Gas fireplace service
Sweep & inspection
Caps & crowns
Flue relining
Masonry repairLevel 1 sweep and inspection to the NFPA 211 annual standard - flue, crown, cap, and flashing checked and photographed
Chimney sweep logs do not sweep chimneys. They loosen some creosote - which then falls where a brush and vacuum still have to collect it.
Why Fort Lauderdale Homeowners Choose DuraFlex Chimney Cleaning
Flint Chimney Co Fort Lauderdale provides independent DuraFlex in Fort Lauderdale chimney cleaning, inspection, and repair, with technicians who know these liner systems inside and out. We are not a manufacturer-authorized service center, and we do not pretend to be one. What we are is a crew that has pulled apart, cleaned, and repaired enough DuraFlex liners in South Florida humidity to know exactly where they fail, how to fix them right, and when a cleaning is all the flue actually needs.
Hank Delano built Flint Chimney Co on a simple rule: tell the homeowner what you found, tell them what it costs, then do the work clean. That applies double to DuraFlex work, because a liner hidden inside a masonry chimney is easy to misdiagnose and easy to upsell. We do neither. A standard chimney sweep with a DuraFlex liner inspection in Fort Lauderdale typically runs $189 to $349 depending on liner length and creosote load. Call (754) 354-1430 for a written quote before any work starts.
Why Trust Flint Chimney Co Fort Lauderdale for Your DuraFlex Chimney Cleaning?
DuraFlex liners are not generic stainless tubes. The corrugated wall of a DuraFlex 316L liner traps creosote differently than a smooth rigid flue, the Pro Connect joints shift under thermal cycling, and the top seam where the liner meets the rain cap is the first place Fort Lauderdale salt air starts eating metal. Our technicians have serviced DuraFlex Chimney Cleaning in Oakland Park, FL and installations across Broward County long enough to know what healthy looks like and what failing looks like, and we document both with camera images you can see for yourself.
Hank Delano learned the trade at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College and has spent close to two decades cleaning and inspecting chimneys in South Florida, from bungalows near Las Olas Boulevard to condo fireplaces further up the coast. Fort Lauderdale has been the main territory for years. Every DuraFlex repair we perform carries the 365-Day Done Right Promise: a written guarantee valid one full year from the service date, with a free return visit if a covered repair fails. We put the price in writing before any tool comes off the truck, every job, no exceptions. And when you call, a live person answers. Around the clock, seven days a week.
Styles & brands we work with
Common DuraFlex Chimney Cleaning Problems We Fix in Fort Lauderdale
Here is what we actually find when we open up DuraFlex systems in this city. These are not generic chimney problems. Each one is tied to how DuraFlex liners are built and how Fort Lauderdale’s climate attacks them.
- Corrosion pitting on 316L liner seams near the flue top. Salt-laden ocean air settles at the top of the flue, where the liner meets the rain cap and top plate. On DuraFlex 316L liners, the seam welds are where pinhole pitting starts. We spot this during a Level 2 inspection, often before water stains even show up on the ceiling. The fix is usually a new rain cap, a sealed top plate, and seam treatment; a full liner replacement is only called for when the pitting has compromised more than about 30% of the upper liner.
- Creosote glaze bonded to the corrugated inner wall. Low-temperature wood burning, common in Fort Lauderdale’s short winter season, produces a dense creosote glaze that hardens inside the corrugations of a DuraFlex flexible liner. A standard wire brush skips the valleys. We use rotary brush heads sized to the liner diameter to mechanically strip the glaze without gouging the stainless. Glaze this hard raises fire risk, so we treat it as a safety issue, not a cosmetic one.
- Disconnected or slipped Pro Connect joints. DuraFlex Pro Connect liners rely on a push-and-lock joint system that holds well when installed correctly. After years of thermal cycling in a masonry chimney, or after an improper installation, those joints can slip or separate. The symptom is often a slight smoky smell in the house even when the damper is open. A disconnected joint lets exhaust into the chimney cavity instead of out the top, which is a carbon monoxide risk. We identify this on a camera inspection and reconnect or replace the affected section.
- Torn or degraded insulation wrap wicking moisture. Insulated DuraFlex liners have a wrap around the stainless core. In Fort Lauderdale’s humidity, a small tear in that wrap acts like a sponge, holding moisture against the liner metal and accelerating corrosion, especially behind the chimney chase. We see this most often on exterior masonry chimneys that get direct rain and salt spray. The fix is replacing the insulation section and sealing the outer mesh before the liner itself starts rusting.
- Rusted rain caps and top plates. Not strictly a liner problem, but a rusted cap compromises the whole system. Fort Lauderdale’s salt air will turn a cheap galvanized cap into orange lace in three or four years. We install stainless rain caps sized to the specific DuraFlex liner diameter, and we seal the top plate to stop salt spray from entering the flue in the first place.
DuraFlex Parts & Our Repair-vs-Replace Approach
We use genuine DuraFlex components or equivalent 316L stainless steel parts sourced from trade suppliers we have worked with for years. What we stock locally covers the common callouts: Pro Connect connectors and clamps, rain caps in standard liner diameters, top plates, and insulation wrap sections. That means most DuraFlex repairs in Fort Lauderdale do not wait on a parts shipment.
The repair-or-replace decision is never made behind a sales pitch. We use camera inspection evidence you can watch with us. If corrosion is localized, we spot repair with compatible connectors and clamps, clean the liner, and send you a photo report. When more than 30% of the liner is compromised, we recommend full replacement, and we say it plainly. A liner with scattered pinholes near the top is a repair. A liner with corrosion banding across multiple feet is a replacement. Call (754) 354-1430 and we will show you exactly which one you have.
Our DuraFlex Service Process – Step by Step
- 1
Diagnosis. We start with a Level 2 camera inspection whenever a DuraFlex liner shows signs of trouble: water stains near the chimney breast, a smoky smell, flaking rust at the top, or just age. The camera shows us the liner walls, the Pro Connect joints, and the rain cap from the inside. You see the footage too.
- 2
Written scope and price. Before any work begins, you get a written price covering exactly what we found, what we recommend, and what it costs. If the repair is minor, the scope is minor. We do not pad a cleaning into a liner replacement.
- 3
Repair, replacement, or cleaning. Dirty liners get rotary brush cleaning sized to the DuraFlex corrugation. Minor corrosion gets spot repair with DuraFlex-compatible connectors, clamps, or cap replacement. Compromised liners get full replacement with a new 316L or AL 29-4C DuraFlex liner, installed to the manufacturer’s fitting and joint specifications.
- 4
Test and document. After the work, we run a draft test to confirm the liner is pulling smoke correctly, then hand you a photo report showing the completed service. You keep that report with your home records.
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Guarantee. Every repair carries the 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If a covered repair fails within the year, we return at no charge. No dispute, no deductible.
See the difference
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AfterDuraFlex Products We Service & Install in Fort Lauderdale
We work across the full DuraFlex lineup that shows up in South Florida homes:
- DuraFlex 316L Stainless Steel Chimney Liner – the workhorse for wood-burning fireplaces and stoves. We clean, inspect, repair, and replace these most often.
- DuraFlex AL 29-4C Stainless Steel Liner – specified for high-efficiency gas appliances. The alloy handles condensation from gas exhaust differently than 316L, and we treat it accordingly.
- DuraFlex Pro Connect Liner – the push-lock joint system. We repair slipped joints and rework bad installations regularly.
- DuraFlex Flexible Chimney Liner Kits – common in retrofit installations through existing masonry or clay tile flues.
We stock common connector sizes, clamps, caps, and top plates for fast turnaround on most Fort Lauderdale DuraFlex jobs.
We Also Service These Brands
We are not tied to one manufacturer. The same crews that handle DuraFlex work also service HeatShield and Gelco systems, plus a range of rigid stainless and masonry flues across Fort Lauderdale. When a flue is too far gone for a DuraFlex retrofit or when another product fits the chimney better, we say so. The brand follows the job, not the other way around.
FAQs – DuraFlex Chimney Cleaning Service in Fort Lauderdale
No. We are an independent service provider, not a manufacturer-authorized shop. What we bring is field experience: our crews have serviced DuraFlex installations across Broward County for years, which gives us practical knowledge of how these liners hold up in Fort Lauderdale’s salt air and humidity. Independence also means we have no incentive to recommend DuraFlex parts when another product fits better.
We use genuine DuraFlex components or equivalent 316L stainless steel parts from reputable trade suppliers, depending on availability and the condition of the existing liner. For Pro Connect joint repairs, genuine DuraFlex connectors and clamps are usually the right call because the tolerances match the original installation. For rain caps and top plates, a quality stainless equivalent performs just as well. We will tell you which part we are using and why before we install it.
A DuraFlex chimney cleaning with camera inspection in Fort Lauderdale typically takes 60 to 90 minutes from setup to photo report. Minor repairs like a rain cap replacement or a slipped Pro Connect joint repair usually run two to three hours. A full liner replacement can take a full day depending on chimney height and access. We give you a schedule before we start, and the crew that arrives is background-checked and uniformed.
We service and install the DuraFlex 316L liner, the DuraFlex AL 29-4C liner for high-efficiency gas, the Pro Connect push-lock system, and flexible liner kits used in retrofit installations. If you are not sure which liner is in your chimney, our camera inspection will identify it. Bring us the model number if you have it; if you do not, we will find it on the top plate or the installation tag.
Servicing your liner should not void a manufacturer’s warranty, provided the work is done properly and with compatible materials. We use genuine DuraFlex or equivalent 316L parts and follow the fitting specifications for the specific liner model. That said, we cannot speak for DuraFlex’s warranty terms, and we are not an authorized warranty service provider. If you have warranty documentation, bring it to the appointment and we will work within its requirements. Call (754) 354-1430 and we can talk through what your warranty covers before we schedule.
A standard DuraFlex chimney sweep with inspection in Fort Lauderdale typically runs $189 to $349. The spread depends on liner length, creosote level, and whether a Level 2 camera inspection is included. Corrosion repairs like a new rain cap or top plate add $150 to $400 depending on parts. A full DuraFlex liner replacement runs $1,800 to $4,200 for most Fort Lauderdale chimneys. Every quote is written before work starts, so you approve the exact number on the invoice. Call (754) 354-1430 for a free estimate.
Once a year, and the inspection should include the top seam and rain cap area, not just a visual look at the firebox. Fort Lauderdale’s salt-laden air accelerates pitting at the exact spot where the liner meets the top plate, and early pinholes are invisible from inside the house. An annual camera inspection catches that before it becomes a full liner replacement.
Only if the liner is cleaned first and the model is rated for gas exhaust. A 316L liner that has burned wood carries creosote deposits that interact badly with the condensation gas appliances produce. The correct sequence is a full rotary brush cleaning, a camera inspection to confirm the liner condition, and then a switch only if the liner is still sound. Some gas inserts require the AL 29-4C alloy instead of 316L. Call (754) 354-1430 and we will inspect your liner before you make a change.
It means exhaust is escaping into the chimney cavity instead of rising out the top. You may smell smoke even when the damper is open, or you may notice no symptom at all until a Level 2 inspection shows the separation. Either way, it is a repair you should not postpone, because the exhaust that is not going up the flue can enter the house. We reconnect the joint with genuine DuraFlex connectors and verify the full liner run with a camera afterward.
Corrosion in Fort Lauderdale is usually not a fuel problem. It is the salt air. Even a fireplace that burns clean, dry wood sits idle for eight months of the year while humid, salt-laden air moves through the flue. The top seam and rain cap take the worst of it. Burning seasoned hardwood reduces creosote, but it does nothing to stop atmospheric corrosion. That is why annual inspection matters here more than in drier inland climates.
Not necessarily. Localized pinholes or small rust spots near the top can often be repaired with connectors and clamps, a new rain cap, and a sealed top plate. Replacement becomes the right call when more than about 30% of the liner shows corrosion, when pitting has spread along a seam for multiple feet, or when the metal has thinned enough to compromise the flue’s exhaust path. We will show you the camera footage so you can see the difference yourself. Call (754) 354-1430 for an inspection and a straight answer.
Book Your DuraFlex Service in Fort Lauderdale, FL
If your DuraFlex liner is due for a cleaning, showing signs of corrosion, or just has not been looked at in a few years, call (754) 354-1430. We will put a written price in your hand before any work starts, and every repair carries the 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing.
Written by Hank Delano, Owner at Flint Chimney Co Fort Lauderdale, serving Fort Lauderdale since 2002 as part of the Garrison Partners family.