Level 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.
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterThe Hearthstone Chimney Co. Guarantee
When we say we stand behind our work in Fredericksburg, we mean it in writing. Our 90-Day Done Right Promise isn’t a handshake or a feeling - it’s a signed commitment that if anything we do isn’t right, we come back and make it right. No paperwork to dig up, no arguing about what “right” means, no runaround. Russell Haines has run Hearthstone Chimney Co. this way since 1984, and after 42 years in Fredericksburg, Stafford, and Spotsylvania County, we’ve learned that a company planning to be here thirty more years doesn’t play games with its word. Done right - and we stand behind it.
What’s Covered
- Workmanship on every chimney sweep, repair, and rebuild. If a joint we sealed leaks, a cap we fitted slips, or a liner we installed doesn’t perform as it should within 90 days, we return and fix it at our expense.
- Professional-grade parts from brands we trust. We work exclusively with DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, Olympia Chimney, Famco, and Copperfield - no builder-grade substitutes slipped past you. If a part fails due to our installation, that’s on us.
- Cleanup that leaves your home as we found it. Chimney work is messy by nature, but your living room shouldn’t be. If we track soot, leave debris, or miss a drop cloth, we’ll return to make it square.
- On-time arrival, or we’ll be there when we say. We give you a real appointment window and stick to it. Background-checked, uniformed technicians arrive ready to complete most jobs in a single visit.
- Honest pricing with no surprises. The number on your estimate is the number on your invoice. We don’t “find” extra problems to pad the bill, and we don’t start work until you know exactly what it costs.
Our Satisfaction Promise
If you’re not satisfied with our work in Fredericksburg, here’s what happens. You call us at (540) 596-5531 - and a live person answers, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. No voicemail maze, no callback queue. You tell us what isn’t right. We schedule a return visit, usually within 48 hours. Our technician arrives, reviews the issue, and fixes it. No charge. No “let me check with the office.” No expiration date games on your 90-day window.
This promise is governed by our K.E.Y.S. values code: Krafted right, Every time, Your home first, Standing behind it. Russell Haines put this in writing because he got tired of hearing about contractors who disappeared after the check cleared. We’ve been in Fredericksburg since 1984. We’re not going anywhere. If we weren’t confident in our technicians and our materials, we wouldn’t bet our reputation on a 90-day guarantee with no arguing.
The only thing we ask is that you give us the chance to make it right. We can’t fix what we don’t know about, and we’d rather hear directly from you than read about it later.
Licensed & Insured Backing
A guarantee is only as solid as the company behind it. We’re licensed and insured, which means if the unexpected happens - damage to your property, injury on the job, a dispute about scope - there’s real coverage, not just a promise. After 42 years, we’ve seen what happens when uninsured crews disappear after an accident. That doesn’t happen here.
Our insurance and bonding protect you from day one. When our technician steps onto your roof in Fredericksburg, Stafford, or Spotsylvania County, you’re not gambling with your homeowner’s policy. And our licensing means we’ve met Virginia’s standards for chimney and fireplace work, not just declared ourselves experts.
Russell Haines built Hearthstone Chimney Co. on the idea that a square deal includes every layer of protection - written guarantee, proper insurance, state licensing, and technicians who’ve passed background checks. It’s not the flashy part of the job. It’s the part that matters when something goes wrong. And in our experience, the companies that skip these basics are the ones you’ll never reach on a Sunday morning when water’s coming through the ceiling.
We answer the phone. We show up. We make it right. That’s the guarantee.
How Our Guarantee Compares to Typical Fredericksburg Chimney Services
Most chimney companies in the Fredericksburg area offer some form of warranty, but the details matter. Here’s how our 90-Day Done Right Promise stacks up against what homeowners typically encounter:
| What’s Protected | Typical Fredericksburg Offer | Hearthstone Chimney Co. |
|---|---|---|
| Workmanship guarantee period | 30 days or verbal only | 90 days, in writing |
| Claim process | Voicemail, callbacks, paperwork required | Live person 24/7, no paperwork to find |
| Parts coverage | Unclear or “manufacturer’s warranty only” | Installation + part, our responsibility |
| Pricing protection | Estimates “subject to change” | Upfront price = final invoice |
| Cleanup commitment | Implied or ignored | Explicit, with return visit if missed |
We’ve cleaned chimneys in Fredericksburg’s historic district homes built before 1900 and in new construction in Spotsylvania Courthouse. The age of the house doesn’t change our guarantee. Neither does the complexity of the job.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
- 4
You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
What “Done Right” Means for Your Specific Service
Chimney Cleaning & Sweep
Done right means every accessible flue surface is brushed clean, the firebox and smoke chamber are checked for creosote buildup, and you receive a Level-1 inspection report. If we miss a significant deposit or fail to identify an obstruction, we’ll return and re-sweep at no charge.
Chimney Repair
Done right means the repair addresses the root cause, not just the symptom. A cracked crown gets proper water diversion. Spalling brick gets matching replacement and correct mortar. If our repair fails to solve the problem within 90 days, we diagnose again and fix again - free.
Fireplace Services
Done right means your gas insert or wood-burning system operates safely and efficiently after our visit. If a damper still sticks, a pilot still won’t stay lit, or smoke still enters the room due to our work, we return until it functions as it should.
Chimney Cap & Crown Installation
Done right means no gaps, no improper slope, no hardware that rusts out in two seasons. Our Gelco and Famco caps come with proper fit guarantees on our installation. If wind pulls it loose or water finds a path we missed, that’s our call to make.
Chimney Liner & Rebuild
Done right means your DuraFlex or HeatShield liner is sized correctly for your appliance, sealed completely, and documented with camera photos you can see. If draft problems persist or a joint separates due to our installation, we reline or reseal - no argument, no extra bill.
Frequently Asked Questions About Our Guarantee
It lasts 90 days from the date of service. The clock starts when we finish, not when you notice the issue. If something fails on day 89, you call us and we honor it the same as day 5.
No. We keep records of every job in Fredericksburg. Your address, the date, the technician’s notes, and photos from our camera inspection are all on file. We don’t make you hunt for a receipt to get what we promised.
We’ll tell you straight. If a new roof leak causes water damage we already repaired, or if a chimney fire after our sweep was caused by burning treated lumber, we’ll show you the evidence and explain why it’s outside our guarantee. Honest pricing includes honest assessment.
We handle the manufacturer. If a DuraFlex liner or HeatShield product fails due to a factory defect, we manage the warranty replacement and reinstall at no labor charge to you. You deal with one company, not three.
The guarantee covers the work at the address where it was performed. If you sell within 90 days, the new owner benefits from any remaining coverage on that specific job. Call us at (540) 596-5531 and we’ll confirm what’s still active.
In 42 years, that’s almost never happened. But if we encounter a structural issue beyond chimney work - a failing roof deck, for example - we’ll document what we found, explain why it’s outside our scope, and recommend the right specialist. We don’t pretend to expertise we don’t have.
Why We Put It in Writing
Russell Haines has heard every reason contractors give for avoiding written guarantees. “Too much liability.” “Customers abuse it.” “It’s just a formality anyway.” None of them hold up. A company that plans to be in Fredericksburg for decades doesn’t fear its own promise.
Our guarantee is in writing because memory fades, office staff change, and handshake deals leave homeowners holding the bag. When you hire Hearthstone Chimney Co., you get a document that says exactly what we’ll do if something isn’t right. No interpreting tone of voice, no “he said, she said.” In writing, no arguing.
We’ve swept chimneys in Fredericksburg through ice storms, droughts, and housing booms. The homes change hands, the neighborhoods grow, but our standard doesn’t shift. Done right - and we stand behind it.
Written by Russell Haines, Owner at Hearthstone Chimney Co., serving Fredericksburg since 1984.