About

Chimney Lab is an independent editorial site about chimneys: what sweeps, inspections, liners, caps and masonry repairs cost, what each job actually fixes, and which standards the work has to meet. We are not a sweep, a mason or a liner manufacturer — we do not clean, inspect or repair chimneys.

What we publish

• Cost guides that separate inspection, sweeping, lining, caps, crowns and masonry work.
• Method guides on stainless liners, cast-in-place liners, caps and crown repair, and the flues each suits.
• Problem guides that start with the symptom — smoke rollback, water entry, spalling, creosote — rather than a product.
• Comparisons decided on appliance compatibility, listing, service life and total cost.
• Sweep and contractor guides: certification, insurance, camera inspection and written reports.

How we work

• NFPA 211 and product listings before manufacturer brochures.
• The appliance and flue size decide the recommendation, not the finish.
• Ranges, not fake precision; an estimate is labelled and its inputs are shown.
• Affiliate links disclosed; placement never follows commission.

Who writes it

The byline is Chimney Lab Editorial Team, edited byTom Halloran. Every article lists its sources, and every cost figure names the document or price guide it came from. When a reader sends a quote that contradicts a band, the band and the quote both go on the page.

What we do not do

We do not sweep, inspect, line or repair chimneys, and nothing here replaces a level-two inspection by a qualified sweep. If you smell gas, see creosote glaze or have a chimney fire, the response is to stop using the appliance and call a certified sweep and, where gas is involved, the utility — our role is to explain the work and what it should cost.

Contact

Corrections, documents and disagreements are welcome:contact@chimneylab.com.