Expert chimney sweeping, liner replacement, and masonry restoration for the historic and vintage homes of Burrillville, RI. Licensed, insured, and proudly serving northern Rhode Island families since day one.
Burrillville is home to some of Rhode Island's most character-rich properties — fieldstone foundations, century-old brick chimneys, and fireplaces that have warmed families through generations of hard New England winters. Matts & Sons Chimney was built specifically to serve these homes with the depth of expertise they deserve. We specialize in the unique challenges that older masonry chimneys present: deteriorating mortar joints, clay liner cracks, offset flues, and firebox wear that standard sweep companies often miss or misdiagnose. From the quiet neighborhoods near Stillwater Reservoir to the hilltop farmhouses off Broncos Highway, we bring hands-on masonry knowledge and modern inspection technology to every job. Call us at (401) 251-8982 and let's protect the heart of your home.
Comprehensive chimney sweep for Burrillville homes and businesses.
Thorough cleaning of firebox, flue, and smoke chamber to remove built-up creosote, soot, and debris safely from your Burrillville home.
Learn more →CSIA-standard Level I, II, and III inspections using video scanning to reveal hidden damage inside Burrillville's older flue systems.
Learn more →Stainless steel and cast-in-place liner systems that restore safe draft and meet current code for Burrillville's older unlined or damaged chimneys.
Learn more →Expert brick, mortar, and crown repair that preserves the structural integrity and curb appeal of Burrillville's historic chimneys.
Learn more →Installation and replacement of chimney caps, top-mount dampers, and throat dampers that keep moisture and wildlife out of Burrillville homes.
Learn more →Professional waterproofing, flashing repair, and crown coating that stop moisture damage at the source in Burrillville's wet New England climate.
Learn more →We hold ourselves to the highest standards so you can hire with total confidence.
"We bought an 1890s farmhouse off Cucumber Hill Road and the home inspector flagged the chimney as needing further evaluation. Matts & Sons came out, ran the camera through the flue, and showed us exactly what we were dealing with — a collapsed clay liner section about 8 feet up. They explained our options clearly, gave us a written estimate the same day, and installed a stainless liner two weeks later. Honest, professional, and very knowledgeable about old masonry."
"Our chimney was leaking every time it rained and two other companies just caulked the flashing and called it done. Matts & Sons pulled the old flashing completely, stepped new flashing into the brick properly, and applied a penetrating waterproof sealer to the whole stack. That was two winters ago and we haven't had a drop of water since. Worth every penny for the right repair instead of a band-aid."
"I had them sweep and inspect my 1955 cape's fireplace before the heating season. The technician found significant mortar deterioration at the firebox back wall — something I never would have noticed on my own. He showed me photos on the spot, explained the safety risk, and gave me a fair estimate for the repair. No pressure, just clear information. The tuckpointing work looks great and the fireplace drafts perfectly now."
"Matt and his crew did a full chimney rebuild on our two-flue stack above the roofline. The old brick was spalling badly and the cap had crumbled away entirely. The new work matches the original brick color remarkably well and the new crown is built with a proper drip edge overhang — something the original never had. Professional operation from estimate to cleanup."
"Fast response, arrived on time, and did a thorough job sweeping our wood insert's flue and cleaning the smoke chamber. They also pointed out that our top-mount damper seal was cracked and replaced it while they were there. That kind of attention to detail is exactly what I was hoping for. Already booked them for next year's annual service."
"Matts & Sons diagnosed a persistent smoke backdraft problem that had annoyed us for years. Turned out the chimney was undersized for the firebox opening — a common issue in older homes apparently. They walked us through our options including a smoke guard installation and adjusting the damper plate. The fix was simpler and less expensive than I expected, and the fireplace works beautifully now."
Matts & Sons Chimney was founded on a straightforward conviction: the older homes of northern Rhode Island deserve chimney care from someone who actually understands old masonry. Burrillville is full of houses built in the late 1800s and early-to-mid 1900s — homes with rubble-stone foundations, handmade brick chimneys, and fireboxes constructed long before the standards that govern chimney building today. These systems have quirks. Their flues are often unlined or lined with crumbling clay tile. Their mortar is lime-based and weathers differently than modern portland-cement mixes. Their crowns were often built with no overhang, inviting decades of water infiltration. We built this company to serve exactly these homes with the depth of knowledge they require.
Call us at (401) 251-8982 or request an appointment online. We ask a few questions about your chimney's age, recent use, and any symptoms you've noticed — smoke backdraft, staining, odors — so our technician arrives prepared for your specific system, not a generic visit.
Our technician performs a thorough inspection, including video scanning when warranted. We examine the firebox, smoke chamber, liner, crown, cap, flashing, and exterior masonry. We document findings with photos and explain exactly what we see before any cleaning or repair work begins.
With your approval, we complete the sweep and any agreed repair work in one efficient visit whenever possible. We use HEPA vacuums and protective drop cloths throughout. Masonry and liner projects are scheduled for a follow-up appointment with a detailed written scope of work.
Before we leave, we walk you through what was done, show you any before-and-after documentation, and give you honest guidance on how often your specific system should be serviced. Older Burrillville chimneys often benefit from annual inspections — we'll tell you why yours specifically does or doesn't.
Most chimney companies clean flues. We understand brick. Our technicians are trained in historic masonry construction methods, which means we correctly diagnose problems specific to pre-1970s chimneys — unlined flues, lime-mortar joints, and non-standard firebox proportions — rather than applying one-size-fits-all solutions that miss the real issue.
We invest in professional-grade flue camera systems because older chimneys routinely hide serious damage behind surfaces that look fine visually. Our video inspections document every inch of your liner and smoke chamber in high resolution, giving you a clear, honest picture of your system's actual condition — not an estimate based on a flashlight glance.
Every Matts & Sons technician operates under Rhode Island licensing requirements, and we carry full liability and workers' compensation insurance on every job. When liner or masonry work requires a building permit in Burrillville, we pull it. This protects your home's title, keeps your homeowner's insurance valid, and ensures the work is done to current life-safety code.
We provide detailed, written estimates before any work begins — no surprise charges when the invoice arrives. We explain what we found, why the repair is necessary, and exactly what the job entails. Burrillville homeowners deserve honest advice, not scare tactics, and we earn long-term trust by being straightforward even when that means telling you a repair can wait.
Expert local advice for Burrillville homeowners.
Learn what Level I, II, and III chimney inspections cover, cost, and mean for the brick-and-mortar chimneys common in Burrillville's older homes.
Read more →Wondering what a chimney sweep costs in Burrillville, RI? Get honest, local pricing breakdowns — especially for the older brick homes that define this corner of Rhode Island.
Read more →Everything Burrillville homeowners need to know about chimney sweep costs, how often to schedule service, and what actually happens during a professional cleaning.
Read more →Proudly serving Burrillville and these nearby communities.
The only reliable answer comes from a professional inspection with video camera access to the full flue. Visual checks from the firebox opening miss liner cracks, collapsed tile joints, and mortar voids that allow combustion gases — including carbon monoxide — to leak into living spaces. We recommend a Level II inspection for any Burrillville chimney that hasn't been professionally evaluated in the last three years, especially in homes built before 1970.
Yes, it is a serious safety concern. Unlined masonry chimneys allow heat, sparks, and combustion gases to contact surrounding combustible framing directly. Modern fire codes require a properly sized, continuous liner for all new and substantially altered chimney systems. A stainless steel flexible liner installation corrects the problem, improves draft, and typically pays for itself in reduced creosote buildup.
Heavy glazed creosote — the third-degree, tar-like stage — is highly combustible and significantly increases chimney fire risk. Standard brushing alone cannot remove it. We use chemical conditioning treatments applied before mechanical cleaning to break down the glaze into a removable form. In severe cases, multiple treatments over consecutive burning seasons are required. Annual sweeping prevents buildup from ever reaching this stage.
Absolutely. Northern Rhode Island's freeze-thaw cycle is one of the most destructive forces acting on masonry. Water enters micro-cracks in mortar and brick, freezes overnight, expands, and widens those cracks. After dozens of cycles each winter, structurally sound mortar becomes crumbling powder. Proactive waterproofing and annual crown and cap inspections before the cold season can prevent thousands of dollars in cumulative damage.
Wood stove inserts and freestanding stoves typically require more frequent cleaning than open fireplaces because they burn at lower average flue temperatures, which promotes faster creosote accumulation. We recommend inspection and cleaning at least once per heating season for moderate users and twice yearly for households that burn wood as a primary heat source — which is common in Burrillville's colder northern RI winters.
Tuckpointing means removing deteriorated mortar to a minimum depth of three-quarters of an inch and packing in fresh mortar matched to your chimney's original composition. You likely need it if you can press a screwdriver tip into the joint without much resistance, if mortar is visibly recessed or missing, or if you see white efflorescence staining on the brick. Early tuckpointing costs a fraction of what brick replacement eventually costs.
In most cases, yes — a routine sweep and visual inspection leaves your fireplace ready to use immediately. If we've applied a chemical creosote treatment, we typically recommend a 24-hour wait before the first fire so the product can fully work. Any mortar repair work — firebox joints, crown patching — requires a curing period of at least 24 to 48 hours before the system is fired.
Yes, we pull the required building permits for liner installations and significant masonry reconstruction in Burrillville. Permitted work is inspected by the building official and becomes part of your property record, which matters when you sell. Unpermitted liner work can create problems during real estate transactions and may affect insurance claim validity. We handle the permit paperwork as part of our standard process.
Fast response, upfront pricing, and workmanship guaranteed. Get your free estimate today.