Post-firePost-Fire Chimney Inspection
A camera run down the flue finds heat-cracked tiles, ash buildup and gaps before you light a fire.
- Recorded video
- Adjuster-ready report
- Ash cleanout
24/7 dispatch · Altadena
Foothill Chimneys, Made Safe AgainChimney and masonry help for Altadena, Pasadena, La Cañada Flintridge, Sierra Madre and nearby
Altadena sits right under the San Gabriel Mountains. Its Craftsman bungalows, Spanish revivals and mid-century homes come with brick and arroyo stone chimneys, plus wind, wildfire and earthquake risk. Since the Eaton Fire, a lot of our work has been checking chimneys on homes that survived, making standing chimneys on burned lots safe, and fitting caps that keep embers in. Altadena Crest Chimney & Masonry works from Lincoln Avenue and answers the phone 24/7.
91001local crew
½"ember mesh
24/7dispatch
Golden hour · Altadena
9:41
AC
Altadena Crest
Here to help
Message
Foothill text examples
Heat-cracked, standing aloneUnstable
Assessed, braced or removedSafe lot
Since the Eaton Fire
Chimneys after a wildfire
Standing chimneys on burned lots
When the house is gone, the chimney has no bracing. Fire heat weakens the mortar, and wind or a small quake can bring it down. We check it and take it down safely in sections.
Homes that survived
Heat from nearby fires can crack clay flue tiles and fill the chimney with ash. Get a camera inspection before the first fire.
Insurance documentation
Dated photos, video and a written report for your adjuster or rebuild team.
Stone saved for the rebuild
Sound brick or arroyo stone set aside on pallets if you want it in the new house.
Move the slider
Before and after rebuilds
Two chimneys, each shot before and after the job. Drag the gold bar sideways or use your keyboard arrows on it.
Shaken loose, rebuilt solid
Years of small tremors and Santa Ana winds had loosened this stack. It was taken down to the roof and rebuilt with steel tied into the house, then crowned and capped.
- Steel-reinforced
- Crown poured
- Ember cap
Under the trees, worn through
Shaded by big trees, this chimney stayed damp and the brick broke down. Rebuilt in new brick with a stainless cap and fresh flashing, done alongside a new roof.
- New brick
- Stainless cap
- Fresh flashing
Want an "after" like these? (626) 795-5198
Craftsman heritage
Arroyo stone chimneys and walls
The rounded river rock from the Arroyo Seco and foothill washes shows up on bungalow chimneys, porch piers and garden walls across Altadena and Pasadena. It needs a mason who has worked with it.
SORT
Keep the original stone
Loose rocks are numbered and set aside so they go back where they came from.
MORTAR
Recessed joints
Joints are raked back so the stone stands out, in a color matched to the old work.
STEEL
Hidden reinforcement
Where code calls for it, steel and anchors go inside the rebuild where nobody sees them.
MATCH
Sourcing more stone
When some is missing, we find river rock close in size and tone.
Foothill coverage
Below the San Gabriels
From Lincoln Avenue we cover the foothill communities and the San Gabriel Valley. Tap a name to see roughly how long the drive takes.
Driving toPasadena
Close to8 min
Tap a community
We answer
Truck leaves Lincoln Ave
Heads-up text
Chimney looked over
Based on 2388 Lincoln Ave. Rebuild traffic, road closures and the 210 at rush hour can change things; the dispatcher will tell you the real time.
Services
Chimney and masonry jobs we take on
For bungalows, hillside homes and new builds going up across the foothills.
Post-fire
MasonryCrowns, Mortar & Rebuilds
Cracked crowns, sandy mortar and leaning tops repaired or rebuilt with steel tied into the framing.
- New crowns
- Repointing
- Reinforced rebuilds
EmbersSpark Arrestors & Caps
Stainless caps with code-size mesh that keep embers in and animals and rain out.
- ½-inch max mesh
- Multi-flue tops
- Easy to clean
LinersStainless Liners
Cracked flues relined for wood, gas logs and inserts, so the chimney can be used safely again.
- Insulated liners
- Insert hookups
- Rated for wood fires
LeaksFlashing & Winter Leaks
Storm leaks where the chimney meets the roof traced and sealed with new flashing.
- Copper flashing
- Counterflashing
- Hose-tested
SweepsSweeps & Ash Cleanout
Soot, creosote and wildfire ash removed from fireboxes, smoke shelves and flues.
- HEPA vacuums
- Smoke shelf cleaning
- Damper check
Fire hazard zones
Keep embers in the flue
Much of Altadena and the foothill cities sits in a very high fire hazard severity zone. California code requires a spark arrestor on chimneys that burn wood, and a cap that's rusted or clogged with leaves doesn't do the job.
Right-size mesh
Openings between ⅜ and ½ inch stop embers but let smoke out without clogging.
Leaves & needles
Oak and pine litter on caps and roofs catches embers. We clear it during service.
Santa Ana nights
Hold off on wood fires during red flag warnings, no matter how good the cap.
Rebuild plans
Rebuilding after a loss? We'll talk through gas, wood or a decorative fireplace with your architect.
Open flue, embers escapeRisky
Arrestor cap fittedEmbers held
Does someone pick up at night?
Every night. A dispatcher can send someone for a chimney leaning after wind or a tremor, bricks over a walkway or water running in at the chimney. If there's fire, a gas smell or a CO alarm, get out and call 911 first.
Our house survived the fire. Is the fireplace safe to use?
Have it inspected first. Heat and ash can damage the flue in ways you can't see from the room. A camera inspection tells you for sure.
Can you take down a chimney left standing on a burned lot?
Yes. We assess it, take it down by hand or with equipment depending on height, and can save stone or brick for your rebuild. We coordinate with your debris or rebuild contractor.
Do you repair river rock chimneys?
Yes. Arroyo stone work is a big part of what we do, from repointing to full rebuilds using the original stone.
Is a spark arrestor required on my chimney?
For wood-burning fireplaces, yes: state code calls for an ember-catching screen at the top. In the foothill fire zones it's one of the cheapest safety upgrades a home can get.
Can you provide reports for insurance?
Yes. You get photos, video and a written assessment you can send to your adjuster.
Where do you work?
Altadena, Pasadena, La Cañada Flintridge, Sierra Madre, Arcadia, San Marino, South Pasadena, La Crescenta, Eagle Rock, Highland Park, Glendale and Kinneloa Mesa.
Communities
Altadena and the foothills
From the Arroyo to Sierra Madre and down into the valley.
- Altadena
- Pasadena
- La Cañada Flintridge
- Sierra Madre
- Arcadia
- San Marino
- South Pasadena
- La Crescenta
- Eagle Rock
- Highland Park
- Glendale
- Kinneloa Mesa
Neighbors helping neighbors rebuild. Call us.
Altadena Crest Chimney & Masonry has a dispatcher on the line at all hours.
(626) 795-5198 Call Altadena Crest
Altadena Crest Chimney & Masonry
2388 Lincoln Ave unit b
Altadena, CA 91001
(626) 795-5198
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Altadena, CA 91001
(626) 795-5198
See it on the map →
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