I highly recommend United Chimney Services for their skill and expertise on the total operation and maintenance of a fireplace. Several years ago when the home was remodeled our masonry fireplace had performance issues most likely related to design flaws. We had given up on using the fireplace altogether. In one last effort to get the fireplace back in working condition, we hired an inspector who suggested we should remove bricks to a safe point to lighten the excessive weight of the chimney and lower the firebox hole but he was not able to recommend a company to do the work. After several calls to chimney companies who did not want to take on the task, I was fortunate to have located United Chimney Services. The owner Tony Sanchez asked me to send photos of the fireplace, fire hole, and chimney flue by email. He was able to diagnose the problem and provided me with specifications and estimates within a few hours of contacting him. Tony proposed to lower the chimney bricks to a safe point to lighten the excessive weight of the chimney, install a concrete bond beam, custom build a sheet metal transition and repair the mortar joints. In the living room fireplace, Tony promised to lower the opening of the firebox, install a steel lintel bar, install bricks on the facade, and encapsulate the front of the facade in white plaster. His crew would custom weld a new damper and remove brick in the smoke chamber to improve the draft. Going beyond the chimney inspector's evaluation, Tony suggested the base of the chimney needed to be re-grouted, have blue screws installed, and suggested the chimney base be wrapped in metal lath, and stuccoed. After agreeing with Tony on his proposal, he called a day later asking if he could start the project a day sooner than expected. Of course, I had no problem with starting sooner rather than later. The crew arrived on time each day and were extremely efficient with their work. Tony was present throughout the project. The work on both the chimney, fireplace, and the base of the chimney went smoothly with the crew being extremely careful to use drop cloths, plastic sheets, vacuums, and other necessary equipment to keep the dust and soot down. Each day the crew left the work space clean and dust free as if there was no work going on. We are extremely pleased with the results. I feel secure in knowing the chimney will withstand most earthquakes. The firebox will draw the smoke, and the minimalist surround plaster design was exactly what we wanted. Tony and his crew were wonderful. They did an outstanding job and went out of their way to provide us with a well designed, working fireplace. read more

I would like to fully endorse United Chimney. My family and I live in the San Bruno Earl/Glenview Area where the PG&E explosion occurred. Among other things, we sustained damage to our living room chimney. Tony and his crew were the most professional people I have ever met/dealt with in construction. They were extremely sensitive to our needs, wants and concerns. They treated my entire family with the utmost respective and were efficient, clean and friendly the entire project. Their work was done in a very timely fashion and they left the area cleaner then it was when they arrived. I cannot reiterate enough how respectful this crew was to our family. I immediately felt comfortable when I spoke to Tony's wife on the phone to make the appointment. She was just as caring and courteous as the entire crew was. The entire incident (PG&E Explosion) has taken a toll on our family in many different ways. What made it a bit easier was having United Chimney come in and provide such a good product with such a caring touch. The crew made every one, including myself, feel a bit more at ease. Tony spelled out exactly what they were going to do and was available at any given minute to answer any question that came up. Tony even gave me his personal cell number in the event ANY questions/problems arise. I would highly recommend United Chimney Service for ANY chimney service one might need. They are truly a business that puts the customer first. read more

We decided we wanted to use our fireplace, built circa 1930, which hadn't seen a fire in well over 30 years. It was in rough shape. Before we could even consider doing anything - burning wood, getting an insert - we had to make sure the chimney was structurally sound and properly cleaned out. After reading reviews of local chimney businesses I called a few. United Chimney had the lowest price for inspection and cleaning, the best availability, and was most professional over the phone. TJ did the initial inspection and estimate, and Tony supervised the work with his sons. They had to rebuild the top 5 rows of the chimney, where it had sheared. They also had to remove the old damper, which was jammed, and they re-built the deteriorated firebox and installed a new damper. Tony was great about answering all our questions about various options for using the fireplace. It would take too long to explain everything else they did as part of the job, but they rehabilitated our fireplace and chimney, both inside and out. They also did a great job of protecting our floors and keeping our house clean. The job took two days, and they did excellent cleanup both days. They did a beautiful job on the masonry - we couldn't be more pleased. Absolutely deserving of five stars! read more

Our 1940's era home needed some repairs done to the chimney and fireplace to make it safe to light a fire again. After putting off the inevitable for more than 10 years, we called United Chimney for follow up on a dated estimate. Tony came out, took a look and remembered us from his earlier visits. After going over the work needed he scheduled us for the following week. What a difference a week makes! Our fireplace not only looks amazing, I am now confident in its safety as well. Tony worked with us in every way. He went over our needs, step by step, giving us options to help stay within our budget. He also guided me in determining what was immediately necessary for using our fireplace vs. what should be done long term (ie. when the budget allows.) A few concerns were found, as will happen whenever you open the wall of a 60+ year old home. These were addressed immediately and again with multiple solutions offered. Masonry is dirty work. The team from United Chimney worked in a professional manner cleaning up each day and at the end of the job pressure washed the front walk and driveway and even my lawn! I recommend Tony and his crew wholeheartedly and I plan on using them for my routine maintenance as well as future work when my budget allows. read more

My chimney is 30 years old and the panel walls in the firebox were starting to break apart with all the use. Tony and the guys from United were able to quickly remove the old firebox panel inserts and replace them with firebricks, which I selected instead of the same type of panels originally used by the builder. The bricks cost a bit more, but after watching what was required to install them, I am completely satisfied with that decision. The entire operation took about ten hours over two days. They had all the equipment and materials needed in their two trucks. No trips to the hardware store needed with this team. They were clean, quiet and spoke to each other very little during the rebuild. They've obviously done this many times before and each member knew the process. Tony, the team leader and mason, did the brick installation. (Note: Besides his brick skills in the fireplace, Tony is also an artist in wrought iron and glass blowing.) The quality of the work product was obvious to me and would be to anyone familiar with home repair vendors. I was completely satisfied with the final result and cost of the work. I've worked with a lot of vendors, these guys could be the best of them all. Bill Los Altos Hills read more

United Chimney has just completed an interior fireplace with corresponding exterior bbq pit repair. Tony was prompt for initial appointment as well as each day of the project. The job consisted of chimney cleaning, efflorescence removal, pressure washing, installed new crown using crown saver, removed existing crown and built a new form crown and a new transition, grinded open the cracks in exterior and retuck pointed as needed. Removed the existing backwall in both interior and exterior, installed new backwall using all new firebrick and high temperature mortar. Installed Sealaflex between the chimney and house and flashing on rooftop and interior of gutter. Waterproofed the exterior. Installed a universal rain cap with spark arrestor. Finally, installed two concrete slabs on the shoulders of the exterior fireplace to pitch the water away from home. The crew (Harvey, Andy and Tony) took 3 continuous days and they were extremely courteous, attentive to details, explained the work project thoroughly and were open to questions. The work area was kept clean daily and the final clean-up was immaculate. I would definitely use United Chimney Service in the future and highly recommend their professional service. read more

I can't say enough wonderful things about Tony and the team at United Chimney Services! From start to finish, they demonstrated unmatched professionalism, skill, and attention to detail. My chimney was in dire need of repair and restoration, and they went above and beyond to ensure it was not only structurally sound but also visually stunning. The photos speak for themselves! The new concrete cap is impeccably crafted, providing both functionality and a polished look. The clean-up work, from the firebox to the external walls, shows their commitment to leaving every detail perfect. They took extra care with the structural reinforcement, ensuring longevity, and even attended to aesthetic details like sealing and refinishing to blend seamlessly with the original brickwork. Tony's crew worked tirelessly and with great care, both on the roof and inside the home, keeping the worksite tidy and respecting my space. It was clear throughout the process that they take immense pride in their craft. If you're looking for chimney experts who treat their work as an art form, United Chimney Services is the way to go. Thank you, Tony and team, for restoring my chimney to better-than-new condition! read more

Had a stainless steel chimney liner installed and had the brickwork repaired against falling and water intrusion by Tony and crew. Simply awesome work on the property, the landlord loves the result and commented that he got his money's worth (he was initially concerned about the quoted price). I'm happy b/c the wood insert finally seams to be agreeable to operate, and the house is noticeably drier during and after rain events. It also doesn't have that creosote smell after rain. The chimney crown is simply amazing, best looking crown I've seen walking around the neighborhood. Better than the crown at my parent's. So they did it right, and I love it. Previously the fire was very difficult to manage, very difficult to keep from creosoting over the front insert windows. It honestly made me not want to use the insert often. Now it burns HOT. The entire house can be brought up to temperature quite quickly, kicking on the blowers very fast compared to previous operation. I can actually manage the fire with confidence (I grew up with wood stoves). read more

I have been a General Building Contractor for over 30 years and totally appreciate quick, solid service from other contractors, especially in a pinch. Masonry chimneys are a thing of the past, and so was out of my league when the chimney at my personal residence on Potrero Hill needed to be raised as part of some other roofing work. I was tardy finding someone to handle this and telephoned Tuesday morning. I got lucky here, as they were already working in Noe Valley, Tony came by Wednesday at lunchtime and told me what needed to be done and how much ($ 800.00). Tony phoned later that afternoon said he could get the materials and they would be here Thursday after lunch. Sure enough at 12:30 they arrived, Tony and two other workers, Nick and Eric. It is now 4:45 and they are done, cleaned up and gone. My project is back on track and in several days (after I get my share of the work done), bring on the rain and a warm fire. Thanks so much. read more

I bought a wonderful 1860's mahogany mantel at an estate sale several years ago and propped it up in front of my existing fireplace in a 1950's California ranch house. To use the fireplace we needed to rebuild the firebox, take off the existing brick facing, and install wallboard, and finally install the mantel. I called several people for an estimate. The hard part was finding the right person to call and then having them show up for the estimate. Tony responded promptly, showed up on time, did what he said he was going to do. The first day I came home to the furniture neatly moved and plastic enclosing the work area. Even though there was signifigant demolition and wallboard work done, my house was neat and clean. Each day I had a daily progress report. In three days the work was completed. When Tony left he already had an estimate for me for the gas line from a contractor he trusts. I can't recommend him enough. read more

United Chimney Service, Inc. --- Tony is a third generation "fireplace professional". While he cleans and sweeps chimneys-that is not his sweet spot. He does so much more. Tony is the company owner (Antdy and TJ are his sons and Eric) came to my house one day to provide an estimate (with options) and had a crew of three at my house the very next day. BTW-Tony himself was in my fireplace replacing my damper, ash door, installing new firebrick, and repairing the masonry work (the metal work was custom fabricated overnight.). HIS PRICE IS MIORE THAN REASONABLE and safety is a first. We talked about doing some things in the future and he again provided options. Tony and his team are the folks you want to go to when you want to do anything with your fiireplace. Don't bother with getting any other estimates. I was there and I ended up with United Chimney Service-Tony and his crew. read more

Tony, Andy and crew from United Chimney Service, Inc. in Atherton, CA recently came to our home to work on retrofitting and stabilizing our tall chimney. We are thoroughly pleased with the result. The job took only three days. It began with setting up scaffolding beside our chimney. Then they inserted two rebar rods horizontally through the chimney and the roof and anchored the rods to the roof joists in the attic. Another large part of the job took place on the top of the chimney. They opened it up to reinforce and stabilize the inside of the chimney in the spaces around the central terra-cotta pipe with rebar and concrete. The final touches included painting the exposed rods to match our home and installing a beautiful metal chimney cap/spark arrestor to the crown. Thanks to United Chimney Service, Inc. we feel secure in cancelling our earthquake insurance! read more

While the company's name only mentions services related to "chimney", they also offer dryer vent cleaning services. I called United Chimney Services because my vent had somehow separated from my dryer and lint began to fly about my laundry room. Andy came out and spent two hours cleaning out my vent duct, not only extracting all the lint by hand but also by brushing the duct walls clean. Previous companies that came out to clean the duct merely pulled out by hand, leaving the walls covered by lint. Andy did a very thorough, excellent job. He's professional, knowledgeable, and very nice. He told me that a lint-packed dryer vent is one of the most frequent reasons for home fires, so it's really important to ensure it's cleaned at least every year, even more frequently if you dry lots of loads. I'll be using United Chimney Services in the years to come. read more

A few months ago, our building insurance was cancelled because we had not had the chimneys in our building inspected recently. Tony and team were quick to address the inspection, necessary repairs and paperwork required by the insurance company to renew our insurance. I've worked with several contractors and have found United Chimney's workmanship to be fantastic. They do the complete job the way you would yourself. No surprises I've had with other contractors. Furthermore, after a recent rain we had a leak in the building. This particular leak has been intermittent and we have many contractors attempt to tack it down. Tony came to our property and pointed out several things he had noticed during our chimney repairs. A great, experienced, and reliable small business. read more

I needed to rehabilitate my 1935 vintage fireplace and called Tony and a couple of other companies. Tony was the clearest about what was needed and what to expect, and seemed the most professional so we went with him. As we got into the job, we ran into a number of problems hidden behind the walls and first layer of bricks. Tony showed great creativity in addressing these problems effectively. He did a great job of explaining the issues and coming up with solutions. The end result is superb. It looks great, and is a much safer, seismically more secure fireplace. If you're cracking into this old house, Tony is a great guy to have on your side. Tony is a pleasure to work with. He keeps his commitments, cleans up, and works fast. read more

i found united chimney service in the yellow pages,i needed to have my chimney secured in case of an earth quake the owner tony came out the next day and gave me several choices strap it or take it down 3 to 4 feet and reinforce the inside. i choose to have it taken down 3+ feet.i got such a good feeling about this guy that i asked him to also give me a price on closing of one side of my fireplace, centering the new gas insert and preparing the old stone surface for granit finish. my wife and i were so impressed with his crew and their old school wokmanship that we will recommend him to everyone and anyone we know. they left our home neat and clean and on top of that they completed the work one day early. heinz schulz read more

When we first moved into our South San Jose tract house five years ago we hired United Chimney to clean the fireplace, excellent job, remove all of the moss on the exterior of the chimney and clean it up, excellent job, they also treated it with something so it wouldn't come back, it hasn't, and installed a rain cap. They also manhandled a disused million pound wood burning stove and got it out of the house and hauled away. Last month it was time to finally replace the rusty damper, excellent job, repair the recently cracked firebox, big and excellent job, and replace another part. They are a family business that I highly recommend and will definitely use again. Thank you read more

The owner of this small family business immediately inspired my confidence with his obvious knowledge and depth of experience. A roofing contractor suggested a chimney inspection. I picked this local business from the phone book. The team arrived promptly, recommended repairs even I could see the need for, did the work without a mess, charged a price that seemed fair for the work I'd seen done, and completed it in good time and with minimum inconvenience to me. Plus Tony knows some great technical masonry terms I hadn't heard before. Basic cleaning, remove old fireplace back wall, install new back wall, mortar upper smoke shelf. read more

We have a fifty year old fireplace that we want to retrofit to gas. Tony was referred to us by our designer who has worked with him on other jobs and highly recommended him. He came out, looked at it, and gave us several options to consider. This guy knows his stuff! First step: he and his crew just finished cleaning out the fireplace. They came on time, did a great job and without any mess left behind! Now we will decide whether to tear the original fireplace down and start over or use a gas insert - all jobs he is able to do. Tony is very helpful, knowledgeable, personable and affordable. Highly recommend. read more