Masonry repair
Sweep & inspection
Caps & crowns
Flue relining
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.
Fast, Reliable Fireplace Repair Across Lake Magdalene
Fireplace repair in Lake Magdalene usually means one of three things: a rusted damper that won’t open, a cracked flue liner you can’t see, or a gas fireplace that won’t light. Most repairs on homes near Lake Magdalene Boulevard and Hanna Road run between $180 and $650, and we show you camera footage of the problem before any work is approved. Nothing gets recommended that you can’t see with your own eyes. That’s how Danny Cortes runs every job in Lake Magdalene.
If your fireplace is acting up, call (850) 290-0897. A live person answers, 24 hours a day. We’ll give you a written price before any tools come off the truck.
Why Kindling Chimney Tampa Is Lake Magdalene’s Preferred Fireplace Repair Company
Lake Magdalene’s housing stock is dominated by 1960s through 1980s ranches and split-levels, and most of those homes still have their original masonry chimneys. Our technicians know these structures well. We know that a fireplace on a 1972 split-level off North Boulevard is likely unlined or has a cracked clay-tile flue. We know that dampers on these older homes seize from humidity even when the fireplace sat unused all summer. That local knowledge means we don’t waste your time chasing guesses.
We’re part of the Cedarwell family of companies, established in 2003. Every Kindling Chimney Tampa technician is background-checked and arrives in uniform. Before any work starts, you get a written price. No pressure, no on-the-spot add-ons. And our 365-Day Done Right Promise covers every repair: if it’s not done right, we make it right.
The Fireplace Repair team at Kindling Chimney Tampa treats your floors the way you’d want them treated with kids and pets in the house. Shoe covers go on at the door. Drop cloths go down before anything else. We take a photo of the clean-up before we leave, so there’s never any question about how the home was left. The Cedarwell Care Promise is in writing on every visit.
Scheduling and dispatch for Lake Magdalene jobs are coordinated from our Miami office, but the crews working in your home are local to the Tampa area. That keeps response times short when a pilot light won’t stay lit or a damper is stuck shut on a cold evening.
Styles & brands we work with





Gas Fireplace Maintenance in Lake Magdalene
Gas Fireplace Maintenance in Lake Magdalene typically costs between $150 and $300 and should be done annually if your family uses the fireplace more than a few times each winter. The work involves cleaning the burner and pilot assembly, checking the thermocouple and thermopile, testing the gas valve, and verifying the venting is clear. Most Lake Magdalene gas fireplaces are factory-built units installed in the 1990s or later, and the biggest issue we find is spider webs or dust blocking the pilot orifice after months of disuse.
Pilot Light and Ignition Service
A pilot light that won’t stay lit is usually a failing thermocouple, not a gas supply problem. We replace thermocouples and thermopiles from brands like Copperfield for most units, and the part plus labor runs about $120 to $220 in Lake Magdalene. We carry common parts on the truck, so most gas repairs are done in a single visit.
Venting and Safety Checks
Gas fireplaces in Lake Magdalene homes with original chimneys often vent through a flue that was built for wood burning, not a sealed gas unit. High humidity in this part of Florida corrodes the metal vent connectors. We inspect the full vent run every time we service a gas fireplace, because a corroded connector behind the wall won’t announce itself until carbon monoxide becomes a problem. Danny Cortes will show you photos of anything that needs attention, and nothing gets replaced without your approval.
Wood Stove Installation in Lake Magdalene
Wood Stove Installation in Lake Magdalene generally runs between $1,800 and $4,200 depending on whether the home needs a new chimney liner, a hearth pad, or both. Most 1960s and 1970s homes on the north side of Lake Magdalene weren’t built with wood stoves in mind, so a proper installation almost always involves running an insulated liner through the original masonry chimney. Florida’s humid summers are hard on wood stove components, and cutting corners on the liner is the most common mistake we see from other installs.
Liner Selection for Older Chimneys
We install DuraFlex stainless steel liners for wood stoves in Lake Magdalene because they withstand the thermal shock of a rare cold snap without cracking. A clay-tile flue from 1972 was never designed for the intense, concentrated heat a modern wood stove puts out. When we install a wood stove, the liner is sized to the appliance, insulated where the code requires it, and connected to a properly rated cap.
Hearth and Clearance Requirements
Older Lake Magdalene living rooms often have combustible flooring right up to the fireplace opening. That means a proper hearth extension is part of a safe wood stove installation. We’ll measure clearances, show you exactly what the manufacturer requires, and give you a written plan with pricing before the first cut is made. Kids and pets have a way of finding hot surfaces, so we don’t leave clearance decisions to guesswork.
Trusted Brands We Service in Lake Magdalene
We stock and install parts from HeatShield, Gelco, Copperfield, and DuraFlex, which keeps turnaround fast for Lake Magdalene homeowners. A cracked clay-tile flue can often be resurfaced with HeatShield instead of a full liner replacement, and that’s a repair we’ll show you on camera before recommending. Gelco and Copperfield parts cover most dampers, caps, and gas components. When a 1978 masonry fireplace needs a new liner, DuraFlex is what goes in. You’ll see the brand name on your written estimate before you approve anything.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterCommon Fireplace Repair Problems We See in Lake Magdalene Homes
- Rusted damper assemblies: High humidity in this part of Florida keeps moisture sitting on cast-iron dampers for months. By the time a Lake Magdalene homeowner lights the first fire of winter, the damper is often seized partially open, which sends cold air and smoke back into the room.
- Cracked clay-tile flue liners: Homes built before 1980 around Lake Magdalene commonly have original clay-tile flues. Decades of rare cold snaps followed by humid heat cause thermal shock that cracks the tiles. A camera inspection shows the damage clearly, and that’s the first thing we do.
- Leaf and squirrel blockages in uncapped flues: Mature oaks throughout neighborhoods near Lake Magdalene drop leaves into uncapped chimneys all fall. Squirrels nest in flues left unused for months. When a homeowner lights that first fire, smoke has nowhere to go but back into the firebox.
- Failed pilot assemblies on gas fireplaces: Gas units in Lake Magdalene homes sit idle for eight months of the year. Dust and humidity corrode the pilot assembly, and the first cold evening is when families discover the fireplace won’t light. We can usually fix this in one trip with parts already on the truck.
On a split-level off Hanna Road, our tech scoped a 1978 masonry fireplace with a camera and found a clay-tile flue liner cracked in three places and a rusted damper assembly seized by humidity. We installed a DuraFlex stainless liner and replaced the damper with a top-sealing cap, then ran a draft test to confirm the fix before showing the homeowner the before-and-after footage on our tablet.
Pricing for Fireplace Repair in Lake Magdalene, FL
Most fireplace repairs in Lake Magdalene fall into clear ranges. A standard damper repair or replacement runs $180 to $400. Pilot light and gas valve service runs $120 to $300. A full flue liner installation, depending on the height of the chimney and liner type, runs $1,500 to $4,000. A chimney cap installation, including the cap itself, runs $250 to $600. Firebox repointing, where mortar joints are ground out and replaced, runs $600 to $1,400 for most Lake Magdalene fireplaces.
What changes the price is what we find on camera. A 1970s chimney with three cracked flue tiles costs more to repair than one with surface efflorescence. That’s why we never quote a repair over the phone without seeing the chimney first. Estimates are free, and the written price you get before work starts is the price you pay. Call (850) 290-0897 to schedule.
We Also Serve Cities Near Lake Magdalene
Kindling Chimney Tampa provides Fireplace Repair in Lake Magdalene and throughout the surrounding area, including Tampa, St. Petersburg, Tarpon Springs, and Town ‘n’ Country. If you’re just outside the Lake Magdalene boundary, we’ll still come out, scope the chimney, and give you a straight written price.
Serving Lake Magdalene, FL - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Lake Magdalene area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs About Fireplace Repair in Lake Magdalene
Humidity is the culprit. Lake Magdalene’s subtropical climate keeps moisture on cast-iron damper assemblies for months, and rust forms even when the fireplace sits completely unused. The metal swells and seizes, usually in a partially open position. We replace the assembly or convert the chimney to a top-sealing damper that keeps humid air out of the flue year-round. Top-sealing dampers run about $300 to $500 installed in this area. Call (850) 290-0897 and we’ll scope it on camera for you.
Maybe, but only if a camera inspection shows the tiles are intact. Most 1972 clay-tile flues in Lake Magdalene homes have at least one cracked tile from decades of thermal shock during rare cold snaps. A single cracked tile can allow heat and carbon monoxide to reach the chimney structure. We’ll show you the footage. If the damage is minor, HeatShield resurfacing can bring the flue back to safe condition for around $1,500 to $2,500. If it’s severe, a DuraFlex stainless liner is the right call. You’ll see the evidence before you spend anything.
Both. A squirrel nest is dry leaves, twigs, and fur packed into a flue, and it sits directly in the path of hot gases and sparks from your fireplace. It absolutely can ignite. Before that happens, it also blocks the draft, which pushes smoke into your living room. Lake Magdalene’s mature oak canopy means this is one of the most common fall findings we see. A chimney cap solves it permanently, and caps run about $250 to $600 installed here.
Cold air is heavy, and in a chimney that’s been unused for months, that cold air sits in the flue until heat pushes it out. When your Lake Magdalene home suddenly drops to 40 degrees and you light a fire, the cold plug in the flue resists the warm air rising from the firebox. The smoke has nowhere to go but back into the room. A partially open rusted damper makes this worse. The fix is usually a damper repair plus confirming the cap isn’t blocked. We’ll diagnose it with a draft test, not a guess.
Yes, and this is the single most common recommendation we make in Lake Magdalene. Florida’s 2002 building code began requiring chimney caps on new construction, but most homes in this area were built decades before that. An uncapped flue takes in rainwater during every summer thunderstorm, which damages flue tiles and rusts dampers. It also lets in oak leaves and squirrels. A proper cap costs $250 to $600 installed and prevents thousands in liner damage. Call (850) 290-0897 for a free estimate and we’ll show you exactly what your uncapped flue has been collecting.
Written by Danny Cortes, Owner at Kindling Chimney Tampa, serving Lake Magdalene and the surrounding communities.