ll identify it during the camera inspection.
Cleaning and inspection performed by a qualified chimney service provider does not void a DuraFlex manufacturer warranty. In fact, the opposite is usually true: lack of documented annual maintenance is a common reason claims get denied. We provide a written service record with every visit, including camera findings and draft readings. That documentation supports any future warranty claim you need to file with DuraFlex.
A standard DuraFlex chimney sweep and camera inspection in Pasadena typically runs $229 to $349, depending on liner length, buildup condition, and access. Glazed creosote removal with chemical treatment adds $75 to $150. A Level 2 camera inspection alone runs $199 to $299. Liner repairs and replacements are quoted individually based on what the camera shows. Call (626) 657-5513 for an exact quote; estimates are free, and the written price you approve is the price you pay.
Book Your DuraFlex Service in Pasadena, CA
Call (626) 657-5513 for a written quote on DuraFlex cleaning, inspection, or repair in Pasadena. A live person answers, 24/7. You’ll get a price in writing before any work starts, and every repair is covered by our 365-Day Done Right Promise.
Written by Hank Delano, Owner at Flint Chimney Co Pasadena, serving Pasadena since 2002.