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.
Olympia Chimney Chimney Liner & Rebuild in Reading: What to Know First
We repair and rebuild Olympia Chimney liners in Reading, PA, and across Berks County. Most Olympia liner jobs are diagnosed same-day with a camera, and the work itself typically takes one full day on site once parts are in hand. We quote a flat price before anything comes off the truck, and if your Olympia liner turns out to be sound, we’ll tell you that and shake your hand on the way out.
This page is for Reading homeowners who own Olympia Chimney components and want a straight answer about liner replacement, partial rebuilds, or full chimney rebuilds. If you’re not sure what you have, we’ll identify it during the inspection. Call (484) 209-0837 and a live person answers, day or night.
How Olympia Chimney Products Fail - and How We Fix Them
- Olympia stainless liners pitting at the flue tile transition. The flexible stainless liners in older Reading rowhomes often corrode right where they exit the clay tile and meet the connector. That’s condensation meeting a temperature change, and it’s the first place we scope with the camera. Fix is usually a partial repipe with the right gauge stainless, not a full rebuild.
- Mismatched adapter kits causing draft loss. We see Olympia liners connected to stoves and inserts with aftermarket adapters that weren’t sized for the appliance’s BTU output. The liner looks fine from below, but the draft is weak and the smoke backs up. We correct the adapter, test the draw, and you’re burning clean again.
- Cracked clay from freeze-thaw cycles. Reading winters are rough on exterior chimneys on the older brick stock near Pagoda Hill and Centre Park. Olympia liners run inside clay tiles that crack when moisture freezes and expands. The crack transfers stress to the liner. We address both: reline properly and cap the crown so water stops getting in.
- Undersized liners from original installs. Some Reading homes got 5.5-inch Olympia liners on appliances that needed 6 inches or more. The result is poor draft and faster creosote buildup. When we find that, we don’t patch it. We size correctly to the appliance and the flue’s actual draw.
- Dented or kinked flex from hurried installation. Flexible Olympia liners get kinked when they’re rushed down a flue with offsets. A kink restricts flow and creates a place for creosote to stack up. We see it often in center-city Reading chimneys with tight bends. Our fix is careful rerouting, and if the liner’s integrity is compromised, replacement in the right diameter.
Our Olympia Chimney Chimney Liner & Rebuild Process
- 1
Call and talk to a person. You’ll get a live body. Wendell often picks up himself. We ask what you’re seeing, what’s burning, and when it started. Then we book a window that respects your day.
- 2
On-site camera scope. Wendell and his crew run a camera down the flue, top to bottom. You see the footage. You get a plain-English verdict, every time, no exceptions.
- 3
Parts decision. If an Olympia liner needs replacing, we quote OEM where it matters for warranty and fit, and we’ll use quality aftermarket stainless when it’s genuinely equal or better for your situation. No mystery parts.
- 4
Flat price before work begins. The number you hear on the phone is the number on the invoice. That’s it. No change order games halfway up the ladder.
- 5
The repair or rebuild. Liner pulled or replaced, masonry repaired if needed, crown sealed, cap fitted. We protect your roofline and clean up like we were never there except for the working chimney.
- 6
Test and guarantee. We test the draft, run the scope again, and hand you the footage. Every job carries the 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If it’s not right, one call brings us back at no charge.
What Olympia Chimney Chimney Liner & Rebuild Costs in Reading
Straight numbers for Reading, PA, because you should know before you call:
- Stainless steel liner replacement (Olympia or equivalent): $1,800 to $3,400 depending on flue height, access, and appliance venting.
- Partial chimney rebuild (top 5-10 rows of brick, new crown): $1,200 to $3,000 in Reading’s balloon-framed older stock.
- Full chimney rebuild from the roofline up: $4,500 to $9,000 for the typical two-story Reading brick chimney, more if it’s a center-city rowhome with shared walls or steep access.
- Camera scope + written verdict: Free with any repair. We’ll hand you the footage either way.
What moves the price: roof pitch, flue height, whether the crown is shot, whether we’re pulling clay tile or relining over it, and whether the liner’s insulation wrap is needed for code. Call (484) 209-0837 for an exact quote. Estimates are free.
Why Reading Homeowners Call Top Hat Chimney for Olympia Chimney Work
Wendell Pike has been running crews through Reading’s neighborhoods and rowhouses for years, including plenty of jobs along the old brickwork near Pagoda Hill. He learned the trade fundamentals at Southwestern College in Chula Vista, but what matters more is what he’s pulled out of Berks County flues. Cracked liners, squirrel nests, third-degree creosote glazing. He’s seen it. Named it. Fixed it.
We’re an independent Olympia Chimney service provider. We also work with DuraFlex, HeatShield, and Gelco, so if your chimney has mixed components from two manufacturers, we’re not standing there scratching our heads. We fix the whole flue, not just the brand name on the liner. Background-checked, uniformed crew. Real arrival windows. And a 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing on every single job, whether it’s a liner, a crown, or a full rebuild.
Ask anyone on your street. Better yet, call (484) 209-0837. A live person answers, and it may well be Wendell himself.
FAQs
Most Olympia liner replacements in Reading run between $1,800 and $3,400, depending on flue height, roof access, and whether insulation wrap or clay tile removal is required. A partial rebuild with a new crown adds $1,200 to $3,000. Call (484) 209-0837 for a free, exact quote. The number we give on the phone is the number on the invoice.
Not if it’s done right. We follow manufacturer installation specs for clearance, sizing, and termination, and we stick to OEM Olympia parts where the warranty language requires them. Where an aftermarket stainless liner is genuinely equal, we’ll say so and show you why. You get the footage and the parts list either way.
The camera doesn’t lie. Pitting, kinks, cracks at the flue tile transition, or diameter issues are what we look for. A small pinhole can sometimes be patched if the liner’s otherwise sound and the appliance draw tests within spec. But if the steel’s thinned across a full section or the diameter’s wrong, you’ll spend more chasing patches than doing it once.
Inside Berks County, there’s no trip charge. We schedule real windows, not “sometime between 8 and 6.” If your liner’s actively leaking or your draft has failed, we push you up the schedule. Call (484) 209-0837. If it doesn’t need doing, we’ll be the first to tell you. If it does, we’ll get it done.
Water and flue gas keep working on rotten mortar and cracked clay. In Reading, freeze-thaw does the rest. You end up with spalled brick, a bigger masonry bill, and a chimney that can’t draft properly. Once a year, burn or no burn. Chimneys break in the off-season too.
Written by Wendell Pike, Owner, Top Hat Chimney at Top Hat Chimney, serving Reading and nearby areas.





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