Sweep & inspection
Caps & crowns
Flue relining
Masonry repair
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.
DuraFlex Chimney Cleaning in Running Springs, CA | Santa Ana Chimney Sweep
We provide independent DuraFlex chimney cleaning and service across Running Springs, with a focus on what high-altitude winters actually do to stainless flex liner systems. The thing that makes our DuraFlex work here different is simple: we see what 6,000 feet of snow load, ice damming, and months of vacancy do to liners and caps that looked fine in September. Call (855) 341-9658 for a free estimate, and we’ll tell you straight whether you need a cleaning, a repair, or nothing at all yet.

Our owner, Allen Becerra, grew up around the masonry fireplaces of Santa Ana’s Floral Park neighborhood and trained in construction technology at Santiago Canyon College. He’s spent the better part of two decades inspecting chimneys across Southern California, and the durability questions that matter in Running Springs are ones he’s answered hundreds of times. We’re an independent DuraFlex service provider offering DuraFlex service in Lake Arrowhead and nearby mountain communities, not a manufacturer-authorized dealer, which means our advice is brand-neutral: if a DuraFlex part needs replacing, we’ll tell you. If it doesn’t, we’ll tell you that too.
Why Running Springs Residents Choose Us for DuraFlex Service
Running Springs is not a lowland market. A chimney sweep who works mostly in the Inland Empire or Orange County sees a different wear pattern than the one that develops here after a heavy snowpack winter. We know DuraFlex liners by their failure points in mountain homes, from DuraFlex service in Highland to Running Springs: top-plate rust from trapped snowmelt, insulation blanket settling after years of thermal cycling, crimp separation from high-heat pine fires. That’s the kind of knowledge you can’t fake with a brochure.
We stock genuine DuraFlex OEM liners, caps, and connectors so we don’t have to order parts and leave your cabin without heat during burning season. When OEM availability or lead times demand it, we use equal-or-better aftermarket components, always with safety as the deciding factor. The same crew that cleans your chimney can also replace a damaged cap, repair a top plate, or assess whether your liner needs relining. You’re not getting a cleaner who hands you a list of problems and a second contractor’s phone number. You’re getting a company that fixes what it finds.
For a deeper look at our DuraFlex sales and service capabilities, see DuraFlex sales & service.
Styles & brands we work with





Common DuraFlex Chimney Cleaning Problems We Solve in Running Springs
Here’s what we find in Running Springs specifically. Not generic chimney issues, the ones that repeat cabin after cabin up here.
- Top-plate corrosion and rust-through. Snow accumulates on the cap and top plate, melts partially during the day, and refreezes at night. That water sits against the steel for months. We routinely find DuraFlex top plates rusted through at the seams, which lets water run down the liner and into the firebox.
- Snow-crushed caps. A big snowpack winter loads caps with more weight than they were designed to take. Ice damming bends the spark arrestor mesh and can break the cap’s mounting tabs. A crushed cap restricts draft and sends smoke back into the house.
- Creosote buildup from dense pine and oak fires. Mountain wood burned at 6,000 feet produces dense smoke, and colder flues mean creosote condenses faster than it does at sea level. It’s common to see glazed creosote inside a DuraFlex liner after a single heavy season.
- Insulation blanket settling or tearing inside the chase. The expanding and contracting from Running Springs’ temperature swings eventually shifts or tears the reline insulation blanket. That reduces clearance protection and changes the liner’s safety profile.
- Crimp or seam separation from high-heat cycling. Venting hot pine fires through a flex liner repeatedly stresses the crimped seams. Over enough seasons, those seams can start to open, letting creosote and gases bypass the liner walls. We catch this early on Level 2 inspections.
DuraFlex Service in Running Springs: What Local Conditions Mean for Your Equipment
Here’s something most generic guides won’t tell you: many Running Springs cabins sit empty for months at a time. November through February might be the exception, but plenty of second homes up here only get used on long weekends and holidays. That creates a specific risk pattern. A cracked DuraFlex liner or a loosened top plate doesn’t announce itself when nobody’s home. The damage happens silently, through freeze-thaw cycles and winter storms, and the homeowner doesn’t notice until the first cold-weekend fire of the season. By then, the liner may have been compromised for weeks. That’s why pre-season Level 2 inspections matter more in Running Springs than they do in a year-round-occupied suburb. You’re not just scheduling a cleaning. You’re verifying that a chimney that sat through a whole winter untouched is actually safe to use. As Allen puts it: “A clean flue isn’t a luxury – it’s what separates a working fireplace from a fire hazard.”
Last fall, we serviced a 1970s cabin off Rim of the World Drive where the homeowner had just fired up the wood stove for the first time. The DuraFlex liner’s top plate had rusted through from trapped snowmelt, and the cap was partially crushed from a heavy snowpack. We replaced the cap with a new DuraFlex multi-flue model and sealed the plate with high-temp silicone, restoring safe draft before the first big storm. The homeowner had assumed a liner installed five years ago would still be fine. It wasn’t.
DuraFlex Models & Products We Service in Running Springs
We work on the full DuraFlex product range we see in Running Springs homes:
- DuraFlex Stainless Steel Flexible Chimney Liner Kit – the workhorse liner for older masonry flues and wood stove retrofits. We clean, inspect, and repair these regularly.
- DuraFlex Reline Insulation Blanket – we check for settling, tearing, and gaps that compromise clearance ratings.
- DuraFlex Top Plate and Cap Assembly – the component that takes the worst beating from Running Springs snow and ice. We replace these more than any other DuraFlex part on this mountain.
- DuraFlex Appliance Connector Kit – used for connecting wood stoves and inserts to the liner. We verify fit, seal integrity, and corrosion resistance.
When we use OEM parts, we use DuraFlex-branded components matched to your liner’s original specifications. When OEM lead times would leave you without heat, we source equal-or-better aftermarket parts and tell you exactly what we’re installing and why. No surprises, no mystery metals.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterDuraFlex Service Pricing in Running Springs
Chimney cleaning in Running Springs typically runs $180 to $340, depending on the liner’s condition and how much creosote has built up. That price includes the cleaning itself, a camera inspection of the DuraFlex liner, and a photo report so you see what we see. Cap replacements are separate, usually $150 to $400 for parts and labor depending on the model and whether the top plate needs resealing. Chimney waterproofing – something we recommend for mountain chimneys facing heavy snow and freeze-thaw exposure – runs $250 to $500 for most Running Springs homes. Relining with a new DuraFlex system runs $1,800 to $4,500 depending on liner height and whether insulation is required.
What drives the cost here: access is often harder on mountain properties, snow can complicate roof work, and liners in Running Springs tend to be gunked up worse than average because of dense wood fires and long burn seasons. A free estimate includes the camera work so you know exactly what you’re paying for before any work starts. Call (855) 341-9658 for an exact quote.
Serving Running Springs, CA — Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Running Springs area and know this community well, and we also provide Mentone DuraFlex service. Use the map below to see our service coverage — if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs – DuraFlex Chimney Cleaning in Running Springs
Snow load and ice damming crush, bend, and rust out caps faster here than almost anywhere else in Southern California. A heavy snowpack sitting on the cap for weeks refreezes at night, prying at seams and mounting points. We replace more snow-damaged DuraFlex caps in Running Springs than in any other market we serve. If you can see rust or a bent spark arrestor from the ground, call (855) 341-9658 before you build a fire.
It comes down to fuel and temperature. Mountain homes burn dense pine and oak that produce smoke loaded with creosote-forming compounds. The flue is also colder at 6,000 feet, which makes those compounds condense faster on liner walls. A single heavy burn season can leave a DuraFlex liner glazed with creosote that would take two or three seasons to accumulate at sea level.
Yes, and we do this constantly in Running Springs. We run a camera through the liner to check for crimp separation, seam gaps, corrosion, and insulation blanket issues. If the liner is damaged, we’ll show you the footage and explain whether repair or replacement is the right call. We repair what can be safely repaired, including DuraFlex repair in Crestline and surrounding areas, and we recommend replacement when corrosion or structural damage compromises the liner’s integrity.
Book a Level 2 inspection before you light the first fire. Vacant cabins are where we find the most expensive problems in Running Springs, because damage accumulates silently through the off-season. A pre-season inspection catches a rusted top plate or loosened cap before it becomes a fire hazard or water intrusion problem. Call (855) 341-9658 to schedule one before the cold sets in.
We stock genuine DuraFlex OEM liners, caps, and connectors, and we use them whenever they’re available and match the original installation. If OEM lead times would leave you without heat in burning season, we use equal-or-better aftermarket components and explain the substitution before we install anything.
Service Areas Near Running Springs
We serve Running Springs and the surrounding mountain communities, plus select areas down the hill. Our DuraFlex service coverage includes Running Springs service area and extends to nearby towns. We also provide DuraFlex service in Valle Vista and DuraFlex service in Hidden Meadows for customers whose mountain properties fall outside the immediate 92382 ZIP.
Book Your DuraFlex Service in Running Springs Today
If your chimney sat through last winter untouched, don’t guess. Allen Becerra and the crew at Santa Ana Chimney Sweep will inspect, clean, and repair your DuraFlex system honestly, with photo evidence at every step. Call (855) 341-9658 for a free estimate and get it done before the first cold-weekend fire.
Written by Allen Becerra, Owner at Santa Ana Chimney Sweep, serving Running Springs and the San Bernardino Mountains.