I paid $485 (include $40 tip) for an inspection/sweep (including pictures) and didn't receive what I paid for when expected. After I followed up, I was told it would be sent within 24 hours--but that was just the start of the problems. During their service, the technician removed components from my wood stove and failed to reinstall a cotter pin that secures the front air tube. As a result, the air tube fell down while red hot during near-zero temps when we depend on the stove for heat. I burned myself trying to get it back in place while a fire was active, and I had to deal with an urgent mess at the worst possible time of year. The air tube fell on a log and rolled within inches of the glass, I contacted the company immediately with photos. The owner admitted the technician had been making "a few mistakes recently," yet the situation was downplayed. Ultimately I had to fix it myself because I couldn't wait in freezing conditions and risk further damage. Their idea of "making it right"? A $100 coupon for a future service. After the disruption and the negligence, I'm not trusting them in my home again--so a coupon is meaningless. What really sealed it: The owner's response was condescending and dismissive, telling me I "blew this way out of proportion" and that my understanding was "flawed," instead of taking accountability for a simple but critical failure to reassemble equipment correctly. I compare it to getting your tires rotated and the tech forgetting to put the lugs back on. If you value competent workmanship, urgency when something goes wrong, and professional customer service, AVOID THIS COMPANY AT ALL COSTS. I never received a call, all communication was handled via email. There was 0 accountability for the issue and to quote: "you've blown this way out of proportion" and "your understanding of how things work in a stove is flawed, but that's ok, and is typical of may consumers and that's why we're here. To help educate our valued clients" read more

Very poor service. We had them come out to look at our gas fireplace. They charged us $380 just to come out. They took all day examining the fireplace and then said they would send a repair estimate. I didn't receive an email for over two weeks. After calling and emailing about three times, I finally spoke to someone who sent over the estimate, but they never called to schedule the repair. I feel like I just wasted $380. The fireplace was at-lest turning on before, and after they came out, it won't even turn on. This was during a week when temperatures were below freezing. Luckily, our power didn't go out. There was no customer service at all. Very disappointed. read more

First and foremost stay away from this company!! You may get lucky and have things go ok. If things don't go ok the owner Richie Baxley will NOT work to resolve the problem. He will blame his workers, or you as the homeowner saying "I can't please you folks", to preserve his own over inflated ego. I encourage you to read this whole review. Keep in mind our chimney DOES NOT WORK after we paid for services. Richie won't give you any refund or compensation for anything even when things are NOT functional OR attractive. You won't win in court (Richie knows this from experience) because according to attorney's you need someone else in the chimney sweep field to come and testify against Richie Baxley/Environmental Chimney Service. It won't matter that you have pictures, recordings, receipts, and a business owner that NEVER actually denies in court our main issue which is a non functioning (smoke pouring into our home) chimney. The chimney was also cosmetically unattractive after the workers were done. Most attorney's also won't take the case because it is a small claims matter. After a long dragged out headache of a process with this horrible company I felt it necessary to leave a review to guide other homeowners in another direction away from Environmental Chimney Services. We bought an older 80's home in 2016. We used our wood burning fireplace several times. It worked well and is a masonry chimney with stucco on the outside. We suspected it needed some maintenance when we noticed mortar would come off the chimney on the outside when we would have a fire. In 2019 we hired Environmental Chimney Service to do an inspection. Richie Baxley recommended a new stainless steel liner to replace the clay tile liner. He also recommended a new damper and a new cement poured crown on top. We also asked if he could tuckpoint the mortar in the joints of the chimney. In 2020 we accepted his bid on the job and the work started shortly thereafter. After the job was completed we noticed right away that the tuckpointing was cracking and not in all of the joints, and also didn't match the existing stucco pattern at all. Also the new crown was the texture of the plastic liner from the frame they made, it turned out looking like a wrinkled bag! We contacted Richie Baxley and he came out and told us we were "too picky". He agreed to have his workers come out and try to smooth the work. They did come out and try but the concrete wat set hard and they had a difficult time with the crown. The tuckpointing they didn't fix. We called Richie and complained. HE HUNG UP ON US!! Now we started to record our conversations. We called him back to tell him how unhappy we were and he hung up on us again. Fast forward we later tried using the fireplace. The chimney would not draft! We had smoke pouring into our home!! So the chimney not only looks unattractive but it didn't work!! This was during covid when things were shut down everywhere. After our last conversation with Richie where he hung up on us, and all of the uncertainty with covid we didn't do anything immediately. Calling Richie we felt was useless as he had hung up on us twice. We later had another company come out and do an inspection. They found the ;iner was too small for the opening and height of the chimney. They also noticed it had the larger original liner still installed. I was never removed! They just put a smaller one inside of the old one. We also then hired a stucco guy to fix the tuckpoint job so we could paint our home. The way it was left we could not "cover" it with paint. We decided to give Richie one last chance at trying to resolve our non-working chimney issue. At first he seemed a whole different person and like he was going to try to help square things away. He came to see if smoke came into our home during a fire. He tried to minimize how much smoke he could see and smell coming into our house!! He was gaslighting us to the max. No amount of smoke is acceptable to have coming into your home. It is toxic at the least. We were trying to work with him, and thought maybe just gas logs would be ok so the liner wouldn't have to be replaced with a larger one. Richie measured and then came back with the liner as the correct size for the chimney. It doesn't work though!! As homeowners it doesn't matter to us that your chart "says" the liner is the correct size if the chimney doesn't work!! So we then looked at gas logs as Richie was going to offer us a set he had on hand. We then did some research and discovered the ones he was going to give us were known to produce a lot of soot into your home!! We contacted Richie to see if he had another option and he was going to look into it and get back to us. He didn't get back to us about other gas log options. Instead he emails us and starts making excuses of a pressure problem with our home. He mentioned we could just go to court over the matter. We are now out over 8k between everything and the chimney in non functional!! read more

See all

The owner stole money from me. They asked for my credit card before they would roll to my home, then charged my card $50 when I canceled the service. 3 days in advance. At first the cancelation went fine with the secretary, but then 15 min later I got a call from the owner scolding me for canceling and told me he was charging my card. read more

When I called Environmental Chimney, I explained I just bought the home which warrants a level II inspection per their website. This was never explained. The inspector was very nice, professional, and timely. The inspection criteria for the chimney was not provided till afterwards in an email. They stated they did not need to look into the attic or garage where the parts of exterior chimney are located. They cleaned, repaired, waterproofed the outside of the chimney to include a larger chimney cap. All was well till I had a question about a spot inside the garage that looks like the mortar was cracked. Instead of saying we will stop by and look at your concern, they insulted my husband and called him names. I would have been okay with them saying they would stop by and take a look. They fought it tooth and nail. The business stated that we paid for a level I inspection, but when we looked at our receipt, we paid $360 before taxes which warrants a level II inspection. The level II inspection was not completed. The attic and garage were missed. I needed a level II inspection and would have paid for what I needed. Richie Baxley will NOT work to resolve the problem. The different inspections were never explained. Stay AWAY. read more

Happy with my services from Environmental Chimney Service. They were recommended to me by a reliable roofing company for leaks occurring around my chimney. They found lots of cracked mortar from a chimney that probably hasn't been looked at since the 60's... they also went ahead and checked out my unvented gas logs to see why they weren't starting. Then, they quoted me both for fixing the mortar to fix the leaking, and to seal up the flue if I wanted to use the chimney with real logs. Not gonna lie, the quote was more than I hoped/expected. I was hesitant. I talked to a couple of other chimney guys and they gave me a cheaper option. The choice was a poured cement cap and sealing the mortar (Environmental Chimney Service) vs a stainless steel cap (other guys). I was torn since the latter was a much cheaper option. But the owner of ECS talked to me personally on the phone to discuss my concerns and the options and he made a good case for going with the more expensive option to both fix the issue for good, and to go with an option that's gonna look better for longer. In the end, it was up to what I wanted for my home - a cheaper and less attractive option that's theoretically less reliable, or a long-term and visually appealing option that matches my stone mortar and will hopefully fix it for good... ECS also guaranteed the leak fix saying they would come back if I had issues, which I trust. While I can never be totally sure whether the extra $$$ was needed to repair the issue, I do trust that this company did what it thinks was needed, and I do think the option I picked is MUCH more attractive and I love my house and want "permanent" solutions so I am willing to pay extra for a higher quality of service. Everyone I spoke with / worked with at ECS was very professional, and easy to reach (unlike the cheaper guys). So it's really up to you, what kind of service you are looking for. I'm happy with my decision! Thanks ECS team. read more

Showed up on time, polite, professional, great work, reasonable bill. Very pleased!

For all matters of chimney service, especially hard-to-service stone chimneys, ECS is the only company to call. They define Professionalism and customer service that other companies should emulate. I have a stone chimney that caused leaks in heavy storms. Dylan and his crew correctly diagnosed that the mortar on my 50 year old chimney was porous and the asphalt seal on the top was leaking. They replaced the mortar and built a permanent top seal. They arrived on time, explained in detail the process, completed the work on time, and cleaned up all items without being asked. Most importantly they followed up with me proactively to make sure the leaks were stopped. They made two visits to assure all leaks were stopped and I was completely satisfied. They were always courteous and willing to explain in detail the work that was being done. They never rushed through a job and did not leave until all my questions were answered to my satisfaction. Pure professionalism from start to finish, and even after the job was completed. read more

We recently bought a home with a hand stacked stone fireplace and a brick one; we had two inspections done, both by the only two certified companies in WNC. We decided to go with Environmental Chimney for a lot of reasons, mostly because of their education, certifications, and customer service skills. They were prompt, emailed my report within a day, and really were worried about our safety. They had to completely revamp two fireplaces that failed both inspections. Even with some unexpected scope of work changes and more problems that foreseen, our price didn't change. They are very professional, and great to work with! Richie took extra time to teach us how to use our system properly, and even helped us make our first fire! They did a beautiful job, and we could not be happier with the outcome. We will be customers for life. Don't cut corners, go with a certified company like Environmental Chimney. read more

These guys are Great !! I had very heavy glazing in my chimney , Richie recommended a chemical cleaning to completely remove all the glazing and creosote. Very impressed with the results . I would highly recommend these guys ...very professional ,courteous and clean. Will definitely use again. read more

we had our 2 fireplaces serviced and unfortunately, were given an estimate for minimal work to make them useable and then were told we actually needed extensive work with a much larger estimate to be able to use them at all. We are still trying to figure out what to do. read more

While I sit here on hold waiting to ask why, after 10 days , I have still not received my report, I decided to write this review. I was cancelled once and foolishly decided to reschedule. What a rip. The staff that came made me feel so uncomfortable. One of the workers made me feel like he was more interested in fishing on my lake than servicing my chimney.Most unimpressive. read more

I bought a 1960 ranch home in Asheville with two fireplaces in June of 2015. The first thing I did upon closing was to have the chimneys inspected and cleaned. Mr. Baxley sent his crew and fully documented with photos the condition of the chimneys. There was extensive repair and cleaning needed and the repair was completed on time and on budget. I am very appreciative of Mr. Baxley's service. You don't use a fireplace in July and there has now been several months of use. The fireplaces draw smoke and flame beautifully. It was work well done. I'm confused by these other reviews because they certainly do not match my experience with this company. I was thinking rating 4 stars only because the work was costly but decided on 5 stars because there were simply no other issues that distracted from getting the job completed and the fireplaces working. read more

I should have read reviews before hand. I should have realized that a setting with more than one chimney was more than the could handle. I missed the signs. It took weeks to actually get a quote and it was still missing work discussed. Please understand the site visit was quoted during remodel construction and there were no statements made that it would be completed by the time work begin. To the contrary, it was advised remodeling would still be going on. Day 1 - Owner shows up very cocky and demanding. He gets up set through out the day because water for pressure washing was in a tank carried by our tractor. He mishandles the hose on the tank, breaks the valve and storms off the property without even discussing anything. Day 2 - We agreed to have the water tank and tractor ready for his arrival at 9:00am, at 9:20am we see that we need to use our tractor for a brief 5 minute task. Owner pitches a fit and leaves the property..... Day 3 - Owner shows up 45 minutes after his promised time. We have tractor and water tank ready. He begins work, he runs over the hose to the water tank because he left it hanging while going to a different job site, he comes to the office throwing a tantrum. We give another hose. A bit later in the day he stops me on site as I am riding by and just says he cant do the job, "I just can't do it". At this point I just advise if he isn't going to complete the job, leave. After the fact I find out that Chimneys have NOT been cleaned as stated work was done and much work was just incomplete. SHAME ON YOU ENVIRONMENTAL CHIMNEY!! STAY AWAY!!!! read more

The owner of this company came to my house and told me my chimney was inaccessible with a 40' ladder and that they would need to rent a chair lift at $750 rental fee to me in order to inspect -- total charge of $1100! I called Bob Kauffman of Chimney Solutions and he used a 28 ft ladder to access the chimney (no problem, he said) and charged me $150. He was very thorough and experienced and pleasant. read more

After a tree hit our chimney and damaged it, Environmental Chimney Service came out, inspected and estimated the damages. They were very professional and prompt with their service. I would recommend this company for chimney services. Thank you! read more

Chimney inspection-very thorough report with diagrams and plenty of documentation. My calls with questions were handled quickly and with helpful information. read more

I scheduled a chimney cleaning and the owner of the company showed up. To inspect the chimney he pried a pipe loose with a pry bar and broke the connection. When I asked if he was going to fix what he broke he said he would not because it was not his fault. He packed up his tools and did not complete the chimney cleaning. I have never seen such strange behavior from a service oriented business. ( I have run my own business for 34 years) We are now with out our primary heat source until I can get some one else to come out and repair it. How can they stay in business. read more

Richie is clearly a highly competent chimney sweep. I wish I had hired him first, before hiring two other companies that didn't give me the whole picture on what I needed to do to get my chimney prepared for a flexible liner. He came in and quickly laid out my options. We agreed, and Richie got the work done quickly and efficiently. His tool broke while knocking out clay flue tiles, and he had to come back a second day to finish the job, which he did. Richie's manner is direct and to the point. The only thing we felt could have gone better was cleanup. A lot of soot entered our house from this job, and it was a challenge to clean our sofa and wood floors afterward. Still, in my opinion go straight to a certified chimney sweep, like ECS. read more

I scheduled with Environmental two weeks ago, only to find that they now have to reschedule. My appointment was for a second home that I can not be at during the week. It was a rare instance that I was going to be there at all and now it is late to try and get another sweep. Very disappointed that I have squandered my opportunity to have the chimney cleaned. read more

Our steep roof, tall chimney, and complicated masonry heater system present some real challenges. Environmental Chimney Service comes through every time! We really couldn't live up here without them. read more

We only got as far as an initial inspection with them, no actual work done. It took more than a week to send us the inspection report, which was a total of 5 sentences and 4 photos and offered no insight as to reasons for suggested repairs. Once we received the repair proposal sheet, we looked up the parts listed and discovered that ECS quoted us $1500 over actual materials cost (of $3,000). When we asked them about it they admitted they had made a mistake when calculating the costs. They also wanted $3000 for labor cost on a job we seriously doubt would take more than a day (but can't say for sure) to complete. After reading this review the owner contacted us personally, and has gone to great lengths to rectify the problem. He has really made an effort on behalf of his company, so I don't feel it would be fair to leave a totally negative review. Will update if we decide to use his services. read more

We had TJ and another guy out recently to inspect/clean 2 chimneys. I was a little concerned because I'd come across these yelp reviews after asking them to come out, so I was focused on being there for most of the inspection process. Because I had such a good experience, I felt I should write to portray a good review for this company, especially since I come from a hospitality background and am extremely mindful of appreciating good customer service when I experience it (which is rare these days!) They invited me to watch the camera inspection showing the inside of our flue and showed all the photos of the rooftop areas I can't see from the ground. They explained every step of what was being looked at and why and went into extra detail with my husband when he showed up and started asking questions. Very knowledgeable and offered solutions going the fireplace route versus the wood stove route. Also, TJ had me inspect and approve the cleanliness of the interior areas before they left. He emailed a quote for repairs within 20 minutes of completion telling me a final version would follow with extra comments in the review section. I received that within 3 days. They came prepared for repairs if they would take less than 2 hours, but we had extensive damage, so he explained they would have to come back. The only downside was that they are so backed up, they could not come back until January. And the repair is pricey, and they needed a deposit of 50% on the spot. TJ said they price match if I'm able to find another lower quote from a certified chimney cleaning and repairing service, so it seems they are confident of their estimating and pricing being fair market value. We decided to go the wood stove route and have builder connections for installation prior to January, so we are not proceeding with repair work with Environmental Chimney Service, but they will be my go-to company for all future cleanings and inspections with our rental cabin business. read more