Homesure's Map, Starting in Tarzana
Where Homesure goes
Each city page says what we look at first there, and what can usually wait.
Why Tarzana Has No Page of Its Own
Tarzana is where Homesure Chimney Experts is based. It sits in the south of the San Fernando Valley, between Encino and Woodland Hills, so those two pages come first below and cover the streets on either side of us. Sherman Oaks, Calabasas and Studio City are a short drive. Simi Valley is over the pass, so we try to put Simi visits on the same day.
Wherever you are, the visit is the same. You tell us what you noticed, even if you are not sure it is anything. We look, then say in plain words what we found, what can wait and what cannot. Each city page below says what we tend to look at first in that place.
right next door to Tarzana, to the east
Encino
Encino is the nearest area page to our Tarzana base, and a lot of the lots here are big enough for more than one fireplace: one in the living room, maybe one in a bedroom, and a fire pit or outdoor fireplace out back. When you are not sure which ones are safe to use, we check each one and tell you, one by one, in plain words.
just west of Tarzana on the Valley's western edge
Woodland Hills
Woodland Hills is our other next-door neighbor, west of Tarzana. The houses closer to the hills sit nearer to brush than the flats do, so the spark screen on the cap gets a close look on every visit there. On the flats, the questions we hear are more about a damper that will not close or a draft coming down the chimney.
a short drive east of Tarzana, past Encino
Sherman Oaks
In Sherman Oaks we see two kinds of fireplace side by side. On the flats, a lot of houses have a factory-built metal unit behind the surround. Up the hill, there is more brick. The questions differ: on a metal unit we look at the firebox panels, the chimney pipe and the cap; on brick we look at the mortar, the crown and the flue tiles.
west of Woodland Hills, past the 101 into the hills
Calabasas
A lot of Calabasas homes have a factory-built fireplace behind stone or stucco, and the homeowners association often has a say in what a new cap or chase cover looks like. When something needs replacing, we tell you first what is wrong and why, so you can take a plain description to the association before any part is ordered.
east along Ventura Boulevard from our Tarzana base
Studio City
Studio City calls to Homesure often begin with a smell. A fireplace that has not been lit since spring can give off a sharp, smoky odor on a hot day, and people want to know if that means trouble. Usually it points to soot and creosote sitting in the flue, and a sweep sorts it out. We look first and tell you which it is.
over the Santa Susana Pass into Ventura County
Simi Valley
Simi Valley is a drive over the pass for us, so we try to set Simi visits on the same day. Many people there call because they bought a house and do not know when the chimney was last looked at. We start with the basics: is the flue clear, is the cap there, is the damper working. Then we tell you what we found.
past Calabasas on the inland side of the Santa Monicas
Agoura Hills
Is yours brick or factory-built? A good share of houses here went up after 1970, when metal fireplaces inside framed chases became common. The answer changes what needs fixing, so we settle it before anything else.
the older streetcar side of the San Gabriel Valley
Alhambra
With about a third of homes built before 1950, plenty of Alhambra chimneys are site-laid brick. A newer house may hide block behind gas logs. Either way, we tell you what you have and whether it needs anything at all.
large lots and foothill air below the San Gabriels
Arcadia
A big Rancho house can have more than one fireplace, and they may not be the same age or type. Rather than a blanket verdict, you get an answer for each: fine, watch it, or leave it unlit until repaired.
a tiny city built on old dairy land, home to Little India
Artesia
Dairy pasture gave way to tracts, so many chimneys on these streets are now past sixty. If yours runs gas logs, the real question is whether the flue above still works, and we answer it.
Catalina's harbor town, reached mainly by ferry
Avalon
Half the homes on this hillside are older than 1950, packed into a canyon above the bay. In a small cottage, the fireplace is a big part of the room. We tell you what is sound, what is worn, and what is merely old.
Foothill Boulevard's old Route 66 stretch below the San Gabriels
Azusa
Old bungalows around Foothill Boulevard sit a few blocks from buildings a century newer, so the age of your street says little about your chimney. Tell us the year the home went up. We then explain what that means for yours.
Metrolink stop and old burger town in the valley
Baldwin Park
Post-war fireplaces here were laid in brick or block, and many later took gas logs. Maybe yours is fine. If it is not, you hear what is wrong and how much time you have.
small southeast county city along the Los Angeles River
Bell
Three of every four households rent in this city, so the person wondering about the fireplace may not own it. We write what is wrong in plain terms, which you can hand to a landlord or use yourself if the house is yours.
bungalows and rentals between Florence and Garfield avenues
Bell Gardens
An added unit behind a bungalow can change how a lot is laid out, but it does not change the old chimney's job. Only about one in five households own, so we keep the findings simple enough to share with whoever is in charge.
former dairy country along the San Gabriel River
Bellflower
Farmland turned to tract homes fast here, and a chimney from that rush may have had little attention since. If you bought a small ranch house and never asked, we can tell you whether it was left in good order.
the Flats and the hillsides north of Sunset
Beverly Hills
The Flats went up mostly in the 1920s and 1930s, and a fine surround tells you nothing about the flue behind it. We describe what is sound and what is not, so a costly finish never decides the answer.
gated foothill estates in a very small city
Bradbury
With about 350 housing units, nearly every one owned, this is one of the smallest cities around, and hardly any two chimneys match. No assumption holds from house to house, so each custom build gets its own explanation.
across the Valley at the eastern end, under the Verdugo Mountains
Burbank
Burbank is at the far side of the Valley from Tarzana, and many of the calls we get from there are about an older factory-built fireplace. People ask if it is still safe. We find the maker's plate when there is one, look at the firebox panels and the pipe, and say whether parts can be replaced or whether the unit is at the end of its life.
the old Owensmouth, out in the west Valley
Canoga Park
Owensmouth came first, in 1912, and this Los Angeles neighborhood keeps some early bungalows between its later ranch houses. Those two types fail differently, and we tell you which one you have and what to watch.
old Dominguez rancho country, now South Bay tracts
Carson
Owners live in roughly three of every four homes, a high share around here, so a chimney question is usually your own to settle. Tracts spread over rancho land after World War II, and those fireplaces are now old enough to check.
a southeast county suburb of 1970s tract homes
Cerritos
Half the homes here went up by the mid 1970s, the years when factory fireplaces were catching on. So your chimney may be a metal pipe inside a framed box and not brick at all. Those units have parts we can name and explain.
the Colleges and the Village, below the San Gabriels
Claremont
Around the Village, a Craftsman house may have a chimney from before 1930. North of Foothill, it is likelier from a ranch tract. We treat these as separate questions, because the old one wants mortar care and the newer one rarely does.
mostly factories and rail, with a few residential streets
Commerce
Most of this city is industry, so housing comes in little clusters like Rosewood and Bandini. If one of those houses is yours, the chimney is likely small and old, and a short look usually says enough about it.
post-war tracts and the horse lots of Richland Farms
Compton
A house here may hold brick laid before the war, though most neighborhoods are post-war ranch homes. We tell you which you have, because old brick needs more attention than the later kind does.
citrus town turned suburb, east along Arrow Highway
Covina
Bought a ranch house here and found a fireplace nobody has used? On streets this age, that is a fair thing to wonder about. We check whether it draws and whether it is safe, then explain anything that needs doing in order.
a very small city of deep, narrow lots
Cudahy
Those long, narrow lots began as small farm plots, and fewer than two in ten households own. If you rent, you can still ask what is wrong. We put it in writing so your landlord has it in simple language.
bungalows and newer homes along Ballona Creek
Culver City
Harry Culver's 1913 city grew out in stages, so bungalow brick and a later metal unit can sit within a few streets. Over 8 in 10 homes are older than 1980. We name your type and speak only to it.
hillside suburb on the old ranch, where the 57 meets the 60
Diamond Bar
Half these homes date from 1980 or later, so many hillside tracts have factory units and tile roofs that make any rooftop work slower and more careful. We explain which parts of yours matter and which only look alarming.
an aerospace-era suburb in the southeast basin
Downey
This farm town grew fast with aerospace work, and more than 80 percent of its homes went up before 1980. Gas logs often went into those fireplaces later. We check that the setup is still right for the flue it sits under.
old citrus country against the San Gabriel foothills
Duarte
Most houses here came after the citrus groves went, in a run from the 1950s to the 1970s, and condos fill much of the rest. In a condo, ask us early whether the chimney belongs to you or the building.
a dense valley city and major bus hub
El Monte
Six in ten households here rent, and many small stucco houses share tight lots. A chimney on a narrow lot often sits close to the neighbor's wall, so we pay attention to what falls where if the top is loose.
beach town just south of LAX
El Segundo
More than half of households rent in this beach city, and many older brick boxes have since gained gas logs. That matters, because salt air and gas both change what ought to be checked. We tell you which applies to your place.
berry fields long gone, tract streets along Western Avenue
Gardena
Berry farms came first here, tract homes after the war, so a chimney on these streets is likely in its seventies by now. Age alone is no verdict. A look tells you whether yours has held up or started to slip.
east past Burbank, along the Verdugo Mountains
Glendale
Glendale has a lot of older brick chimneys, and a call we often get from there is from someone who just moved in. They want to know if the fireplace is usable. We look at the firebox, the damper and the flue, then tell you in everyday words: light it, sweep it first, or do not light it until something is fixed.
citrus town and Village streets at the foothill edge
Glendora
Close to Glendora Avenue, a few early citrus-era houses still stand with site-built brick. Most homes elsewhere came later. Knowing which group yours falls into tells us where to begin, and it spares you checks you do not need.
a tiny, densely settled city in the southeast county
Hawaiian Gardens
Few cities here pack so much into so little land, and most homes are rented. Fireplaces are not in every unit. Where one exists, usually with gas logs by now, we can tell you if it is ready to use.
an aviation-era city along Hawthorne Boulevard
Hawthorne
Fewer than three in ten homes are detached houses, so many residents here have no chimney at all. If you have one of the older bungalows built during the aviation years, it is probably brick, and worth one proper look.
a South Bay beach town beside the Greenbelt
Hermosa Beach
Over half of units here are apartments and condos, so in many cases the chimney question is a shared one. Our notes spell out what we looked at and which piece belongs to you versus the building.
private gated streets where the Valley ends
Hidden Hills
About 6 miles from Tarzana, this planned ranch community got its start around 1950, and many of those first houses have given way to custom builds. If an original ranch house remains, the chimney is likely masonry. Newer ones vary more.
one of the densest small cities in the southeast county
Huntington Park
Close to half the houses here predate 1950, and a house that old with a fireplace almost surely has a masonry chimney. Cottages and bungalows look charming from the street. The questions that matter are at the roofline and inside the flue.
almost entirely warehouses and rail along the 60
Industry
With roughly 40 housing units and about 200 residents, this is mostly a place of warehouses, so a home fireplace is a rare thing. If you are one of the few who have one, we check it the same as anywhere.
an 1880s townsite about five miles from the Pacific
Inglewood
Inglewood had a building wave in the 1920s and another after World War II, and roughly a third of homes date from before 1950. If yours is in the older group, we check the masonry with that history in mind.
quarry land and a few homes by Santa Fe Dam
Irwindale
About 1,400 residents share this city with its quarries, and houses are usually lived in by their owners. A home built around 1985 likely has a factory unit, though older masonry exists too. We start by telling you which.
hillside estates and foothill suburb below Angeles Crest
La Canada Flintridge
An old Flintridge estate and a 1950s ranch house may sit close together but rarely share a problem. With nearly nine in ten homes owner-occupied, you usually decide for yourself, and we keep the explanation clear enough to do that.
avocado hills and big lots along Hacienda Road
La Habra Heights
Steep drives and big lots are normal in these avocado hills, and older custom houses often carry masonry chimneys. Before anything gets scheduled, you hear from us whether it truly needs doing. A long climb up should have a real reason behind it.
former olive ranch land, now 1950s and 1960s tract streets
La Mirada
Very few houses here are older than 1950, and most came in one wave. That makes this an easy place to explain: chimneys are about the same age, and we tell you whether yours is ageing normally or ahead of schedule.
Puente Valley suburb that replaced the walnut trees
La Puente
Where walnut trees once stood, most of the housing rose in the mid century, and about eight in ten homes are older than 1980. Not every tract got a fireplace. If yours did, you probably have brick or block, and we explain its state plainly.
the old Lordsburg, a citrus town at the valley's east end
La Verne
Old Town's early bungalows go back to Lordsburg days, while the north of the city holds hillside custom homes. Two neighbors a mile apart can face different issues, so your own chimney's age and location decide what we discuss.
the tract suburb behind the Lakewood Plan
Lakewood
A handful of floor plans built this city, and some models left the fireplace out. Where one exists, it is likely brick or block of about the same age, nearly 90 percent of homes here being pre-1980. Knowing that helps us explain what to check.
Antelope Valley sun, wind and grit
Lancaster
Half the homes in this Antelope Valley city came after 1986, so most fireplaces are factory-built with metal flues. Fixing those means naming the right part. We explain which part you have and whether a problem is real or only cosmetic.
a compact South Bay city beside the 405
Lawndale
Renters are the large majority here, and many lots hold several units. A house with its own fireplace is often an older one with brick. If you own that house, or live in it, you get the same plain account of how it is doing.
little hill near the Harbor, with a railroad museum
Lomita
Roughly half the units here are single-family houses, the rest apartments and condos, and owners and renters are close to even. A modest ranch house chimney is simple to read, so you should expect a short, clear answer without a long list.
a big port city shaped by the 1933 quake
Long Beach
A third of the homes here are from before 1950, and many old brick chimneys in this city were damaged or rebuilt after 1933. You may not know whether yours was. A camera and a good look can usually tell you what was patched.
the City of Los Angeles, which Tarzana is itself part of
Los Angeles
Tarzana is a neighborhood of the City of Los Angeles, so in one sense every visit we make here is in Los Angeles. This page is for the parts of the city further from us, over the hill and to the east. The questions are the same everywhere: is anything wrong, and if so, how soon does it need fixing? We answer them the same way.
old dairy land in the southeast county
Lynwood
Nearly half the houses here are older than 1950, grown out of dairy land from the 1920s on. So a small stucco bungalow may have a brick chimney close to a century old. We say what that means for yours, without alarm.
coast and canyons west along the Santa Monicas
Malibu
After the 2018 and 2025 fires, many lots here are rebuilding, and some old masonry chimneys are gone. If one still stands on your lot, whether it can be used is a serious question. We answer it plainly so you can plan.
the Sand, the Hill and the Tree Section
Manhattan Beach
Enlarged and rebuilt houses are everywhere here, and a remodel sometimes keeps an old chimney that nobody has checked for years. A new roof does not mean a new flue. We look past the addition and say what remains underneath.
a small city along Atlantic Boulevard and Slauson
Maywood
Nearly half of these homes are older than 1950, and most households rent. Lots often hold a second unit or small building. If there is a fireplace on the property, we explain its state so the person who decides can see why.
a foothill town below the canyon park
Monrovia
North or south matters here. Post-war tracts and apartments fill much of the southern half, while over a quarter of houses are older than 1950. Owners and renters split fairly evenly, so we write plainly for whoever made the call.
old oil hills and adobe history east of downtown
Montebello
Post-war houses here usually got brick chimneys, and some 84 percent of the housing was up by 1980. About half of it is detached. If yours is, we check the fireplace and tell you whether it is in shape for use.
hillside streets near East Los Angeles College
Monterey Park
Plenty of houses climbed these hills after the war, and a stack on a slope is harder to judge from the driveway. Do not guess from below. Our camera and a close look settle what is going on at the top.
C Line's end, with ranch tracts all around
Norwalk
A one-story stucco house gives easy roof access, which keeps an answer simple. Where these tracts had a fireplace, it was usually masonry, and many households here own. So the choice about repairing or leaving it sits with you, and we explain the options.
Antelope Valley desert city along the San Andreas
Palmdale
Barely a fifth of houses here predate 1980, so metal flues are the usual story, though a 1950s ranch may still have masonry. Knowing which you own saves time. Then we can say which parts have actually aged.
Olmsted-planned peninsula streets around Malaga Cove
Palos Verdes Estates
Nine in ten houses here belong to whoever lives in them, and on a sloped lot the stack can be awkward to get to. So nobody climbs up for a small reason. When a trip to the top is needed, you hear why.
once Hynes and Clearwater, beside the Los Angeles River
Paramount
Hynes and Clearwater merged into this city, then it filled up in the mid century, and today most households rent. If a fireplace came with your place, we can say whether it is safe to use and who should act.
east of Glendale, across the Arroyo Seco
Pasadena
Pasadena is a long way from Tarzana, so we group Pasadena visits on one day. Many of the fireplaces here are original to old Craftsman houses, and owners worry that any repair will spoil the look. We say first whether anything needs doing at all. If it does, we explain the options that keep the old brick or stone looking as it does.
ranch streets bounded by two rivers
Pico Rivera
Seven in ten households own here, and a modest ranch-style lot is what most of them own. Nearly every house is old enough now that the fireplace merits one honest look. You get a list with the urgent items at the top.
Fairplex and Antique Row, far out in the east basin
Pomona
Lincoln Park and Wilton Heights ask different questions from Phillips Ranch. The first two have older chimneys that want a mortar check, while newer tracts come down to parts. Name your part of town, and the likely list gets short.
fog and shifting ground on the peninsula coast
Rancho Palos Verdes
Few places share this hazard: land around Portuguese Bend moves, and a stack on it can part from the house it serves. If you live near it, tell us. We explain what ground movement looks like at the stack.
Pacific frontage from North Redondo to Riviera Village
Redondo Beach
Roughly 60 percent of housing here is not a detached house. A condo owner and a Riviera hillside owner have very different chimneys, and we keep the answer to the one you actually have, with no generic list.
a gated horse-keeping town behind white rail fences
Rolling Hills
Hanson planned this as a rural horse town in the 1930s, and an older ranch house here likely has a masonry stack. A later remodel may have brought gas into it. We check how well those two arrangements actually fit together.
peninsula lots with stables, above the South Bay
Rolling Hills Estates
These homes are from one main era, the 1950s through the 1970s, and almost nine in ten are lived in by owners. That means plenty of chimneys that have reached the age of first big repairs, or perhaps none yet. We say which.
valley streets near the 1987 Whittier Narrows epicenter
Rosemead
Roughly a quarter of all houses went up before 1950, and the 1987 quake hit nearly under this city. If nobody has looked up inside your flue since then, a camera can answer that one question simply.
foothill suburb with Via Verde and Puddingstone nearby
San Dimas
Most of the growth here falls between 1960 and 1985 or so, right when masonry was giving way to metal, so two neighbors may have very different fireplaces. We tell you what type yours is before anything else gets discussed.
a small city in the north Valley
San Fernando
Two big quakes hit here, in 1971 and 1994, and some old chimneys were probably rebuilt afterward. Nobody may have told you. If you bought a house here, we can tell whether yours looks original or redone, and how sound it is now.
the old mission city along Valley Boulevard
San Gabriel
Close to four in ten homes here are older than 1950, while a condo may have gas or no fireplace. So the first thing you learn from us is whether your setup is the old-brick kind or the other kind.
residential from the start, with period revival estates
San Marino
About seven in ten houses predate 1950, among the oldest housing in the area, and period design often means several fireplaces and tall stacks. Many are lightly reinforced brick. We give an honest read on how much strength remains without any fuss.
Newhall, Valencia and the Santa Clara River valley
Santa Clarita
More than half the homes here date from the 1980s or later, so metal flues and caps are the norm, and metal wears differently than brick. An older small house in Newhall is another matter. We say which case is yours, in everyday words.
old oil boom city with Heritage Park at its heart
Santa Fe Springs
Oil built this city, and most houses arrived in the mid century after the boom. A typical ranch house may have one brick chimney with steel inside, now decades old. Steel can rust without showing, so an honest look goes beyond the surface.
bluffs, courtyard apartments and Ocean Park history
Santa Monica
Hardly one home in five is a house on its own lot, and around seven in ten households rent, so a fireplace often belongs to a building. Courtyard and early Ocean Park homes are still around too. Either way, you can pass our plain notes along.
small foothill village below the mountains, with a Kersting Court center
Sierra Madre
Dating back to 1881, this is an old town for these foothills, and an old house with brick may have little or no reinforcement. A chimney like that can look fine and not be fine. We say which of those it is.
the old oil hill looking over the port
Signal Hill
Oil wells covered this hill for decades and kept building late here compared with surrounding streets. As a result, half the homes are newer than 1980, with metal fireplaces in many. We name what yours is and which parts matter.
homes and industrial employers near the 1987 epicenter
South El Monte
Most homes here are from between the 1940s and 1960s, and a typical one has a single brick stack with steel inside. Whether that steel still does its job depends on what has happened since. That is the question we answer.
an old rancho gate with Hollydale at its south end
South Gate
Nearly half of the houses here go back before 1950, Hollydale among them, and much of that brick is unreinforced or close to it. Rather than alarm you, we tell you exactly how it stands, plus what you can safely do and leave.
tree-lined streets with Greene and Greene history
South Pasadena
Close to half the homes here predate 1950, and a few chimneys were built before clay flue liners became standard. If yours has none, that changes what is safe. We check, then explain what it means, without pushing any fix.
Walter Temple's town on Las Tunas Drive
Temple City
Eight in ten homes are detached houses, with one brick chimney on the typical post-war lot. Simple construction makes it easy to explain. A sweep may be all yours requires. If it needs more, you will know why before you decide.
Old Torrance to Hollywood Riviera, a large South Bay city
Torrance
Most of the city filled in during the 1950s and 1960s, typically with one brick chimney per house, while Old Torrance is a bit older. These chimneys are often past the point where age alone explains a leak. We trace where yours comes from.
an exclusively industrial city with hardly any residents
Vernon
About 330 people live here, and homes are few because this city was formed for industry. Most residents rent. If yours somehow has a working fireplace, we look at it and tell you what you and your landlord need to know.
quiet residential streets against the Puente Hills
Walnut
Close to all homes here are detached, more than eight in ten owner-occupied, with many built after 1980. So a fireplace here may be either a metal unit or older masonry, and you will want to know which before spending anything.
a big valley city below Galster Park and the South Hills
West Covina
Three in four homes here predate 1980, and a typical tract chimney has steel inside brick that is now decades old. It may have decades left too. An honest look helps you decide whether to plan anything at all.
courtyard apartments along Santa Monica Boulevard
West Hollywood
Barely one home in ten is a detached house and four of five households rent, so a fireplace usually comes with an apartment. In a 1920s courtyard building, old brick may be shared. Our notes make clear who owns what.
lake-centered planned community on the county line
Westlake Village
Built as a plan on the old Albertson Ranch, this place has essentially no pre-1950 homes, and a metal unit is likely. Metal wears differently than brick, at its seams and cap. Those are the things we talk to you about.
Quaker founded, with a historic Uptown at its heart
Whittier
Founded by Quakers in 1887, this city has some very old houses near Uptown. Three in ten homes are from before 1950, and much of that brick is unreinforced. Nearly nine in ten predate 1980, so age is the normal question here.
Oxnard Plain city near CSU Channel Islands
Camarillo
Half the homes here came after 1982, and many are attached, like those in Leisure Village. A metal flue or a shared one each raises its own question. If you own, we explain what is yours and what the association holds.
an old citrus and rail stop on the river valley
Fillmore
Citrus and rail built this little town, incorporated in 1914, with older core homes and later tracts wrapped around it. Those older chimneys are often only lightly reinforced brick. Downtown took a real blow in 1994, so we pay attention to which part of town you are in.
tract neighborhoods around High Street and the college
Moorpark
Four of five homes here came after 1980, so Peach Hill or Campus Park fireplaces are probably factory units. Those have parts, and parts wear. Instead of a long list, you hear which pieces need attention and which ones are fine.
Spanish Colonial downtown in a closed mountain valley
Ojai
Three in four homes here are detached and a fireplace still means something in a valley with cold winter nights. Even so, not every old chimney should keep working. We tell you where yours stands and whether to keep lighting it.
Harbor, beach and farm plain, a very large coastal city
Oxnard
Near Oxnard Shores or Channel Islands Harbor, the question is corrosion. Inland, on the tracts, it is more often age and type. A house a few miles from the water can be a different job entirely, and we say so.
old wharf town beside the Seabee naval base
Port Hueneme
Only one home in three stands on its own and most households rent, so a fireplace often raises a who-handles-it question. In a post-war house, there may be steel inside aging brick, and salt air makes that matter a bit more.
citrus capital with murals and an old downtown
Santa Paula
Limoneira was founded here in 1893, and Victorian and Craftsman homes still stand downtown. Their brick may be thinly reinforced, or not at all. Old houses need honest answers, so we explain plainly what is fine to leave and what should not be.
the Conejo Valley, named for its protected oaks
Thousand Oaks
In the Conejo Valley, the Janss company's tracts ran for decades, so a 1960s house and one from Dos Vientos differ greatly. An older one may have brick; later ones likely hide a metal flue. We sort that out first, then talk about what it needs.
old mission town between the harbor and the hills
Ventura
Roughly one home in eight predates 1950, a group that includes the Mitchell Block's late 1800s houses. Their chimneys may have little reinforcement in them. We give you a plain account of yours, and it stays as short as the work allows.
newer south Orange County city along Aliso Creek
Aliso Viejo
Half the housing here is from about 1995 or later, and most of it is attached. So a fireplace here is usually metal and often part of a homeowners group. We keep the answer to what you are able to act on yourself.
packing house downtown, flat tracts and the Hills beyond
Anaheim
Most building came in the tract boom that followed Disneyland in 1955, so brick and later metal both show up. Up in Anaheim Hills, the concerns are different than on the flat tracts. We start with where the house is, then say what follows.
old oil town with Birch Street at its center
Brea
This oil town from 1917 mainly grew after the 1950s, so a house may hold old brick or something much newer. Up toward Carbon Canyon, the worry is different again. We walk you through what applies at your address, and nothing more.
Knott's old berry stand town off the 5
Buena Park
Very few homes here predate 1950, so most chimneys were built in one post-war period and are aging together. Steel in the brick helps, though it does not last forever. We check and answer the simple question: does yours need work yet?
tableland above the coast near South Coast Plaza
Costa Mesa
Fewer than half the units here are detached and six in ten households rent, so your fireplace may fall under a landlord or association. The older tract brick is decades along. We lay out what is wrong clearly for whoever must decide.
former dairy land near Los Alamitos Race Course
Cypress
Built as dairy land turned suburban from the 1950s through the 1970s, this city crosses the line between site-built masonry and factory units. Your house date tells us a lot. Share it, and our first explanation is more useful to you.
bluffs, Doheny and the harbor headlands
Dana Point
Capistrano Beach still has older beach homes beside newer bluff-top ones, while much of this city's housing dates from the 1970s onward. A beach home and a tract home ask different questions. We keep to the one that fits your roof.
the old Talbert farmland around Mile Square Park
Fountain Valley
Farmland gave way quickly to tracts here, nearly all finished by 1980. Period fireplaces are mostly masonry, with metal later. Owners here have had decades to wonder if theirs is fine. A look answers that.
university city from Sunny Hills to Amerige Heights
Fullerton
Sunny Hills ranch houses have masonry that is decades old, while Amerige Heights, once Hughes Aircraft land, has factory or gas units. Near the universities, many rent. Your neighborhood sets the discussion, so we begin there.
orchards turned tracts, around Little Saigon and Little Seoul
Garden Grove
Orchards and farms became single-story ranch tracts after the war, and most are still here. Since this area was rural in 1933, these homes postdate that quake, and their fireplaces carry different histories than older cities. We explain what that changes.
Pacific frontage from Downtown to Bolsa Chica
Huntington Beach
Most homes here date from the 1960s and 1970s, so they are entering the age when a chimney needs a real look, though a few downtown cottages are far older. Near the water, the answer is often metal parts. We tell you plainly.
planned villages around UC Irvine and the greenbelts
Irvine
Half the homes here are from 2002 or later, and factory metal or gas is the rule, with no site-laid brick. Most households rent as well. So the useful question is simple: does this unit work, and if not, whose job is it?
north county city named for the pass
La Habra
Citrus and avocado groves became tracts here in the 1950s through the 1970s, and nearly eight in ten homes are now older than 1980. These chimneys may have gone their whole life unchecked. We start from that and tell you what shows up.
once called Dairyland, on the county's northwest edge
La Palma
Dairyland became this city in 1965, and few homes are older than 1960. With most built around the same years, chimney age is a shared fact. Still, what wind and rain have done to yours specifically is another matter, so we check.
art colony cottages and steep canyons on the ocean
Laguna Beach
Art colony cottages remain in town and in the canyons, more than a quarter of all homes being from before 1950. Steep lots at Bluebird Canyon or Mystic Hills make any climb a real decision, so we explain before anyone goes up.
south county hills with Nellie Gail's bridle trails
Laguna Hills
Half the houses are from 1980 or later, right around the shift to metal, and Nellie Gail Ranch adds custom builds to the mix. If yours is custom, it may be unusual. Rather than assume, we inspect it and name what you own.
planned hills around the Ziggurat and the regional park
Laguna Niguel
Fewer than one in four homes predates 1980, so metal or gas is the rule, and only some custom hillside houses have masonry. That makes this simple to explain. You hear what yours is, which parts age, and how soon they could fail.
low-rise manors beside Irvine and Moulton Parkway
Laguna Woods
Only 7 percent of homes are detached here, so most fireplaces, where they exist, belong to a co-op or condo manor. Your association may own the flue. We put findings in plain language you can bring to the board.
Saddleback Valley, from Serrano Creek to Foothill Ranch
Lake Forest
Foothill Ranch and Portola Hills are mainly 1990s, while Baker Ranch is much newer. Each has its own type of fireplace. Share your neighborhood with us at the start, and the likely issues narrow quickly.
small city by the San Gabriel River and Rossmoor
Los Alamitos
Four homes in ten here stand alone, and most households rent, so the first question may be who should be asking. A small city with mid-century stock can have a lot of quiet wear. We check and describe it plainly.
Saddleback Valley, home of the Nadadores and a 1984 Olympic race
Mission Viejo
The 1970s and 1980s produced most homes here, so factory-built metal or gas is what you probably have, with masonry on some early or custom houses. Those units are now old enough for parts to wear out. We tell you which ones.
Balboa Pavilion, the harbor and the Newport Coast hills
Newport Beach
Newport Heights and Corona del Mar put old cottages right beside new custom homes. Older customs may have masonry, while newer houses use gas or factory units. One answer does not fit the street, so we speak to your house alone.
Old Towne's 1888 Plaza, and Chapman University nearby
Orange
Old Towne houses are often still on their first brick chimney, and owners tend to want them saved. Farther east, homes run on factory or gas units. We tell you what is original, what is repairable, and what truly should not be used.
pleasant place, with citrus-era streets and later tracts
Placentia
The name means pleasant place, and Old Town keeps some citrus-era homes. The rest mostly came in the 1970s and after. If you live near the 1902 Bradford House, you may have a very different chimney than someone a mile east.
man-made lake and hills, near Trabuco and Dove Canyon
Rancho Santa Margarita
Only about 4 percent of homes here are older than 1980, so this is young housing. Metal and gas are likely. Parts can still fail early, so if something seems off, we check it and tell you whether it matters or not.
Casa Romantica and the pier, far down the coast
San Clemente
Older Spanish houses may have masonry, while newer Talega or Marblehead Coastal homes run on factory or gas units. Half the homes came after 1983. Whether you own a Spanish classic or a newer tract, we explain your setup and skip the rest.
Mission town, with the old Los Rios district
San Juan Capistrano
Los Rios holds some of California's oldest neighborhoods, but most homes here came later, half by 1979, and eight in ten are owner-occupied. If yours is historic, repairs need care. We say what must be done and what can stay as it is.
old courthouse town with historic neighborhoods
Santa Ana
Floral Park, French Park and Wilshire Square hold older homes with brick chimneys, while plenty of apartments sit elsewhere. If you live in one of those historic areas, your chimney's age raises questions. We answer them without talking you into a rebuild.
Main Street and pier, on a stretch of county coast
Seal Beach
About 89 percent of homes here predate 1980, and detached houses are just over a third. A fireplace, where there is one, is often gas or an older factory unit. Those are getting on in years now. We tell you if yours has reached its end.
Beach Boulevard homes close to Knott's
Stanton
Barely a quarter of homes here are detached, and plenty of the attached ones were built without a fireplace. An older house may have brick or block, and that is where we can help. If that is your place, you get a short, clear report.
old town roots, with Tustin Ranch and Tustin Legacy
Tustin
Barely a third of units stand alone, and Tustin Ranch and Tustin Legacy are largely gas or factory-built country. A newer unit can still have a problem. If yours has one, we explain it, and whether you or an association should fix it.
a very small city ringed by Orange and Anaheim Hills
Villa Park
Nine in ten homes are lived in by the owners here, and 95 percent are detached, in a tiny city surrounded by others. Many date from around 1974, right when fireplaces were changing. You decide for yourself, and we explain what is there.
old temperance colony with Midway City next door
Westminster
Founded as a Presbyterian colony in 1870, this city was largely rural in 1933, so most of its houses came well after that quake. A regular tract lot with a post-war fireplace is the normal case. We check and give a straight read.
hillside east county along the Santa Ana River
Yorba Linda
Eight in ten homes are owned here, and most fireplaces are factory-built or gas, though custom hillside homes may have masonry. Up the hill, embers from nearby wildland matter too. We name which of those apply to you and which do not.
Mission Inn country, Mount Rubidoux above it
Riverside
Victorian houses in Heritage Square are a world apart from post-war ranch homes with block fireplaces, and this city holds both. Near the Mission Inn, brick has its own needs. We work out which one you have and what it wants.
Grand Boulevard's Circle City and the Temescal Valley
Corona
Only a quarter of homes here predate 1980, and most units are factory metal or gas. Near Grand Boulevard, though, early 1900s bungalows still have brick. So this city splits into two simple cases, and we tell you which is yours.
coast, valley, foothill and desert in a single county
Los Angeles County
This page is for the many unincorporated places, like Altadena, Topanga, Hacienda Heights, Castaic and Acton. Most county land sits outside any city. Wherever you are, the questions do not change: is it safe, and how soon does it matter?
Inland Empire, mountains, wine country and desert
Riverside County
An Idyllwild cabin and a Temecula tract home have almost nothing in common, and neither do the Coachella Valley's mid-century houses. This county page is a starting point. Tell us your town, and the conversation moves straight to the fireplace you own.
34 cities, a long coast, and canyons inland
Orange County
Ladera Ranch, Coto de Caza, Silverado, Modjeska and Rossmoor sit outside any city, and this page is for homes like those. A coastal cottage and a canyon house share little. We start with where you live, then explain what that means for yours.
coast, citrus valley and old mission towns west of us
Ventura County
Old homes in Santa Paula, Fillmore and Ojai may have masonry worth keeping, while Oxnard and Port Hueneme have harbor homes facing salt. Farm houses in Somis add another kind. This page covers county areas, and we speak to your own kind of home.
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Call and give us the address, and tell us what you noticed. If it is near a city on this page, we can usually fit it in on a day we are close by.