A chimney sweep in Germantown clears creosote, debris, and animal blockages from the flue, then verifies the liner and damper draft with an interior video scan and photo documentation. For the pre-1900s twin Victorians and stone manors that fill the neighborhood, every inspection includes a written report and a technician who knows how original lime mortar behaves and where it fails.
Germantown is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Philadelphia, dating to the late 1600s, and Mt. Airy and East Falls inherited the same building traditions through the 1800s. The chimneys here are built with hand-fired brick and lime mortar, which is softer and more breathable than the Portland cement that came later. Lime mortar weathers gracefully when maintained, but a single freeze-thaw cycle on neglected joints can pull whole sections loose. The original flues are usually undersized for modern appliances, so a chimney that drafted a 19th-century coal stove may struggle with a high-efficiency gas furnace.
The Brick Industry Association's technical notes state plainly that periodic inspections and maintenance are needed to maximize the life of brickwork in structures. For Germantown and Mt. Airy chimneys built with lime mortar, that means tuckpointing with a mortar that matches the original both in color and in hardness. Modern Portland cement is harder than the surrounding brick, and using it on a soft pre-1900s wall causes the brick to crack rather than the mortar. Our masons keep matched lime-cement mixes on the truck and document every joint we repoint.
Every service is CSIA-certified, fully insured, and locked to the price we quote.
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Very happy with the work Franklin did at my house. Came out and gave an estimate and had work done same day. The crew cleaned, capped, pointed three chimneys and added a very stubborn flue connected to the boiler.
Selling my house, and I wanted the chimney inspected They found an issue, and they were able to fix it super fast! Good people!
Franklin Chimney did a wonderful job fixing my chimney and putting in a stainless-steel liner and cap on top of my chimney. They came out quickly for an estimate and did the work in the same week. They were very professional and explained everything they would be doing before the job started. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for honest, reliable, and high-quality service. Thank you for making this such a great experience!
I had an emergency situation that needed immediate help. Franklin chimney came the next morning and estimated the job for me. The estimate was totally in line with the research other companies that I had done and Franklin came out the next day to do the job. I am so relieved to have this major problem in my house corrected. They were great communicators, on time, clean, fair, professional, and did a great job I could not recommend them more.
Very prompt great response time. Very good communication, skilled workforce clean and fast Very professional
I called Franklin Chimney, they came out accessed my situation and worked with me. They also did and amazing job.
It was a great experience working with Madi. The work was done professionally, timely and to my satisfaction.
Thank you for a Great job!
Lady was a great person to work with, they came to assess and completed the liner in my chimney I feel safe now and can turn on my heaters knowing I’m safe.
They arrived early. Completed job timely. Kept area clean.
We needed a level 2 chimney inspection on a quick timeline for our HOA. Franklin Chimney came out in less than 48 hours. Booking was very easy and price was significantly better than competitors. Our technician Madi was very efficient and made sure we had the report we needed.
Tony was honest, excellent, and professional in my home. Strongly recommend
A great experience. The workmanship was exceptional and the pricing was way under other estimates. No overselling and high quality finish work. Count me very happy.
Thanks you for Franklin chimney for a wonderful job, they did the chimney liner professional and clean job
I called Franklin Chimney when I noticed flies coming out of my wood burning stove. Maty was here within an hour. He sent a drone up on my roof and discovered a few holes in the mesh that was easy access for birds or squirrels to enter. He sent 2 guys out the next day. They were friendly, efficient and fast. They removed 4 birds and a squirrel. Put a new cap on chimney and sealed it off with mesh. They were done in about 2 hours. I highly recommend Franklin Chimney....thank you for doing a great job!
Lime mortar repair on pre-1900s masonry requires matched materials and methods that modern Portland cement cannot replicate. Maintenance and inspection guidance is published in the Brick Industry Association technical notes.
Call us and you reach our team directly. No phone tree.
Report-ready inspections, CSIA-certified technicians, and pricing locked before any work starts. Same-day slots open most weeks.
Every repair carries a 10-year workmanship warranty. If you are not happy with the finished job, we make it right or you do not pay.
Last reviewed: July 2026
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