Masonry repair
Sweep & inspection
Caps & crowns
Flue relining
Gas fireplace serviceLevel 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.
Fast, Reliable Fireplace Repair Across Candler-McAfee
Most fireplace repairs in Candler-McAfee run between $180 and $950 depending on what’s actually wrong, from a simple damper fix to a full HeatShield flue resurfacing. We work throughout Candler-McAfee, and a real person answers the phone at (678) 263-7908 when you call. Our Fireplace Repair team has spent years working on the brick ranches off Candler Road, the split-levels near Columbia Drive, and the newer frame homes east toward 285.

The soil here moves. That single fact explains more fireplace problems in Candler-McAfee than any other cause, and it’s something we plan for on every single job. If you’re seeing smoke back up into the room, crumbling mortar in the firebox, or rust staining around a metal chimney chase, call us before the next cold snap. We’ll give you a written price before any work starts.
Why Ashby Chimney Atlanta Is Candler-McAfee’s Preferred Fireplace Repair Company
Ashby Chimney Atlanta has been repairing fireplaces since 2002, and Nathan Corliss runs the operation the same way he did on day one: show up when you say you will, give a written price before touching anything, and put the guarantee in writing. Every tech that arrives at a Candler-McAfee home is background-checked and in uniform, so you know exactly who is walking through your door.
We’re part of the Kingswell network of independently owned chimney companies, which means we’re held to the Kingswell Guarantee on every repair. If a covered repair fails within the guarantee period, we come back and fix it at no charge. That’s the 365-Day Done Right Promise, and it’s not an add-on you pay extra for. It’s just how we work. When our Fireplace Repair in Candler-McAfee customers call, they reach a live person, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. No voicemail loops. No waiting until Monday.
The materials we use come from chimney-trade suppliers we know by name: HeatShield for flue resurfacing, Gelco for caps and chase tops, Olympia Chimney for liner components, and Famco for dampers and termination caps. We don’t grab whatever is in the van and hope it works. We stock the right parts for the homes in this area.
Styles & brands we work with





Gas Fireplace Service in Candler-McAfee
Gas Fireplace Service in Candler-McAfee typically costs $150 to $400 for a full cleaning and safety check, and $200 to $600 when we’re replacing a pilot assembly, thermocouple, or gas valve. If your gas fireplace won’t light, burns weak or yellow, or the pilot keeps going out, the problem is usually a clogged burner port, a failing thermopile, or a dirty pilot tube. We diagnose it, show you the issue on camera, and give you a written price to fix it before we do the work.
Pilot Light Troubleshooting
The pilot light on a gas fireplace is a small flame that stays lit and ignites the main burner when you flip the switch. When it goes out repeatedly in a Candler-McAfee home, it is rarely the gas supply. More often it is a dirty pilot orifice from humid air corroding the small brass fittings, or a thermocouple that has weakened after years of heat cycles. We clean or replace the pilot assembly, test the millivolt reading, and verify the flame sensor trips properly before we leave.
Burner and Log Set Cleaning
Gas fireplaces in Candler-McAfee collect dust, pet hair, and tiny rust particles from the area’s year-round humidity. That debris blocks the burner ports and causes uneven flames or sooting on the logs and glass. We vacuum the interior, gently brush the burner, clean the glass with the right ceramic-glass cleaner, and verify gas pressure at the valve. The goal is a clean blue flame and a fireplace that lights on the first try, every time.
Fireplace Insert Installation in Candler-McAfee
Fireplace Insert Installation in Candler-McAfee costs $2,800 to $6,500 for the complete job, including a stainless steel liner, insulation, and connection to the existing chimney. An insert is a self-contained firebox that slides into your existing masonry fireplace and turns it into an efficient heat source. For Candler-McAfee homes where the original clay tile liner has cracked from expansive soil movement, an insert with a new liner often solves the smoke and draft problem permanently.
Why a New Liner Matters Here
We install more inserts in Candler-McAfee than in most nearby DeKalb communities because the clay soil keeps shifting foundations and cracking the original flue tiles. A cracked tile liner behind a fireplace that looks fine is a hidden hazard. When you install an insert, we run a new stainless liner down the entire flue length, bypassing the cracked tile entirely. That gives you a sealed venting system that does not care what the soil does next.
What the Install Day Looks Like
We start by measuring the fireplace opening and flue dimensions, then bring the insert and liner to the door. The old damper gets removed if needed, the liner goes down, and we connect the insert and seal the top with a proper termination cap. The finished job leaves the insert tested, the gas or wood connection verified, and the area cleaner than we found it. The whole install typically takes one day, and you get a written guarantee before we leave.

Trusted Brands We Service in Candler-McAfee
We work on the brands found in Candler-McAfee homes, from HeatShield flue repair systems to Gelco chase covers and caps, Olympia Chimney liner components, and Famco dampers. If you have a prefab metal chimney that is rusting from the humidity, we carry Gelco replacement chase pans and caps that fit most common sizes, so we’re not waiting on an order to ship. Our techs also service inserts from the major manufacturers, and we’re comfortable with gas valves, thermocouples, blowers, and controls across brands. You won’t hear us push a replacement when a repair with the right part does the job.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterCommon Fireplace Repair Problems We See in Candler-McAfee Homes
- Cracked clay tile flue liners from the expanding soil. The clay in Candler-McAfee’s ground swells and shrinks with moisture, shifting foundations enough to break the original 1960s-era flue tiles. The crack often hides behind the wall until a Level 2 camera inspection finds it.
- Rust-through on prefabricated metal chimneys. High humidity and repeated summer thunderstorms corrode the galvanized steel on factory-built chimneys. The rust starts at the chase top and works down, eventually eating through the pipe and causing draft loss and water leaks.
- Glazed creosote in wood stoves used as primary heat. When a wood stove runs all winter, the creosote builds up faster and hotter. It turns into a hard, shiny glaze that a brush cannot remove. We use chemical treatments to break it down before mechanical cleaning.
- Crumbling firebox mortar from heat and moisture cycles. The mortar joints in older brick fireplaces absorb water from the air, then the heat of a fire expands that moisture. Over decades, the joints crack and spall. Repointing the firebox with refractory mortar restores the firebox and stops bricks from loosening further.
Pricing for Fireplace Repair in Candler-McAfee, GA
Here are the actual ranges we quote in Candler-McAfee:
- Damper repair or replacement: $150 – $350
- Firebox repointing or minor rebuild: $400 – $1,200
- HeatShield flue resurfacing: $1,800 – $4,200 depending on flue length and damage
- Clay tile flue liner replacement: $2,500 – $5,500
- Gas fireplace full service: $150 – $400
- Fireplace insert installation with new liner: $2,800 – $6,500
- Chimney cap and crown repair: $225 – $650
What affects the final number is the condition of your flue, the height and accessibility of your chimney, and whether we’re repairing or replacing components. We give a written price before any work starts, and the number on the invoice matches the quote we gave you at the door. Call (678) 263-7908 for a free estimate on your specific fireplace.
We Also Serve Cities Near Candler-McAfee
Beyond our work around Candler-McAfee, our crews serve homeowners in nearby Atlanta, Dunwoody, North Atlanta, and East Point. If you’re just outside the Candler-McAfee line and wondering whether we cover your street, call and ask. Chances are we’re working in your neighborhood this week.
Serving Candler-McAfee, GA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Candler-McAfee area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs About Fireplace Repair in Candler-McAfee
Smoke backing up into a Candler-McAfee home usually means the original clay tile liner has cracked, often from foundation movement caused by the area’s expansive clay soil. When a tile cracks, the flue loses its seal and draft, pulling smoke backward into the living space. The only way to confirm the crack is with a Level 2 camera inspection, which we can schedule quickly. If we find a cracked liner, we’ll show you the footage and give you a written price for resurfacing with HeatShield or installing a new liner. Call (678) 263-7908 and we’ll get it diagnosed.
If you’re burning wood as your primary heat in Candler-McAfee, sweep the chimney every 60 to 90 days during the burning season, not once a year. Heavy, continuous use in our humid climate builds creosote faster and drives it to third-degree glaze sooner. A glazed chimney is a chimney fire waiting for a spark. We recommend burning seasoned hardwood only, keeping the fire hot rather than smoldering, and calling us after every cord or cord and a half. The sweep takes under an hour and the earliest sign of trouble is often invisible without a camera.
The chase top, or the flat metal cover over the wooden chimney frame, can often be repaired with a Gelco replacement pan and cap before the rust spreads into the pipe below. If the rust has already eaten through the galvanized pipe itself, that section may need replacement. The fix depends on where the rust stops. We assess the whole system, show you photos of the damage, and give you a written price for either route. Catching it at the chase-top stage saves you from a full-pipe replacement later.
The mortar joints in your firebox are spalling, and yes, it is a fire-safety issue if left alone. When mortar crumbles out, the firebox bricks lose their bond, and heat can work its way into the gaps toward framing and combustibles. We repoint the firebox with refractory mortar rated for direct flame contact, not standard masonry mix you would use on a sidewalk. Once repointed and cured, the firebox is safe to burn again. The job usually takes less than a day in a Candler-McAfee home.
If the leaks started after ice storms and show up as water staining around the fireplace, a failed cap or cracked crown is the most likely culprit. Ice expands in the crown’s shrinkage gaps, widening cracks and letting water behind the flashing. We replace the cap and seal the crown with a waterproof coating, which stops most of these leaks. If water is still coming in after that, the next check is the flashing at the roofline and the condition of the liner. We’ll work through it in order and show you the evidence at each step. Call (678) 263-7908 for a free leak-diagnosis estimate.
If your fireplace has been acting up and you’ve been putting off the call, don’t wait until the first cold night. Ashby Chimney Atlanta is Candler-McAfee’s local fireplace repair company, and we answer the phone live, 24/7. Nathan Corliss and the team will give you a straight diagnosis, a written price before any work starts, and a written guarantee when the job is done. Call (678) 263-7908 today for a free estimate.
Written by Nathan Corliss, Owner at Ashby Chimney Atlanta, serving Candler-McAfee since 2002.