It sits in the weather all year, it catches the same black streaks the roof does, and it is the first thing a visitor's eye lands on from the street. Atlantic Coastal Cleaning washes the outside of brick, stucco, stone and siding clad chimneys across Brunswick, St. Simons Island and Sea Island, usually in the same visit as the roof. Call (912) 571-0639 for a free quote, or read on for what the job is and what it is not.

What we clean: the outside of the chimney, not the flue

Plain answer first, because the word "chimney cleaning" means two different trades. We are not a chimney sweep. We do not clean the flue, remove creosote, inspect the liner or service the damper. If you burn wood and have not had the flue swept, call a sweep for that.

What we do is clean everything you can see from the yard: the chimney faces, the crown, the cap, the flashing line, and the wall of the house around it. That is the part that grows algae, collects black streaks, rust stains and efflorescence, and makes an otherwise clean house look tired. It is exterior cleaning, done from the roof or from the ground with an extension pole, with the same low pressure method we use on the roof itself.

Black streaks and algae on chimney faces

A chimney is a tall, rough, shaded surface that stays damp after every rain, which is close to a perfect description of what algae and mildew are looking for. In Glynn County the north and east faces go first, the same way the north and east slopes of the roof do. You will see:

Black streaksrunning down the faces, heaviest under the cap and below the crown. It is the same growth that streaks the roof; our guide on why coastal roofs streak black explains it.
Green algaeon the shaded face and anywhere the mortar holds water.
Rust streaksbelow a metal cap or a chase cover that has started to corrode. Pressure does not move rust; it needs a rust remover applied by hand, and it usually comes out.
Efflorescence, the white chalky bloom on brick. It is minerals carried to the surface by water. It cleans off, but it is also a sign the masonry is taking on water, and we will tell you if it looks like more than cosmetic.

We pre-treat the faces with a cleaning solution, let it work, and rinse at low pressure. Nothing is scrubbed with a wire brush and nothing gets high pressure, because both take the face off brick and the finish off stucco.

Brick, stucco, stone and siding clad chimneys

Brick

Is the most common chimney in Brunswick and the most sensitive to being cleaned badly. High pressure pits the face of old brick and blows the mortar joints out. We treat brick with solution and a gentle rinse, and the mortar stays where it is.

Stucco

Chimneys are common on the islands and on the newer coastal style homes. Stucco is porous, it holds algae in its texture, and a wand will scar it. It is soft washed, never pressure washed, the same way we soft wash a stucco house.

Stone and stone veneer

Clean up well with solution and a rinse. Veneer is only as strong as the mortar behind it, so it gets the gentle treatment.

Siding clad chimney chases

Are wood framed boxes wrapped in the same siding as the house, with a metal cap on top. They are cleaned as part of the house wash. The metal chase cover on top is where the rust streaks come from, and we will tell you if it needs replacing.

Chimney caps, crowns and flashing: what we look at while up there

We are not roofers, but we are standing on the roof next to your chimney with a clear view of it, and we would rather tell you what we see than have you find out in a storm. On every chimney clean we look at:

The crown, the concrete or mortar slab on top. Cracks in the crown let water into the masonry, and water inside a chimney is how bricks spall in a freeze.
The cap, the metal cover over the flue opening that keeps rain and animals out. A missing or rusted cap is the most common thing we find.
The flashing, where the chimney meets the roof. Lifted or rusted flashing is where leaks around chimneys start.
The mortar joints, for anything soft or missing.

None of that is a paid inspection; it is a photo and a sentence in the follow up if we notice something. What you do with it is up to you.

Technician soft washing the upper siding and dormer of a home in Brunswick, GA

Done with a roof clean

Most of our chimney work happens as part of a roof clean in the same visit, because the equipment is already on the roof, the streaks are the same growth, and a clean roof with a black chimney looks unfinished. We can also do the chimney alone if the roof was recently done. Since the gutters are usually full of the same debris that stains the chimney, clearing the gutters below the chimney is worth adding to the same day.

On the islands, the tall brick chimneys on the older cottages near the Pier Village and the stucco chimneys on the newer homes off Frederica Road both stay damp under the oaks. We are on the island most weeks; see chimneys on St. Simons Island for how we work there.

Low pressure roof cleaning on a home in Glynn County, Georgia

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this the same as a chimney sweep?

No. A sweep cleans the inside of the flue. We clean the outside of the chimney: the faces, the crown, the cap and the flashing line. If you burn wood, you need both, and they are separate trades.

Will pressure washing damage my brick chimney?

High pressure will, which is why we do not use it. Brick and stucco chimneys are cleaned with a cleaning solution and a low pressure rinse, and the mortar stays intact.

Can you get the rust streaks off?

Usually, yes. Rust from a corroded cap or chase cover needs a rust remover applied by hand, not pressure. We also tell you where the rust is coming from so it does not come straight back.

Do I need to clean the chimney if the roof is being cleaned?

Not always, but a freshly cleaned roof makes a streaked chimney stand out, and doing both in one visit costs less than two trips. We will quote it both ways.

How often does an exterior chimney need cleaning?

About as often as the roof: every two to three years for most Brunswick homes, sooner under heavy shade or on the islands where the salt and humidity keep the masonry damp.

Get a free chimney cleaning quote

(912) 571-0639

Call or text (912) 571-0639, or send a message through the site. Send a photo of the chimney from the yard if you can. We come out, look at the masonry and the streaks, and give you a written price with no charge for the visit.

Call (912) 571-0639 for a Free Quote

Exterior Chimney Cleaning in Brunswick, GA – Brick, Stucco and Stone