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 Top Hat Chimney Guarantee
We’ve swept and repaired chimneys in Newport News since 1999, and we’ve stayed in business this long for one reason: when we say a job is done, it’s done. Our guarantee is simple and it’s in writing on every invoice. If the work we performed isn’t right, one phone call brings Wendell and his crew back to make it right. No charge. No back-and-forth. No fine print that quietly expires. The 90-Day Done Right Promise is stamped on every single job we finish, and it means exactly what it says. If it’s not done right, we make it right. That’s the whole thing.
What’s Covered
- Workmanship on every service we perform. From a routine sweep to a full liner rebuild, the labor we put in is covered by the 90-Day Done Right Promise. If something we touched fails or wasn’t done correctly, we come back and fix it at no additional cost.
- Parts and products we install. We work with DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, Olympia Chimney, Famco, and Copperfield because they manufacture components that hold up. When we install a cap, crown, or liner, the parts are quality brands, and we handle any warranty coordination with the manufacturer.
- Cleanup and respect for your home. A chimney sweep is a dusty job, but your living room shouldn’t look like it afterward. We lay down protection, run HEPA-filtered vacuums, and leave your hearth the way we found it. If we miss a spot, call us. We’ll come back.
- On-time arrival. You get a real arrival window, not a four-hour block. And if that window slips because traffic on I-64 decided otherwise, we call you before you’re left wondering. The sweep who shows up at your door is background-checked, uniformed, and works for Top Hat Chimney, not a subcontractor.
- Honest, upfront pricing. The number you hear on the phone is the number on the invoice. We give you flat pricing before a single tool comes off the truck. No surprise line items, no “while we’re here” upsell pressure.
Our Satisfaction Promise
Here’s what happens if you’re not happy with the work. You call (757) 384-4719. A live person answers, around the clock, and it may well be Wendell himself picking up. You explain what’s wrong. We schedule a return visit, and we don’t charge you for it. The 90-Day Done Right Promise covers that return, and we don’t drag our feet on it. We’d rather fix a small issue in week one than let it become a big issue in month three. If you got a written estimate from another chimney company and something doesn’t add up, bring it to us for a free second opinion. And if you’re not satisfied at the end of a repair over $200, remember the standing offer: $40 off. We put our name on every job because we run into you again on Saturday at the grocery store. That’s the real guarantee in a town like Newport News.
Licensed & Insured Backing
A guarantee is only as good as the company standing behind it. Top Hat Chimney is licensed and insured, which means if something goes wrong on the job, you’re not left holding the bill. Insurance protects your property and everyone working on it. Licensing means we answer to state and local standards, not just our own say-so. We’re locally owned and owner-operated, with a published address and license number, not a franchise that rotated in last spring. Wendell Pike has been putting his name on chimney work in this community for over 29 years, and he carries the paperwork to back it up. When you hire us, you’re hiring a company with real accountability, real insurance, and real roots in Newport News. Ask anyone on your street.
What We Don’t Do
Just as important as what we cover is what we don’t do around here. We don’t sell you a liner you don’t need. We don’t tell you a third-degree glaze can be brushed out with a $99 special. We don’t recommend work without camera footage you can see with your own eyes. And we don’t make you chase us down when something’s wrong. Your flue doesn’t care how the fire looks. It cares how it breathes. If we find creosote, we’ll show you. If we find cracked tiles, we’ll show you. If everything looks good, we’ll tell you that too, and we’ll tell you when you can safely wait. Once a year, burn or no burn. Chimneys break in the off-season too. Call us at (757) 384-4719 for an honest assessment, and remember, there’s no trip charge inside the county.
Frequently Asked Questions
The 90-Day Done Right Promise covers every completed job for 90 days from the date of service. If the work isn’t right within that window, one call brings Wendell and his crew back at no additional cost. It’s stamped on every invoice, in writing, so there’s no confusion about what you’re getting. For manufacturer warranties on parts like liners and caps, we coordinate directly with the brands we trust, including DuraFlex, HeatShield, and Gelco. Have a question about what’s covered? Call (757) 384-4719 and ask.
We offer a free second opinion on any written estimate from a competing chimney company. Bring it in, and we’ll look it over with you. If their price is fair for the work described, we’ll tell you that. If not, we’ll explain what we see. We don’t bad-mouth other companies in Newport News. We just show you the camera footage and a plain-English verdict, every time, no exceptions. Call (757) 384-4719 to schedule your free second opinion.
We do, and they’re standing offers, not one-week promotions. Take $40 off any repair over $200. Seniors and veterans always get 10% off. There’s no trip charge for calls inside our service county. And if you bundle a chimney cleaning with a repair, ask about what we can do. Call (757) 384-4719 for an exact quote, and you’ll get the number before we ever touch a tool.
Yes. We’re licensed and insured, and that insurance covers your property and our crew while we’re working on your home. We’ve been in business in Newport News since 1999, and we carry the proper coverage for chimney sweeping, repair, and rebuild work. If you’d like to verify anything before booking, just ask when you call. We’re happy to show you the paperwork. Call (757) 384-4719 with any questions.
Once a year, burn or no burn. Chimneys break in the off-season too. Even if you only light fires a few times each winter, animals build nests, moisture gets in, and creosote from last year doesn’t just disappear. First-degree creosote is a brush job. Third-degree is a glaze, and that’s a different kind of headache entirely. Catch it early. Call (757) 384-4719 to schedule your annual sweep, and remember there’s no trip charge inside the county.
You’ll see it. We run a camera through your flue and show you the footage before we recommend a single repair. No work is ever pushed on you without evidence you can watch yourself. If your liner is cracked, you’ll see the crack. If the mortar joints are failing, you’ll see the gaps. Wendell’s rule is simple: he’ll tell you what he found, what it means, and what he’d do if it were his own fireplace. Then the decision is yours. Call (757) 384-4719 to book an inspection with camera documentation.
Because we’ve been here since 1999, and we plan to be here for the next 29 years. Wendell Pike is the owner, and he answers the phone. We’re not a franchise that rotated in last spring with a new logo and a leased truck. We have a published address, a license number, and a name that’s on every job. And when the work is done, you get the 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing. That’s not a marketing gimmick. That’s how a local company survives in Newport News for almost three decades. Call (757) 384-4719 and ask for Wendell.
Written by Wendell Pike, Owner at Top Hat Chimney, serving Newport News and surrounding communities since 1999.