Chimney, Masonry, and Stove Services in Hudson, MA
On Duty Chimney, Masonry & Stove serves Hudson from our Leominster base, and we know the housing a former mill town leaves behind: older, densely built, and often multi-unit. Founded by Bryan LeBlanc, On Duty is built on nearly two decades of fire service experience with the Leominster and Ashburnham Fire Departments, which is why every job centers on fire prevention, safety, and code compliance.
Our crew of roughly 20 technicians brings a camera to every sweep and repair, so a Hudson homeowner sees the true condition of each flue on a screen before any work begins. That documented, evidence-first approach is how we replace guesswork with a clear plan, and it is why so much of our work comes from repeat customers and referrals.
Why Hudson Chimneys Need Attention
Hudson grew up as a mill town on the Assabet River. Once the village of Feltonville, it became its own town in 1866 and, from the 1850s until its last shoe factory burned in 1968, it was a shoe town with as many as seventeen factories, plus the Apsley rubber works that employed thousands. Waves of Irish, French-Canadian, Portuguese, Italian, and Greek immigrants filled the worker housing near the factories and downtown, much of it multifamily built close together.
That industrial past shapes the chimneys we see. The older downtown and near-river housing tends to have tall brick chimneys, often serving more than one unit, that have weathered well over a century, while the neighborhoods that filled in later have masonry chimneys built for single-family fireplaces and stoves. The Great Fire of 1894 rebuilt much of downtown at once, so a lot of that core housing shares a similar age and construction.
A good share of Hudson’s older multifamily stock is rental property, and landlords need documentation that each unit’s chimney is safe. Our camera-first process produces a flue-by-flue record that is exactly what a property owner needs to hand to a tenant, a buyer, or an inspector.
Hudson’s ongoing downtown revitalization has brought renovation to many of the older buildings, and renovations sometimes change how a chimney is used without anyone checking the flue itself. A unit that switches heating systems, or a fireplace reopened as a feature, can leave a chimney venting in a way it was never set up for. A camera inspection confirms the current setup is safe, which is easy to overlook in a building that has been updated more than once.
Common Chimney Problems in Hudson Homes
In Hudson’s older downtown and mill-worker housing, we most often find worn crowns, open mortar, and aging or shared liners on tall multi-unit chimneys, where one defect can affect more than one apartment. In the newer neighborhoods, it is usually an uninspected fireplace flue or a stove added without a proper liner.
A camera inspection handles both. On a multi-unit chimney we document each flue separately; on a single-family home we give a clear read on the fireplace or stove venting, so you know what is safe and what needs work.
Services We Provide in Hudson
Everything we do at our other Central Massachusetts jobs, we do in Hudson:
- Chimney sweeping and cleaning: creosote and debris removal matched to your specific flue type, with a camera inspection included.
- Camera-assisted inspections: Level 1, 2, and 3, photo-documented so you see the findings for yourself.
- Chimney repair and masonry: crown rebuilds, tuckpointing, brick replacement, and full rebuilds to Massachusetts code.
- Chimney relining: code-compliant stainless liners for fireplaces, wood stoves, furnaces, and boilers.
- Caps, chase covers, and waterproofing: custom-fit covers and sealing to keep water, animals, and debris out of the flue.
- Stove sales, installation, and repair: wood, pellet, gas, and electric, including permitting and final safety testing.
- Fireplace repair and restoration: from firebox and damper repair to gas conversions and aesthetic updates.
- Dryer vent cleaning: lint removal that lowers fire risk and improves dryer efficiency.
How We Work, and the Area We Cover
Every job starts with a camera. A technician runs each flue, documents the crown, liner, and masonry with photos, and walks you through what we find in plain language, separating what needs attention now from what can safely wait.
Hudson sits on the Assabet just off Interstate 495, and from the same trucks we serve the surrounding towns, including Marlborough, Stow, Berlin, Bolton, Sudbury, and Maynard.
What It Costs
Pricing depends on your chimney and the work involved, but to set expectations: a standard chimney cleaning runs $349 to $550 per flue, with $200 for each additional flue, and a camera inspection is included with that service at no extra charge.
A standalone Level 2 camera inspection, the kind often needed for a home sale or after a chimney fire, runs $200 to $500. Masonry and relining are quoted after the inspection, once we can show you exactly what the chimney needs.
If you own or manage property in Hudson and the chimney is overdue for a sweep, has never been camera-inspected, or is showing cracked mortar or a poor draft, call On Duty at (978) 696-7933 or book online. We will document every flue and give you a clear plan.
Frequently Asked Questions about General Fireplace Repair
Do you work on Hudson's older multi-family homes near downtown?
Yes. Tall masonry chimneys serving more than one unit, common in the downtown and near-river neighborhoods, are some of the most frequent work we do. We camera each flue separately and document its condition.
I own a rental in Hudson. Can you provide documented inspections?
Yes. For multi-unit buildings we camera each flue and provide a photographed report you can keep on file and share with tenants or inspectors, which is often what landlords need to show the venting is safe and code-compliant.
My Hudson home is a newer single-family. Do I still need a chimney inspection?
If your fireplace or stove flue has not been inspected in a year or more, yes. Newer masonry chimneys still develop crown and liner issues, and a camera inspection is a quick way to confirm everything is safe.
How often should a Hudson chimney be swept?
For homes burning wood or pellets, once a year before heating season. An annual camera inspection is the best way to catch crown, liner, and creosote issues early.
Are you licensed and insured in Massachusetts?
Yes. On Duty is fully licensed and insured in Massachusetts, Bryan LeBlanc holds a Massachusetts Construction Supervisor License and Home Improvement Contractor registration, and our technicians are trained to Massachusetts code.
Can you service several units or properties in one visit?
Yes. For multi-unit buildings, or owners with more than one property, we can inspect and sweep multiple flues on a single scheduled visit and provide one consolidated, photo-documented report. That keeps recordkeeping simple and helps show every unit’s venting is safe.
What Our Customers Are Saying
Customers here in Leominster and beyond love our chimney services! Here are a few things they have to say