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.
Why Universal City Homeowners Choose Gelco Chimney Cleaning
We provide independent Gelco in Universal City chimney cleaning service, which means something specific: our technicians recognize Gelco factory-built fireplaces on sight, know their flue collar and damper hardware cold, and service them properly without being an authorized Gelco dealer. If you own a Gelco Pre-Fab, Wood Burning, or Gas Insert fireplace in Universal City, we can sweep it, inspect it, repair the damper, and tell you honestly whether it’s worth fixing. We’re not affiliated with or authorized by Gelco. We’re the independent crew that has worked on enough of them across the Cahuenga Pass hillsides to know exactly where they fail first. Need service? Call (877) 500-2276.
Why Trust Causeway Chimney Sweep for Your Gelco Chimney Cleaning?
Gelco is a regional Western brand, so factory-built Gelco fireplaces show up in Gelco service in Studio City and Universal City homes more often than the big national names. That matters because these units have their own quirks. We’ve learned them the hard way, by showing up, opening the firebox, and seeing what the previous sweep missed. The owner, Noel Carrasco, grew up along the Lankershim Boulevard corridor of Universal City, went through building trades and HVAC fundamentals at Los Angeles Valley College, and apprenticed under a sweep who taught him one thing above everything else: the flue tells you everything if you know what to look for. That’s the approach we bring to every Gelco unit. We look at the flue collar clearances, check the damper hardware, and listen for what the metal’s doing after years of heat cycling. If you can’t tell me what’s in your flue, that’s exactly why we should look. We use OEM Gelco hardware when it’s still available and quality aftermarket parts when it’s not. We don’t swap in whatever the hardware store has on the shelf and call it good. And we stand behind the work on our name, not on a manufacturer’s badge.
Styles & brands we work with
Common Gelco Chimney Cleaning Problems We Fix in Universal City
These aren’t hypotheticals. They’re what we find on Gelco units in Universal City repeatedly. The hillside lots, the intermittent burning patterns, the Santa Ana wind loads, they all push these fireplaces toward the same failures.
- Flue collar screws backing out. On Gelco Pre-Fab and Wood Burning Fireplaces, the flue collar is secured with fasteners that slowly work loose through heat expansion and contraction. Once those screws back out, the collar shifts and smoke leaks into the chase, then into the room. You’ll see staining above the firebox and smell smoke long after the fire’s out. We resecure the collar and verify the connection before anything else.
- Damper bracket seizing or breaking. Gelco dampers sit right in the heat path. Over years of intermittent Universal City use, the bracket corrodes, warps, or seizes. Homeowners call because the damper won’t close fully, or won’t open, or makes a grinding noise when they try. A stuck damper means heat loss all winter and a possible backdraft. We replace the bracket, often with OEM Gelco damper parts, and set the throw properly.
- Gaskets on gas inserts hardening and leaking. Gelco Gas Fireplace Inserts rely on fiberglass or ceramic gaskets around the glass and combustion chamber. After five to eight years of heat cycling, those gaskets turn brittle and leak combustion gases. You’ll notice a faint acrid odor when the unit runs, and the flames may look lazy or yellow instead of clean blue. We replace gaskets with material rated for the same temperature range as the original Gelco spec.
- Crown and flashing seal failures at the pan flashing detail. Gelco’s installation detail relies on a pan flashing at the chase top. On Universal City hillside homes, where wind drives rain sideways against exterior-wall chases, that flashing seal degrades. Water gets in, runs down the chase, and corrodes the firebox framing. We open the chase, inspect the flashing, and reseal with professional-grade materials, not a tube of bathroom caulk.
- Creosote hardening between intermittent burns. Universal City fireplaces see maybe ten fires a year. That sounds light, but it’s actually a problem. Each fire lays down a thin soot layer, then the chimney sits cold for months. The creosote cures and hardens, so the next fire bakes it on. Over several years you get a thick, crusty glaze that a standard brush won’t remove. We use mechanical methods for hardened creosote and verify the flue with a camera before we call it clean.
Gelco Parts & Our Repair-vs-Replace Approach
When a Gelco part fails, the first question is whether the manufacturer still makes it. For newer Gelco Pre-Fab and Insert models, OEM hardware is usually available through the same professional supply channels we use for Olympia Chimney and Copperfield product lines. We order it. When OEM Gelco hardware is discontinued, which happens as models age out, we source aftermarket dampers and gaskets tested to the same fitment and temperature ratings as the original. We don’t gamble with universal-fit parts. And here’s the part most companies won’t tell you: sometimes a 15-year-old Gelco firebox that’s been water-damaged or heavily corroded isn’t worth repairing beyond the safety-critical fix. When that’s the case, we say so plainly. We’ll resecure what keeps you safe and tell you the firebox has limited life left, rather than selling you a series of repairs that won’t hold. Call (877) 500-2276 and we’ll give you the real picture.
Our Gelco Service Process – Step by Step
- 1
Diagnosis. We start by opening the firebox and checking the Gelco-specific failure points first: flue collar fasteners, damper bracket integrity, and gasket condition on gas units. We also run a camera up the flue to check for creosote glaze, cracked sections, and any sign of water entry at the chase top.
- 2
Repair or install. If we find loose collar screws, we resecure them. If the damper bracket is shot, we replace it with OEM or equivalent-rated parts. If the gaskets are brittle, we strip the old material and install new gasket rated for the original Gelco temperature range. Any soot removal happens before reassembly so the firebox is clean when we put it back together.
- 3
Test. We cycle the damper through its full range, check the flue collar connection, and on gas inserts we run the unit briefly to verify combustion and confirm no exhaust odor. We don’t leave until the damper opens and closes smoothly and the draft pulls correctly.
- 4
Warranty. Our work is backed by our name. If the repaired component doesn’t hold up under normal use, we come back and make it right. The photos and condition notes from our camera inspection are yours to keep.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterGelco Products We Service & Install in Universal City
We service the full range of Gelco products found in Universal City homes: the Gelco Pre-Fab Fireplace, Gelco Wood Burning Fireplace, Gelco Gas Fireplace Insert, and Gelco Fireplace Insert. That includes sweeping, Level 2 inspections, damper repair, soot removal, gasket replacement, and flue collar resecuring. We also handle the venting side: chase top sealing, flashing repair, and crown resealing. If the unit is beyond repair and you’re replacing, we can install a new Gelco unit or recommend an alternative from our professional brand portfolio, including DuraFlex liner systems and HeatShield resurfacing. We keep common Gelco damper parts and gasket material on the truck so we can complete most repairs in a single visit.
We Also Service These Brands
Gelco is one of the brands we work with most in Gelco in North Hollywood and Universal City, but we’re not a one-brand shop. We also service and install DuraFlex liner systems and HeatShield resurfacing products, along with other professional chimney supply lines like Olympia Chimney, Famco, and Copperfield. That matters when your Gelco unit needs a liner repair or a resurfacing treatment that a clean-only sweep would refer out. We handle it in-house.
FAQs – Gelco Chimney Cleaning Service in Universal City
Yes. Gelco is the manufacturer, and Gelco Fireplace is the product line name used for their factory-built wood-burning and gas fireplaces. In Universal City, most Gelco units we service are either the Pre-Fab Fireplace, Wood Burning Fireplace, Gas Fireplace Insert, or Fireplace Insert models.
Every 25 to 30 fires, or at least once a year if you burn regularly. In Universal City, most homeowners use their fireplace less than that, but the intermittent use creates its own problem: creosote cures and hardens between burns. Even if you only light five fires a year, schedule an inspection and sweep every other year. Hardened creosote is harder to remove the longer it sits. Call (877) 500-2276 to schedule.
The two most common causes on Gelco units are a loose flue collar and a seized damper bracket. If the collar screws have backed out, smoke leaks at the connection before it reaches the flue. If the damper won’t open fully, the draft never establishes properly. Both are fixable. We resecure the collar and replace the damper hardware, then verify with a smoke test. Call (877) 500-2276 and we’ll diagnose it.
Sometimes. For newer Gelco Gas Fireplace Inserts, OEM gaskets, dampers, and hardware are still available through professional supply channels. For older models where Gelco has discontinued the part, we source aftermarket replacements tested to the same fit and temperature ratings. If a part is truly unavailable, we’ll tell you and talk through the honest options.
Yes. A wood-burning Gelco needs soot and creosote removal from the firebox and flue. A Gelco Gas Fireplace Insert doesn’t produce creosote, but it does accumulate dust, pet hair, and combustion byproducts on the burner, logs, and gasket surfaces. The gasket replacement interval is the critical maintenance item on gas units. We clean gas inserts without water or abrasive chemicals, and we check the gasket seal with a combustion test before we leave. Call (877) 500-2276 for gas insert service.
A standard Gelco sweep and inspection in Universal City typically runs between $200 and $350, depending on the unit type and how much creosote has hardened in the flue. Gas insert service runs in a similar range, with gasket replacement quoted separately. If we find a loose flue collar or seized damper during the sweep, we’ll give you a repair quote before doing anything. Call (877) 500-2276 for a free estimate.
Book Your Gelco Service in Universal City, CA
If you have a Hollywood Gelco service need or a Gelco fireplace in Universal City and the damper’s making noise, the smoke’s acting odd, or it’s simply been years since anyone looked at the flue, call us. (877) 500-2276. Estimates are free, and we’ll tell you straight what needs fixing and what can wait.
Written by Noel Carrasco, Owner & Lead Chimney Sweep at Causeway Chimney Sweep, serving Universal City and the surrounding hillside neighborhoods.