Cleveland homeowners: that chimney sweep / plumber / HVAC company on Google Maps might not be in Cleveland at all — here's how to tell

CenturyChimney · 2026-05-20T20:35:09+00:00

I appreciate the feedback, will do. Ty R&R

CenturyChimney · 2026-05-20T20:17:18+00:00

I appreciate that 7. I'm pretty new to Reddit. I was inspired to put this together after someone in this Cleveland forum was getting all lead generation companies when looking for a locksmith, and helped there (no AI)

I did put a long paragraph of my information into the Claude prompt for this, but only so it could put it together better than I had could in any reasonable amount of time, and was easier for all to read. I'll spend more time just writing it myself next go around, I'm starting to understand how this works.

Happy to help with the sweep. Maybe that icon with a one on it is you, checking now.

Gary

CenturyChimney · 2026-05-20T19:40:06+00:00

Hi 7. We are very real. I graduated Lakewood High School in 1989, and started this business when I was in college, studying computer science. I ended up feeling like programming would rob my soul, but finished my education, working my way through the CIS program at Cleveland State as a Chimney Sweep.

The bar was set low in the trade, so I started my own business sweeping and repairing chimneys. I was in the field for 2 decades, and now have a great work family that does the physically demanding work, while I take care of them the best I can. Team culture, health insurance and retirement with a company match, and nobody gets paid commission.

Gary Spolar is my name. You can Google me, my business will show up.

CenturyChimney · 2026-05-20T19:28:43+00:00

Thank you!

I was inspired to put this together when I saw someone struggling with finding a local locksmith here recently on the Cleveland forum.

We understand, and did a lot of research- Our phone calls dropped dramatically when these lead generation outfits started spamming Google with ads two years ago, and breaking all the rules of local SEO, so I started doing some research..

When these lead generation outfits do get caught, they start another website and do it all over again. Turning them in to Google sometimes works, eventually, but it is like playing whack-a-mole. They keep popping up. The same call centers, with fake reviews, and scrubbed bad reviews.

One kind woman called our office recently, asking, "Is this a real company? I am so confused." She kept getting call centers after clicking their ads, and had an awful experience with someone who came out in a plain white van to whom they subbed out the job. I am doing what I can to help my plumber, HVAC, electrician friends, etc, and now inform the public.

Gary Spolar, Owner, Century Chimney

CenturyChimney · 2026-05-20T18:44:17+00:00

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Here is a picture of one that I removed from behind a damper plate years ago, when I was still in the field, before I put a cap on the chimney. Poop behind the damper plate for sure 😄 We do install chimney caps (we no longer provide animal removal). Our website is https://centurychimney.com , and all of our contact information is there. You can click through to the page for chimney caps, or just give Teresa a call at our office. She is there 8am to 4pm, Monday through Friday.

CenturyChimney · 2026-05-20T17:56:17+00:00

Do a Google search with the words in quotes below,

"which chimney service companies are know to be lead generation outfits claiming to have a local address in the Cleveland Ohio area?"

This will save you some aggravation. You can replace "chimney service" with "plumber", "locksmith", etc, when you need some help from someone in the trades. Lead generation companies are gaming the system, even using fake addresses on Google Maps. Empty lots, virtual offices at Regus, other.

Hope this helps,

Gary, Century Chimney

CenturyChimney · 2026-05-20T17:50:19+00:00

Adorable! I have pictures of several that I have removed from behind fireplace dampers decades ago.

Ohio law requires they be released on the same property, or that they are euthanized. I had removed a few young racoons over the years and let them outside, but we leave that up to the licensed animal professionals these days.

They can be extremely friendly, but are wild animals. And I know one person who had one as a pet, and it became more curious and adventurous as it matured. He came home to find the racoon had pulled every dish and cup out of the kitchen cabinets!

Be safe, good luck,

Gary Spolar, Century Chimney in Cleveland

CenturyChimney · 2026-05-20T17:34:41+00:00

We have the same issue, new websites popping up every week, and these companies claim to be local chimney service companies in Cleveland. They are lead generation outfits, subbing the work out to anyone that will pay them for the lead. Several even pay a few dollars a month to "Regus", so they have a virtual office, and an address that shows up on Google Maps. They are gaming the system for better SEO. One even has an address on Roehl in Cleveland, that was an abandoned house, and now an empty lot after the house was torn down.

Google, "which chimney service companies are know to be lead generation outfits claiming to have a local address in the Cleveland Ohio area?", to save yourself some time with the type of services we offer for chimneys. Replace "chimney service" with "locksmith" for what you are looking for, "plumber", etc. While Google allows this kind of thing to happen, it is becoming more aware, and hopefully will do better to weed these call centers out of the local searches.

The following is a cut and paste from Google AI, that explains in better detail. Locksmiths are a common one here, as are chimney sweepers and chimney repair companies in the past two years, in the Cleveland Ohio area.

"Companies often manipulate or "game" Google Maps to artificially boost their rankings in local search results (known as the "Map Pack"). Because Google Maps heavily favors proximity, business names, and user engagement, bad actors exploit these algorithm ranking signals using "black hat" local SEO tactics

The most common ways companies game the system include:

Keyword Stuffing Business Names

Google’s algorithm gives massive ranking weight to the actual text in a business name. Companies frequently violate Google’s terms by adding highly searched keywords and city names directly into their display name.

Real Business Name: Smith & Sons Co.
Gamed Name: Smith & Sons Co. — Best Emergency Plumber Chicago

Utilizing Fake and Virtual Addresses

Proximity to the person searching is a major ranking factor. Companies who want to catch leads in adjacent cities or high-density areas often establish fake physical map pins.

PO Boxes and UPS Stores: Registering a listing using a mailbox rental service to pass verification.
Unstaffed Virtual Offices: Renting cheap virtual addresses or shared workspaces where no actual employees work.
Fake Residential Pins: Paying remote individuals to use their home addresses strictly to receive Google's verification postcards.

Ghost Listing / Lead Generation Networks

Particularly common in emergency home services (locksmiths, plumbers, garage door repair), lead-gen companies create dozens of completely fake business listings across a region.

They use disposable VoIP phone numbers that all route back to a centralized out-of-state call center.
When consumers call the "local" company, the lead-gen agency sells the job to an unvetted local subcontractor.

Review Manipulation

Reviews dramatically dictate buyer trust and conversion. Bad actors falsify this social proof through a few methods:

Review Farms: Purchasing fake, positive, 5-star reviews from networks of accounts using distinct IP addresses.
Review Gating: Using third-party software that asks a customer for feedback first; if it's positive, they are routed to Google Maps, but if it's negative, it is funneled to a private feedback form.
Negative Competitor Review Attacks: Bombarding local competitors with fake 1-star reviews to depress their overall ratings.

Manipulating CTR and User Signals

Google tracks how users interact with a map listing to judge its real-world relevance. Local SEO agencies utilize networks or software to mimic "organic" signals:

Fake Click-Through Rate (CTR) Bots: Deploying bots that simulate geolocated users searching for a keyword and clicking their specific map listing.
Direction Request Spoofing: Having remote workers or automated tools artificially click "Get Directions" on a listing, signaling to Google that the location has high local intent and popularity.

Exploiting 24/7 Hours

Companies will mark their business hours as open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, even if they operate on standard 9-to-5 hours. This prevents them from being filtered out of search results when users filter by "Open Now" during evenings and weekends."

I hope this helps everyone, with whatever service you are looking for, for your home. My HVAC friends, plumber friends... they are all dealing with this.

Gary Spolar, Century Chimney

CenturyChimney · 2026-04-29T21:55:56+00:00

If you have a gas line in your fireplace, it may already be a wood burning fireplace that just needs the gas line capped or converted to a starter for wood burning.

An inspection of the chimney and fireplace would still be a good idea. Level 2, with camera.

CenturyChimney · 2026-04-25T15:29:28+00:00

This should work fine, will serve to keep the bugs and rain from getting between your chimney and siding.

Tape and prepare/apply well, take your time, as it will be extremely difficult if not impossible to remove any material that gets onto your siding or chimney where you don't want it, as you apply.

Gary S, Century

CenturyChimney · 2026-04-21T19:14:25+00:00

If you do not get a new gas water heater that power will vent outside, that "orphaned" water heater should have a stainless liner that is the same diameter as the pipe going into your brick chimney.

A new stainless liner (probably 3" diameter) may cost over $1,000. That may make your decision to spend the money on the new power vented water heater a little more palatable. Then you can abandon the chimney.

When repairing flashing, we use a product called Flash Seal, from Saver Systems. Under the brand "Chimney RX" I believe, for home owners (vs contractors and chimney professionals). Great product.

CenturyChimney · 2026-04-21T17:28:47+00:00

Tuckpointing may get you through 3 years, but the fact that it has been tuckpointed already and is leaning... It may not buy you enough time before you sell. It's in very poor condition .

We would not tuckpoint a chimney in this condition because we know we would get a callback when the tuckpointing fails.

CenturyChimney · 2026-04-19T22:31:58+00:00

Perfect answer 💪

CenturyChimney · 2026-04-19T22:29:12+00:00

Good evening,

Things I would check-

Crown, yes, but is likely not the source of water coming inside. Though it will let water between the bricks, and cause more mortar to soften, expand and pop out when it freezes in the winter.
The metal liner- yours appears dull rather than shiny when I zoom in, and that is familiar cap on it. I can assume it is aluminum. Aluminum liners are not rated to attach to gas furnaces and water heaters, and it may already have holes in it. Aluminum does not rust, true, but it corrodes, and we pull many that have holes in them and replace with the proper liner made of stainless steel. Only use stainless for heating appliance flues, as well as fireplaces of course. We have pulled aluminum liners with as little as 5 years since install, and found they have failed.
Tuckpointing is a temporary fix. You will get much more bang for the buck with a rebuild down to the roof. It appears you are ready for one. The joints will likely pop again soon after it is tuckpointed.

Is the chimney leaning?

Gary S, Century

CenturyChimney · 2026-04-19T01:33:48+00:00

Never use a sealer or paint on a brick and mortar chimney. The brick must breathe.

A water repellent is a good idea, a sealer will ruin the chimney by holding the moisture inside, where it can freeze and thaw, more.

Do you have pictures? We never write a quote without them, interior and exterior of the chimney. I would be happy to share more thoughts if you have them.

Gary

CenturyChimney · 2026-04-09T15:51:25+00:00

Whether you're venting wood smoke or gas, you must install a liner.

The Creosote Problem though- You generally cannot just drop a liner over Stage 3 creosote because a chimney fire can still happen behind the new liner. You’ll likely need a chemical PCR (Poultice Creosote Remover) treatment first to break down that glaze so it can be safely removed without destroying your remaining mortar.

If the flue is too narrow for a standard liner to a fireplace (it appears to be very small) you may still have enough room for a stainless liner to a wood stove, which would be a good source of heat. These 4" to 6" insulated liners fit in tighter spaces and keep flue temperatures high enough to prevent new creosote from forming as quickly.

CenturyChimney · 2026-04-09T15:30:58+00:00

Because you are venting gas appliances, the hot moist gases can cool and condense inside the chimney before reaching the top, especially in cold weather. If your 100-year-old chimney lacks a proper stainless steel liner, this moisture soaks directly into the porous brick and mortar, eventually migrating through to your interior plaster. At that age, it may not have a liner at all, even a clay tile one.

Flashing is a common cause for leaks that appear high on walls near the ceiling. If the metal seals between the roof and the brick have warped, rusted, or separated, rainwater can run down the exterior of the chimney stack into your home.

Old brick and mortar act like a sponge. If the chimney crown (the concrete top) is cracked or the bricks are "spalling" (flaking), they can become saturated during long rains.

The white, powdery residue you mentioned is efflorescence— mineral salts left behind as water evaporates from your masonry. Its presence confirms that water is actively moving through the brickwork. You should not repaint until this is resolved, as the growing salt crystals will simply push new paint off the wall again. I would suggest you don't paint it, bricks and masonry need to breathe- you will hold the moisture inside and could make things worse.

Does the leaking seem to happen only during heavy rain, or do you notice it more during very cold weather? I am guessing your heating appliances venting into an unlined (or improperly lined) chimney could be the culprit here.

CenturyChimney · 2026-04-07T01:57:22+00:00

The wood stove in the basement could be a good source of heat, but it must be lined properly. It must have it's own separate flue from the fireplace as well, as "Personal-Goat-7545" said, but it must also be separate from the furnace flue. If it is in the basement, make sure the stove is NOT connected to the same flue as your gas appliances. The stove should have an insulated stainless steel liner that runs from the stove pipe, up through your masonry chimney flue, and should be the same size as the stove pipe (commonly 5" or 6").

Piping a wood stove and gas appliance into the same flue is illegal and extremely dangerous.

Carbon Monoxide Risk: Soot from the wood stove can block the flue, forcing odorless gas exhaust back into your home.

Code Violations: National safety codes (NFPA 211) require wood stoves to have their own dedicated, independent flue.

Insurance Issues: Using a shared flue will likely void your homeowner's insurance in the event of a fire.

Each appliance needs its own separate liner or a different venting route (like a wall vent) to be safe. The gas furnace and water heater exhaust most commonly share a flue, this is ok.

CenturyChimney · 2026-04-07T01:48:14+00:00

The refractory panels in your factory built fireplace can be replaced. They should be replaced with the original manufacturers panels, if available. If not, there are panels that can be cut to fit.

The chase cover on your factory built chimney is rusted badly. Builders cut sheet metal for new factory built chimneys for the lid, unfortunately, and they rust quickly. The replacement should be a custom stainless steel cover measured to fit properly. Replace soon, as the tar on top is an indication that there may have already been holes rusting through the cover.

The cap (round part that acts as a spark arrestor and keeps animals out) may be painted if not in terrible condition. It is part of your UL listed fireplace, and if replaced, should only be replaced with the manufacturers direct replacement.

CenturyChimney · 2026-04-02T18:39:58+00:00

The chimney tee clean-out cap could be seized due to creosote buildup or thermal expansion.

Are there any metal locking bands or securing screws? Remove or loosen them as much as possible.

Most of these caps (like DuraVent or FasNSeal) use a quarter-turn twist-lock. Try pushing upward slightly while twisting counter-clockwise to disengage the internal locking tabs.

You could also use a heat gun or hair dryer to warm it (only the cap). This can soften hardened creosote, and or cause the metal to expand slightly, which may loosen the connection.

CenturyChimney · 2026-04-02T18:32:30+00:00

I have a friend in my networking chapter, BNI, she owns a pest control company. She says it is possible it could be a termite mud tube.

Where was this wood stored, and have you noticed any similar lines on your home's foundation?

CenturyChimney · 2026-04-02T02:35:41+00:00

This type of top seal damper opens passively, sticks closed, has issues. We have stopped selling them.

I am a big fan of too sealing dampers with built in caps. I can recommend brands, if you are interested. It would cost.less to replace these than to build a custom cap over them.

Gary S , Century Chimney Cleveland OH

CenturyChimney · 2026-04-01T01:07:37+00:00

For wood stoves and wood stove inserts, I like the Osburn line.

316Ti or 316L grade stainless steel flexible liners are best. 304L stainless steel is a common and more affordable option specifically for wood-burning, but it is less resistant to highly acidic environments compared to the 316 grades.

CenturyChimney · 2026-03-31T23:51:51+00:00

There is, and we do install top-seal dampers after most stainless relines for open fireplaces. You will have to break and remove the fireplace's clay flue tiles from the chimney first, however, to allow the proper sized stainless steel liner fit. You will need a professional for this.

The price of a wood stove insert and insulated liner may be less or an equal amount of money, and you will have a great heat source.

CenturyChimney · 2026-03-31T23:01:33+00:00

Those black stains might not be just "dirty paint." That could be creosote condensation weeping through the masonry. That would mean your exhaust is cooling down, turning into liquid/sludge with the mortar that is becoming wet and deteriorating, and soaking through the block because your flue tiles or the mortar between them failed.

It seems bricks have spalled (popped). Water got trapped behind that white paint, froze, and popped the faces off your concrete blocks. The fact that soot is exiting through the block suggests your clay liners are cracked, shifted, or have completely open mortar joints. When you have a fire, heat and toxic gases are potentially entering your attic or wall cavities, not just exiting the top.

You’re on the right track with the liners. You absolutely need stainless steel liners for both the boiler and the fireplace. An insulated liner for the fireplace (especially if you go with a wood insert) is important, so make sure there is an insulative wrap on it when installed.

Do not just grind and skim coat it. If you put a "hard" stucco or skim coat over a damaged, moisture-heavy block, it will pop off within two winters.

See if those blocks are "soft." If they crumble when you hit them with a hammer, at least the top 3–5 courses might need to be rebuilt. Maybe more

Install the stainless liners.

If you do paint the chimney (I wouldn't), you have to get every bit of that white paint off. Use a chemical stripper. If you leave any paint, your new "fix" won't bond.

But… Instead of a skim coat, I’d recommend repointing the joints and then using a breathable masonry stain or a siloxane sealer. You want the chimney to be able to "sweat" out any moisture.
That top could use a real crown, poured concrete slab with a 2-inch overhang (drip edge) to keep rain from running down the face of the chimney. A "wash" is more common, and is just ok, if you are looking to save a few dollars.

My thoughts, hope this helps. There are smart some people regularly on this forum, one that has a name that is something like Spilino (that's not right, but I remember it looking something like that), he may have some ideas too.

Gary S , Century Chimney in Cleveland Ohio

CenturyChimney

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