Level 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.
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterThe Top Hat Chimney Guarantee
Top Hat Chimney has worked on Waterford roofs since 1999, and Wendell Pike puts his name on every job that leaves the truck. Here’s what that means if you live on Atco Avenue, off the White Horse Pike, or anywhere else in the county: if the sweep isn’t done right, we come back and do it again. Not “we’ll take a look.” Not “we’ll see what we can do.” We fix it, at no charge, because the 90-Day Done Right Promise is written on the invoice before you pay a dime. The guarantee isn’t a marketing line. It’s the same promise Wendell has kept for over 29 years, in a town where he runs into you again on Saturday.
What’s Covered
- The sweep itself. Your flue gets cleaned until it’s actually clean, not until the clock runs out. First-degree creosote is a brush job. We remove it, all of it, and show you the before and after.
- Parts and materials we install. If a cap, crown patch, or liner component fails because we installed it wrong, it’s covered. If it fails because the manufacturer sent a bad part, we handle the warranty claim with them so you don’t have to.
- Cleanup. We lay drop cloths before work starts, and we vacuum before we leave. Your living room should look like nobody was there except for the clean chimney.
- Arrival windows. You get a real time frame before the appointment, and if the sweep is running behind, the phone rings. You don’t sit around wondering.
- The price. The number you hear on the phone is the number on the invoice. If we find something extra while we’re up there, we show you the camera footage first and you approve the additional work before it happens.
- Honest findings. We don’t recommend repairs you don’t need. If your chimney can safely wait another season, we tell you that in plain English and put it in the report.
Our Satisfaction Promise
If you’re not satisfied with the work Top Hat Chimney did at your Waterford home, you call us. A live person answers, around the clock. No voicemail box, no call center, no “press 2 for customer service.” Often Wendell himself picks up. You explain what’s bothering you, and we schedule a time to come back. The 90-Day Done Right Promise means one call brings Wendell or his crew back to make it right, at no additional cost to you. The promise starts the day the job is finished and runs for 90 days. If something we did isn’t holding up the way it should, that’s on us. Most of the time, the fix is simple. Occasionally it takes a second trip. Either way, you don’t pay for our mistake, and we don’t argue with you about whether it’s really our mistake. That’s the whole point of the promise. It removes the argument.
What Happens If You’re Not Happy
Step one: Call (856) 699-1992. Tell whoever answers what’s wrong. We’ll pull your job file and schedule a return visit.
Step two: Wendell or a crew member comes back to the property, re-inspects the work, and talks through what you’re seeing. We bring the camera if the issue involves the flue interior.
Step three: We fix it. If we genuinely missed something, the rework is free. That’s the guarantee in action, not a favor.
We’ve been doing this since 1999 in Waterford, Atco, Hammonton, Berlin, and the surrounding towns. A warranty only matters if the company backing it still exists next year. We’re the one down the road, and we plan to stay that way.
Licensed & Insured Backing
A promise is only as good as the company standing behind it. Top Hat Chimney is licensed and insured in New Jersey, which means two things for you. First, the state has verified that we’re a legitimate chimney service business, not someone with a ladder and a leaf blower. Second, if something goes wrong on the job, the insurance is there to cover it. That’s the real guarantee behind the paperwork. Wendell keeps his license current, keeps his insurance active, and keeps his published address in Waterford where anyone can find him. You’re not hiring a franchise that rotated in last spring. You’re hiring a local business with a reputation to protect on the streets where it works.
Frequently Asked Questions
The 90-Day Done Right Promise covers the workmanship on any job Top Hat Chimney completes at your home. If the sweep, repair, cap install, or liner work isn’t done right, one call brings Wendell or his crew back at no additional cost. The promise is printed on the invoice for every single job, so you have it in writing. If we missed a section of creosote, if a cap we installed comes loose, if a repair doesn’t hold up, that’s on us. Call (856) 699-1992 and we’ll schedule the return visit. Estimates and second opinions are always free.
Yes, with a distinction. If a part fails because of our installation workmanship, the 90-Day Done Right Promise covers the labor and the fix. If the part itself turns out to be defective from the manufacturer, we handle the warranty claim on your behalf. We work with trusted brands like DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, Olympia Chimney, Famco, and Copperfield, and we stand behind the products we install. You don’t have to call a manufacturer’s 800 number and wade through a phone tree. We do that for you. Call us at (856) 699-1992 if you have a concern about an installed part.
Bring it to us. We’ll give you a free second opinion on any competing written estimate, no strings attached. Wendell will walk you through what the other company is proposing, whether it’s actually necessary, and what he’d charge for the same work. If the other estimate is recommending a liner replacement you’re not sure about, we’ll camera the flue and show you exactly what’s there. We’d rather you make an informed decision than feel pressured into a repair. Call (856) 699-1992 and we’ll set up the visit. There’s no trip charge for calls inside the county.
We’re licensed and insured in New Jersey, and Wendell keeps the documentation current. If you want proof, ask. We’ll show you. That matters because chimney work happens on roofs, around fire, and inside flues where hidden damage can exist. If something unexpected happens on the job, the insurance is there to make it right. You’re not left holding a bill. The licensing means we’ve met the state’s requirements to operate as a chimney service business in New Jersey. The insurance means you’re protected while we work. Both are non-negotiable parts of how Top Hat Chimney does business.
Seniors and veterans always get 10% off any job, and it’s not a coupon with an expiration date. It’s a standing offer that’s been in place for years. When you call (856) 699-1992, just mention you qualify for the discount and we’ll apply it before we send the quote. You don’t have to provide a stack of paperwork. A simple note in the file and the discount is yours, on this job and every job after.
Why the Guarantee Matters in Waterford
Waterford chimneys see everything New Jersey weather can throw at them. Wet winters, freeze-thaw cycles, summer humidity, and the occasional noreaster. A chimney that looked fine in March can have a deteriorated crown by October. Your flue doesn’t care how the fire looks. It cares how it breathes. When a sweep company from two counties away offers you a “lifetime guarantee,” ask yourself how far you’ll have to chase them if something goes wrong. Top Hat Chimney is based right here in Waterford. The phone number is (856) 699-1992. Wendell answers it. The guarantee isn’t a call center script from a national franchise. It’s a promise from a neighbor who’s been working on Waterford roofs since before some of his customers were born.
Get the Job Done Right the First Time
Call (856) 699-1992 to book your chimney cleaning, repair, or inspection. You’ll get a real arrival window, an upfront price before any work starts, and the 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing on your invoice. Seniors and veterans save 10%. Any repair over $200 takes an additional $40 off. Free second opinions on competing estimates, no trip charge inside the county. The one down the road answers the phone, every time.
Written by Wendell Pike, Owner at Top Hat Chimney, serving Waterford and surrounding New Jersey communities since 1999.