Chimney Sweep in Mount Washington
A chimney sweep in Mount Washington often deals with what fell into the chimney before it deals with what the fire left behind. Where a house sits under mature trees, leaves and twigs collect on the crown and cap and can block the flue outright. Clearing that, and checking how close the branches grow, comes before the next fire.
What Mount Washington does to a chimney
Mount Washington is in Northeast Los Angeles, beside Highland Park. Where a lot is steep and heavily planted, the chimney collects leaf fall and sits close to branches. Fire hazard zone status is set by address on the state map, and hillside owners should look theirs up: in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, LAFD requires tree foliage at least 10 feet from a chimney outlet, 5 feet of clearance between roof and overhanging branches, and a roof kept clear of built-up leaves and needles. No HPOZ on City Planning's list is named for Mount Washington.
Mount Washington homes and their fireplaces
Where a Mount Washington house is built into the slope, the chimney may rise from a lower floor past a deck or an upper room, which makes the outlet hard to see from anywhere on the property. Where it is a small older house, the fireplace may do much of the heating on cold nights and see heavy use. Heavy use and poor visibility together are how a blocked or damaged outlet goes unnoticed for years.
The work that comes up most in Mount Washington
Ordered by how often local conditions make each one the right question.
- Chimney Blockage Removal
Under heavy tree cover, leaves and twigs on the smoke shelf can be as much of a problem as creosote.
- Chimney Cap Installation
A cap with mesh stops leaf fall at the outlet instead of on the smoke shelf.
- Chimney Crown Repair
Wet leaf mats left on a crown keep the concrete damp and speed up cracking.
- Chimney Inspection
On a tall downhill stack, an inspection is where bracing and condition questions get answered.
- Chimney Sweep
Where the fireplace does much of the heating on cold nights, deposits build faster and a yearly sweep usually makes sense.
Tell us how many stories the chimney climbs on the downhill side and how the house is reached from the street, and we will come back to you. Call or send the details, and ask for an estimate for the work.
Call NowHow leaf fall ends up blocking a Mount Washington flue
Leaves land on the crown, get wet and form a mat that holds water against the concrete. On an uncapped flue they also drop onto the smoke shelf, the ledge behind the damper where the firebox narrows into the flue, and dry out there. A blocked flue sends smoke into the room; a shelf full of dry leaves is fuel sitting above the fire.
The signs are smoke spilling as the fire is lit, a damper that will not close fully and debris on the firebox floor. A flashlight pointed up past the damper shows whether the shelf is clear.
Should a tall Mount Washington chimney be braced?
Earthquake Country Alliance says inadequately braced chimneys are a common problem and recommends having a professional assess whether a chimney is safe, and the California Department of Insurance lists bracing the chimney among retrofit measures. On a slope, where a stack can run two stories up the downhill side, the question carries more weight.
Bracing ties the chimney to the house structure so the two move together in shaking. Whether a particular chimney should be braced, reinforced or rebuilt is decided after inspection, and LADBS decides what permits the work needs.
Around Mount Washington
Mount Washington is a neighborhood of the City of Los Angeles. The Los Angeles overview covers the city as a whole.
Nearby neighborhoods
Neighboring cities
Background reading
Local references
Requirements and designations change, and they vary by address. These are the authorities to confirm with rather than a statement of what applies to your property.
Mount Washington chimney questions
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Chimney and fireplace questions in Mount Washington
Call, or send a short description and request an estimate. Estimates cost nothing.