This page starts with one visit: chimney inspections come first, because Michael needs eyes on the flue, the crown, and the cap before anyone agrees to a number. If the chimney’s just dirty, that’s the easy branch: get the flue swept before the first fire of the season and you’re done until next year. If something looks structural instead, the smart move is to have a licensed tech diagnose it properly before you approve any work. A missed crack in a crown now is a bigger number in three winters.
Or maybe the chimney’s fine but the fireplace itself is the question: gas logs, an insert, a full swap. That’s where you talk through your fireplace options instead of getting quoted blind.
Dryer vents and air ducts run on a different system, but the same logic applies. Book the Americas Chimney Sweep dryer vent service whether that’s a slow-drying load or a full cleaning. Duct systems are bigger and priced differently for a real reason: clean the system out before you run heat all winter explains what that looks like before you ask for one flat number.
The six prices, out loud
| Service | Starting price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chimney inspection | $59 | Credited toward the job if you go ahead. You only pay it outright if you don’t. |
| Basic chimney cleaning | from $199 | Standard single-flue sweep. Exact price set at the inspection. |
| Chimney cap installation | from $350 | Exact price set at the inspection. |
| Chimney crown rebuild | from $350 | Exact price set at the inspection. |
| Dryer vent inspection | $59 | Same credit structure as the chimney inspection. |
| Dryer vent cleaning | from $150 | One flat starting number. No second-floor or roof tier. |
Everything past these six (liner work, tuckpointing, masonry beyond a crown rebuild, gas fireplace service, insert installs, firebox and damper repair, air duct systems) gets priced on site, after the inspection. Not a guessed range. A number, from Michael, once he’s looked.
Michael is the only technician who touches your chimney, from the first inspection to the last brush stroke. He’s licensed under CSLB #1150991, C-29 Masonry. He’s also who answers the phone. That’s part of why the Google reviews sit at 4.95 across 62 of them, every single one answered personally.
Call (916) 833-2959 to book the $59 inspection. Michael picks up the phone himself, seven days a week, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
What actually moves that number
The six prices above assume an ordinary job: one flue, a roof Michael can get to safely, and buildup that hasn’t gone past a light dusting. Change any one of those and the final number moves too. A steep, wet, or two-story roof eats time on safe access, and that has nothing to do with how dirty the flue really is. Older brick stacks often carry more than one flue, built that way before anyone thought to combine them. And once buildup hardens past stage one, a rotary head and real time replace what would’ve otherwise been a ten-minute brush job.
Nothing gets guessed over the phone. It gets named out loud, with a number attached, during the $59 inspection, before you agree to anything.
The $59 inspection, and why it isn’t really $59
Schedule Service Today. Michael comes out and gets a real look at the flue, the crown, the cap, whatever brought you here. If you decide to go ahead with the work from that same visit, the $59 comes off the final price. You’re not paying for the inspection and the job as two separate charges.
If you decide not to go ahead, the $59 is what you owe, and that’s the end of it. No callback fee, no second-visit charge, nothing added later.
Most places in this trade either bury the inspection fee inside a bigger number or skip charging for it and make it up somewhere else on the invoice. This is neither. Call (916) 833-2959 for a real number instead of a starting one, and get on the schedule.
What a suspiciously low quote usually means
If another company quotes less than the numbers above, ask exactly what’s included. A rushed sweep that skips the smoke chamber, skips the crown, or skips a real inspection can look cheaper on paper. It can cost more the next time something’s actually wrong.
Air duct pricing runs into the same trap. The National Air Duct Cleaners Association has flagged advertised prices as “often around $99 or $199 for a whole-house cleaning.” Those prices often turn out to cover only part of the system once someone’s on site.
When you don’t need to spend anything yet
Most valley homeowners burn four to ten fires a season: gas starter, glass doors closed, nothing dramatic. If that’s you, the $59 inspection alone often tells you everything you need to know, and there’s nothing to clean yet. Get it looked at every year regardless. That’s what catches a cracked flue tile or a failing crown before it turns into water damage. Book the $199 cleaning once the inspection calls for it, not before.
The foothills run differently. In Grass Valley, Nevada City, and Pollock Pines, wood is the heat source for the whole winter, not an occasional evening fire. Burning daily from November through March builds buildup fast. The annual cleaning there is worth booking on schedule, without waiting for the inspection to say so.
Where each job gets its own deeper page
Six prices, one page. A specific job usually has its own deeper page too. Start with the basics: see the real price range first before comparing quotes anywhere else. If the inspection turns something up, check the price band before you commit to a repair. Liner jobs are their own category entirely: stainless, cast-in-place, and HeatShield land in different territory, and chimney liner cost in Sacramento breaks that out by material.
Dryer vents get one number here, but dryer vent cleaning prices covers what changes between a ground-floor run and a second-floor laundry room. Duct systems don’t fit a single number at all, and why duct cleaning is priced per vent and per system explains why before you ask for a flat rate. Every job on this page starts the same way, and how much a chimney inspection costs covers that $59 in more depth than there’s room for here.
Price questions, answered
How much does a chimney sweep cost?
A basic chimney cleaning starts at $199. That covers a standard single-flue sweep once the $59 inspection has told Michael what he’s working with. Multiple flues, hard roof access, or buildup past the first stage move the number. You’ll hear the new number before any work starts.
Is the $59 inspection really credited toward the job?
Yes. Go ahead with any work from that visit and the $59 comes off the final price, so you’re never paying twice. Decide not to proceed and the $59 covers the visit itself, and nothing more gets added afterward. That’s the whole arrangement, spelled out, right here on this page.
Why don’t you list prices for repairs online?
Because a crown rebuild starting at $350 could stay at $350, or it could run well past it, depending on what the inspection finds. Naming a number before that look would be a guess, not a price, and bigger jobs get quoted in person, after Michael has actually seen the chimney.
What happens if the inspection finds a repair I didn’t expect?
Michael tells you on the spot, with an actual number, and the decision is yours. Say yes, and the inspection fee folds into what you’re paying. Say no, and you still walk away knowing exactly what’s going on with your chimney for $59.
Do older brick chimneys cost more to service than newer ones?
Not automatically. Condition and access move the price, not the age of the house on its own. A well-kept older chimney can cost less to service than a newer one that’s been neglected. Michael prices what he finds, not what year it was built.
Is the $199 cleaning price a flat rate?
No, it’s a starting price. $199 covers a standard single-flue sweep with typical access. Extra flues, difficult roof access, or heavy buildup change the number. You’ll hear the new figure before Michael starts any work, not as a surprise on the invoice.
How does dryer vent pricing compare to chimney pricing?
Same structure. Inspection’s $59, cleaning starts at $150. The $59 credits toward the job the same way it does on the chimney side. There’s one starting number for dryer vent cleaning, with no separate tier for a second-floor laundry room.
Six real numbers. One inspection fee that comes back to you either way, and Michael on the other end of the phone. Call (916) 833-2959 to get on the schedule, or ask about the job that isn’t on this list yet. That’s exactly what the $59 visit is for.