Innovation to Repair Failed Flue Liner Systems

Every century or so an inventor comes into our world and solves one of the world’s problems. This century, the chimney industry was the beneficiary of a very clever invention that provides a slip cast system for repairing the innermost portion of failed chimneys. Chimney contractors, such as Midtown Chimney Sweeps, are grateful to the inventors of HeatShield® Cerfractory® Flue Sealant. This webpage will provide an overview of the Heatshield repair method.

What Causes a Masonry Chimney Flues to Fail?

According to NFPA 211, a flue (the innermost portion of the chimney that comes into direct contact with the byproducts of combustion) has a specified job. Furthermore, NFPA 211 describes what failure is.

14.9* Damaged or Deteriorated Liners. If the flue liner in a chimney has softened, cracked, or otherwise deteriorated so that it no longer has the continued ability to contain the products of combustion (i.e., heat, moisture, creosote, and flue gases), the liner shall be either removed and replaced, repaired, or relined with a listed liner system or other approved material that will resist corrosion, softening, or cracking from flue gases at temperatures appropriate to the class of chimney service.

What causes this failure? Rainwater coming down the inside of a chimney, soaking into the soft red clay flue tiles, followed by heat from a fire. Freezing and thawing of the flue tiles and other surrounding masonry materials. Acidic moisture from sulfur producing heater appliances vented into the flue. Spalling caused by general deterioration and softening and cracking of clay flue tiles.

The Difficulty of Repairing Flue Tiles

The difficulty of repairing these flues is their location. They are not accessible, so Midtown Chimney Sweep technicians who are qualified HeatShield® Cerfractory® Flue Sealant installers must use specialized equipment to access these areas. The flue of a standard masonry fireplace is approximately 13″ x 13″ and half way up a 25 foot chimney there may be a cracked flue tile, or missing mortar in the flue tile joint that needs to be repaired. How can someone ever reach in there and repair it? Midtown Chimney Sweeps uses specialized tools and equipment to reach the inaccessible areas of the flue and coat the entire surface or pack those missing mortar joints.

HeatShield® Takes the “Heat” So You Don’t Have To

The product called Heatshield was first created in Europe over 20 years ago, and HeatShield’s® Cerfractory® technology is now a complex hybrid (ceramic/refractory) coating and is proven effective both in use and by independent lab testing.

As a repair, it’s been proven to withstand moisture, corrosive flue gases with sulfuric compounds, and high flue gas temperatures in up to 2900°F!  It’s rated a super duty refractory mortar per American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) C199. It surpasses requirements of both the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) and International Residential Code (IRC) which require only a “Medium-Duty” refractory mortar for use in fireplaces and chimneys. We at Midtown Chimney Sweeps is excited to provide you the best in chimney flue repair methods! To learn more about HeatShield’s® extensive testing, listing, and certification visit HeatShield® technology and testing.

 

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Happy Customers

Midtown Chimney Sweeps is rated 4.9/5.0

Byron had a nasty dirty job with my chimneys. He arrived on time, went right to work cleaning up the dead raccoons. When he left it looked as if there had never been a problem… everything was clean, He was very nice and it was pleasant to have him in our home. Also, Byron was very considerate of our budget and helped save us some money.
Jake has been fantastic! He was super quick to respond and was at my house looking at our fireplace within 24 hours of my request inquiry. He explained things thoroughly and truly values the customer. Highly, highly recommend!
The crew showed up on time, laid down protective coverings, and got right to work. No mess, no fuss, just a complete chimney cleaning and a detailed check of the liner and damper. They even used a camera to show me the before and after. You don’t realize how much buildup hides in there until it’s gone. The fireplace is breathing easy now—and so am I.
Response from the owner:Thank you for the great review of our chimney sweep crew showing up on time with drop cloths and cleaning the chimney and checking the liner and damper and inspecting the flue with a camera in Evergreen, Colorado. Thank you! Byron and the Midtown Chimney Team
Response from the owner:Thank you for your review of our chimney sweep services in the Gig Harbor area! Byron and the Midtown Chimney Sweeps Team
6/23/25 Today we had our chimney serviced and swept by Midtown Chimney Sweeps. I forgot his name .. but the professional who took care of my chimney was courteous, clean, and efficient. He took mental notes of our usage & let us know that everything looked good and ready for use. He was very personable.

Happy that my apartments went with this company
Response from the owner:Was it Marcus? Thank you for your 5 star review of our technician swepeing and inspecting your chimney in the greater Tacoma and Gig Harbor Washington area! -Byron and the Midtown Chimney Sweeps Team
Very knowledgeable about wood burning stove. Cleaned and measured everything to do with the stove. He was very clean inside the house and kept his work area clean. Afterwards did not know that he had been there.
Response from the owner:Thank you Tom for your five-star review of our knowledgeable Chimney Sweep Marcus in Gig Harbor! Marcus has now performed thousands of Chimney Sweeps from Tacoma to all parts of Gig Harbor thank you for your kind words! Byron and the Midtown chimney team
The folks at Midtown chimney did an excellent job inspecting and cleaning the chimney of my wood stove. Tanner (service tech ) arrived on time and performed the work professionally. There was prompt and solid follow-up by Byron from the store confirming that all the work had been done to my satisfaction. This is outstanding customer service. Thank you.
Response from the owner:Thank you very much for your five-star review of our fireplace installation services in Boulder Colorado. We clean chimneys and inspect fireplaces from Denver to Cheyenne Wyoming. Our technicians love to drive through the mountains and visit with customers who burn pallet wood and gas burning appliances in Colorado and Wyoming! - Byron and the Midtown Chimney team
Was having issues with two stoves I purchased from another dealer. Byron and team got me the parts I needed and took me through a tutorial to install. Excellent service. Great company.
Response from the owner:John thank you for the nice review and I hope your fireplace installation goes well and that you have years of great chimney sweeping and wood burning experiences in Westcliffe, Fort Collins, or Boulder Colorado orwherever you go with your wood stoves! - Byron and the Midtown Chimney team
Jake was terrific. He not only fixed my fireplace but explained very clearly what the problem was
I highly recommend him.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your review! At Midtown Chimney Sweeps of Des Moines, we’re proud to deliver top-notch chimney sweep and repair services to Des Moines, Ankeny, Ames, West Des Moines, and surrounding areas. Our CHIM-certified technicians specialize in chimney sweeping, removing soot, creosote, and debris to ensure your fireplace is safe and efficient. We offer chimney inspections (Level I, II with live-scan video, and III) to identify issues like cracks or blockages, keeping your chimney NFPA 211 compliant. Our chimney repair services include tuck-pointing, relining, crown repairs, and waterproofing to protect against leaks and weather damage. We also provide gas log installation (vented and vent-free) and fireplace installation for wood, gas, electric, and pellet systems, ensuring safe, code-compliant setups. Additional services like dryer vent cleaning and gas fireplace maintenance help prevent fire hazards and maintain performance. We use advanced tools and HEPA filtration for a clean, professional experience. Your satisfaction is our priority, and we’re grateful for your trust! For chimney sweep and repair needs, call (515) 414-3700 or visit www.midtownsweeps.com to book online. Let us keep your home safe and cozy!
They did an amazing job, fixed a leak and did x-rays to make sure all was good.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your 5-star review of our Midtown Chimney Fireplace store in Franktown Colorado! Heart chimney cleaning and fireplace insulation business reaches down to Colorado Springs and up to Lone Tree and Centennial. We look forward to helping you and your family with your fireplace insulation or gas fireplace maintenance needs in the years to come! - Byron and the Midtown chimney team
I’m a realtor. Stephen was hired to clean and inspect the chimney my clients were purchasing. A report was supplied and he also had recommendations to help the chimneys longevity and get in good condition for my buyers purchasing the home. He was hired to finish the job. Stephen showed up when needed, and had great communication as well! Thank you!
We needed to get our dryer vent cleaned out because it was long overdue. We’ve gone to them in the past to get our fireplace cleaned, and they did a great job with that. They were able to book for the very next day for our dryer vent. Tanner the technician was very professional and did a great job! I highly recommend this company for fireplace, chimney, and dryer vent cleaning!
Response from the owner:Hey this is great for customer to know in Evergreen that we do next day service for dryer vent cleaning and fireplace service!! We appreciate your kind words of our chimney and fireplace services! Byron and the Midtown Chimney Team!
Best service and customer service company
I stopped in to get some help with my pellet stove and Byron was a huge help. I needed a new auger motor and Byron thought the price looked too high so he called the manufacturer to confirm. Most people would just charge the price shown. Glad he did because the higher price was for the full assembly and I just needed the motor. Much respect for him checking.
Response from the owner:Thank you Carl for your 5 star google review on our pellet stove store in Evergreen, Conifer Colorado! I appreciated the professional care you show toward your pellet stove! Sorry Inglenook went out of business, but glad we could help you out! Thanks! -Byron and the Midtown Chimney Fireplace Store team of Evergreen, Conifer, Colorado
I have used Midtown a couple of times now, once for a fireplace clean & inspection and once for a furnace flu replacement. They are always on time and very thorough. I appreciated the fact that they were able to talk me through everything they were doing. Reasonable pricing and quick availability. Thanks!
Response from the owner:Nicole, thank you for your kind review and 5 star vote of confidence in our chimney sweeping team in Evergreen, and Denver, Colorado! Our fireplace installers and flue reliners are grateful they did a high five high quality job, and we wish you all the best on your next home! Hopefully it also has a firepalce! Thanks! Byron and the Midtown Chimney Sweeps team!
Midtown Chimney Sweeps serves Denver Colorado and surrounding area
Byron and team are highly qualified sweeps
Response from the owner:Thank you for your review of our Denver chimney service! - Byron and the Midtown Chimney Sweeps of Denver team
Booked for a standard chimney cleaning, but they noticed a minor crack and offered chimney cracks repair before it got worse. They showed photos of the issue, which made it easy to trust their advice.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your review of our common sense approach to issues with chimneys! Thank you for trusting us with an inspection of your chimney in Denver, Colorado! - Byron and the Midtown Chimney Sweeps of Denver team
Doug was prompt, polite, and efficient. We're very happy.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your review of our technician Doug! Doug drives all over Lincoln, Omaha and surrounding communities doing chimney sweeping, fireplace repair, brick repair and whatever else is needed to keep the smoke moving up! Thank you! Byron and the Midtown Chimney Team of Omaha Nebraska
Installers Tanner and Chris were courteous, friendly, knowledgeable, and efficient. They cleaned up worksite thoroughly and explained stove functions well.
Response from the owner:Claudia, Thank you for your review of our gas stove installation and repair business here in Evergreen Colorado! It was great to have you in our showroom and look at the pellet stoves, gas stoves, and woodstoves we have here in Conifer! We serve Bailey, Kenosha and Evergreen, Colorado! -Byron and the Midtown Chimney Team
I'm so happy I contacted MTCS for my wood burning fireplace inspection! My home was built in the 30s, and we never asked if the chimney had been inspected when we purchased.

They sent over Levi Bruckelmyer to help us out. What a great experience it was working with him! As I suspected, our fireplace and chimney were in bad shape. After cleaning and inspecting he told us that it would not be safe to use it anymore. He went through lots of options for us in order for us to use it again; total restoration (our home and chimney are stone, so that would have been quite a job!), different styles of inserts, price points, etc.

We gave him a call back a couple of moths later when we were ready to have him install a steel insert. He helped us pick out just the right one for price and look.

Then, OOF! We encountered some road bumps because of how our fireplace had been built. He kept coming back friendly, timely, persistent, and committed until we finally had gotten all of the ducks in a row to get it working.

He was so professional and kind. It was very clear that he personally cared about our installation and put everything he had into getting that thing in there! It's obvious that this is his vocation and it really shows in his quality of service.

I happily recommend MTCS. Especially Levi. Even with my fireplace being a pain, the experience was great. I wouldn't want to have gone through that process with anyone else!
Response from the owner:Hello Rebecca, Thank you for your 5 star google review about Levi and Midtown Chimney Sweeps of Duluth Minnesota! He is a professional chimney inspector and patient and thorough on fireplaces and woodstoves! Thank you! -Byron and the Midtown Chimney Team
worked with Stephen @ midtown chimney sweeps several times.
he's very knowledgeable and professional. highly recommend
Response from the owner:Thank you Eric for sharing about your chimney sweep and positive experience with good O'l Stephen! Stephen is our local guro for anything Gas Fireplace installation or repair related from pilot assemblies to cleaning the white stuff off the glass from Centennial to Arvada, Stephen is the fireplace service man! Thank you! Byron and the Midtown Chimney Team!
Excellent service and very professional. We won’t use anyone else.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your positive 5 star review on our excellent service and professional service on your New Jersey chimney and fireplace! We love to service wood, pellet, and install wood burning stoves and inserts around the state of New Jersey for satisfied customers! Thank you! -Byron and the Midtown Chimney Sweeps team
Bryon with Midtown Chimney Fireplace Store in Conifer is a joy to speak with! I called him on behalf of my clients with some questions, and not only did he answer them, but also gave me some suggestions for my buyers to consider when they replace their wood burning stove with a gas stove in the near future. What I also appreciated is that I did not need to leave a voicemail and wait for someone to call me back, which seems to happen more frequently these days. Bryon is incredibly friendly and professional. I highly recommend Midtown Chimney Fireplace Store!
Response from the owner:Thank you June for your kind words about our pellet stove fireplace store in the Evergreen / Conifer area where we sell gas stove stoves and wood stoves! Thank you!! Byron and the team!
We used Midtown, Levi, for inspection and deep clean of our woodburning system. Great job cleaning and repair. Will do again.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your feedback on Levi in the Midtown Chimney Sweeps of Duluth area! He is a go-to techncian on the topic of wood burning systems, and your review means alot! Thank you! -Byron and the Midtown Chimney Sweeps team
Omaha; inspection and cleaning of gas fireplace and other questions. Easy to schedule. Courteous, knowledgeable, efficient.
Response from the owner:Thank you for having us investigate your Omaha Nebraska gas fireplace and answer your questions! Your review is helpful for us to improve and share what we do and where do it! Thank you! -Byron and the Midtown Chimney Team
Heatshield resurfacing Midtown Chimney Sweeps CeCure Chimney, LLC

Your Chimney Expertly Repaired

Independent HeatShield® Installers are carefully selected based on their industry certifications and experience. Trained with factory education and specially designed application tools, your HeatShield professional can expertly repair your chimney. Special video cameras are used to verify completed repairs. Call Midtown Chimney today to see if we have a trained professional in your area!

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