Sweeps & Ladders

What Sweeps & Ladders does

Sweeps & Ladders Chimney Service is a privately-held, family-owned chimney and fireplace services company headquartered at 1113 Murfreesboro Rd., Suite 106-142, Franklin, Tennessee, with a secondary office in Chapel Hill. Founded in 2010 by former Williamson County firefighter Tommy Nelms after 13+ years on the force, the company provides chimney sweeping, Level I-III inspections, creosote removal (including third-degree glazed creosote via Poultice Creosote Remover), chimney relining and flue repair, damper and chase cover replacement, masonry and tuckpointing work, smoke chamber parging, firebox and chimney crown repair, chimney cap installation, waterproofing, new fireplace construction and changeouts, and dryer vent cleaning. It also retails and installs hearth products including gas logs (R.H. Peterson, Rasmussen, Empire/White Mountain Hearth), gas and wood stoves (Napoleon, Buck, Travis Industries), and gas, wood, and electric fireplaces (Heatilator, Napoleon). The business is operationally run by Owner/CEO Tommy Nelms (CSIA Master Chimney Sweep, NFI Wood Burning Specialist, CSIA Board member and Chair of its Education Committee), Owner/CFO Beka Nelms, General Manager Tate Paul, six Lead Service Technicians, and additional apprentices.

The company operates as a direct-to-consumer field services business across Middle Tennessee, serving Franklin, Brentwood, Nashville, Spring Hill, Thompson's Station, Murfreesboro, Green Hills, Belle Meade, and Fairview. Customer acquisition runs through the company website with service-area landing pages, Facebook and LinkedIn organic social presence, online appointment request forms, and direct phone (615-791-7457), with testimonials, the Sweep Away Cancer charitable initiative (founded 2015, raising funds for the National Breast Cancer Foundation), and a firefighter-owned brand narrative as primary trust signals. Pricing is fully quote-based and quote-driven by job scope, with optional financing offered; no published price list exists. Technical differentiation rests on CSIA and NFI certifications, the PCR method for advanced creosote, and the firefighter-origin trust story rather than any proprietary software or platform.

Name

Sweeps & Ladders

Legal name

Sweeps & Ladders, LLC

Website

https://sweepsandladders.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sweeps & Ladders is a firefighter-owned, CSIA-certified chimney, fireplace, masonry, and dryer vent service company serving residential homeowners, real estate investors, and realtors across Middle Tennessee, with secondary offices in Franklin and Chapel Hill.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential chimney and fireplace services

NAICS

Janitorial Services (561720), Building Inspection Services (54135), Appliance Repair and Maintenance (811412)

SIC

Heating Equipment, Except Electric & Warm Air Furnaces (3433)

akta.pro primary industry

Chimney Sweeping & Flue Cleaning (HSAEANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Creosote Removal & Smoke Chamber Cleaning (HSAEANAI), Chimney Inspection (Level 1/2/3) & Safety Certification (HSAEANAB), Chimney Relining & Flue Liner Services (HSAEANAD), Chimney Repair & Restoration (Masonry/Crown/Chase) (HSAEANAC), Fireplace Cleaning & Maintenance (Wood/Gas) (HSAEANAE), Chimney Cap, Damper & Spark Arrestor Cleaning/Maintenance (HSAEANAJ)

Keywords

• Chimney sweeping services
• Chimney inspection services
• Fireplace installation services
• Dryer vent cleaning
• Chimney masonry repair

Headquarters

HQ city

Franklin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Chimney and Fireplace Services: Service-based revenue from chimney sweeping, inspections, repairs, and new fireplace construction. Services include creosote removal, chimney relining, damper replacement, masonry repairs, smoke chamber parging, firebox repairs, crown repair, chase cover installation, chimney cap replacement, and waterproofing.
2. Sales and Installation of Hearth Products: Revenue from selling and installing gas logs, gas/wood/pellet stoves, and gas/wood/electric fireplaces from brands including R.H. Peterson, Rasmussen, Empire/White Mountain Hearth, Napoleon, Buck, Travis Industries, and Heatilator.
3. Dryer Vent Cleaning Services: Professional dryer vent cleaning and inspection services to prevent fire hazards and improve dryer efficiency.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sweeps & Ladders is a full-service chimney and fireplace company serving residential homeowners in Middle Tennessee. It provides chimney sweeping, creosote removal (including third-degree glazed creosote), Level I/II/III chimney inspections, masonry and chimney repairs, chimney leak fixes, new fireplace construction and changeouts, sales and installation of hearth products (gas logs, gas/wood stoves, gas/wood/electric fireplaces), and dryer vent cleaning services.

Product overview

Sweeps & Ladders Chimney Service is a full-service chimney and fireplace company offering a comprehensive range of services and products for residential customers in Middle Tennessee. The company operates as a single unified service offering with distinct service categories: Chimney & Fireplace Services (sweeping, inspections, repairs, leak prevention), Sales & Installation (gas logs, stoves, fireplaces from brands like Napoleon, Heatilator, R.H. Peterson), and Dryer Vent Cleaning. Services include chimney sweeping, creosote removal, chimney inspections (Level I/II/III), fireplace construction and changeouts, masonry repairs, chimney relining, damper replacement, smoke chamber parging, firebox repairs, crown repair, chase cover replacement, chimney cap installation, waterproofing, and dryer vent cleaning. The company sells hearth products including gas logs (R.H. Peterson, Rasmussen, Empire), gas/wood stoves (Napoleon, Buck, Travis Industries), and fireplaces (Heatilator, Napoleon). The company was founded in 2010 by former firefighter Tommy Nelms and is certified by CSIA and NFI.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sweep Away Cancer: A 501(c)(3) charitable initiative co-founded by Tommy Nelms in 2015, committed to finding a cure for cancer. Chimney sweeps around the globe raise funds and awareness throughout October for the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Products and services

• Chimney Sweeping Professional chimney cleaning service that removes creosote, soot, and debris from chimneys to prevent fire hazards and ensure proper ventilation; targeted at residential homeowners in Middle Tennessee.
• Creosote Removal Specialized removal of creosote buildup using Poultice Creosote Remover (PCR), including removal of hazardous third-degree glazed creosote that standard sweeping cannot address; targeted at residential homeowners with significant creosote accumulation.
• Chimney Inspections & Safety Inspections Comprehensive chimney inspection services including Level I, II, and III inspections with written reports and photos; targeted at homeowners, buyers, sellers, and real estate transactions requiring documented chimney condition.
• New Fireplace Construction & Fireplace Changeouts New fireplace installation and fireplace replacement services for gas, wood, and electric fireplaces; targeted at homeowners upgrading or replacing existing fireplaces.
• Chimney Relining & Flue Repair Chimney relining services including stainless steel liner installation and FireGuard resurfacing system for tile liner restoration; targeted at homeowners with damaged or unsafe flue liners.
• Damper Replacement Replacement of throat dampers with top-sealing damper caps including Lock-Top dampers and National Chimney Premier Damper Caps; targeted at homeowners needing improved chimney sealing and energy efficiency.
• Masonry Repairs & Tuckpointing Masonry repair services including tuckpointing, brick replacement, and mortar joint restoration; targeted at homeowners with deteriorating chimney masonry.
• Chimney Rebuilds Complete or partial chimney rebuilding services including historic chimney restoration and chimney extensions; targeted at homeowners with severely damaged or failed chimneys.
• Smoke Chamber Parging & Repair Smoke chamber repair and parging services using ChamberCoat to smooth and seal damaged smoke chambers; targeted at homeowners with cracked or deteriorated smoke chambers.
• Firebox Repairs Firebox repair and rebuilding services using refractory mortar and firebrick to restore damaged fireboxes; targeted at homeowners with cracked or unsafe fireboxes.
• Chimney Crown Repair / Rebuild Chimney crown repair and rebuild services using CrownCoat, CrownSeal, and CrownSaver products from ChimneySaver; targeted at homeowners with cracked or failing chimney crowns causing leaks.
• Chase Cover Replacement / Installation Replacement of prefab chimney chase covers with stainless steel or copper covers featuring cross breaks to prevent water pooling; targeted at homeowners with prefab fireplaces and failing chase covers.
• Chimney Cap Replacement Chimney cap installation and replacement services including single and multi-flue caps from National Chimney; targeted at homeowners needing protection from water, debris, and animal intrusion.
• Chimney Waterproofing Chimney waterproofing services using ChimneySaver vapor-permeable products to protect masonry from water damage; targeted at homeowners seeking preventive protection for chimney masonry.
• Gas Logs Gas log sets from R.H. Peterson, Rasmussen, and Empire/White Mountain Hearth including vented and vent-free options; targeted at homeowners seeking gas fireplace log installations.
• Gas & Wood Stoves Gas and wood stoves from Napoleon, Buck Stove, and Travis Industries including vent-free and direct vent gas stoves; targeted at homeowners seeking freestanding heating stove installations.
• Gas, Wood & Electric Fireplaces Fireplaces from Heatilator and Napoleon including gas, wood, and electric options for indoor and outdoor use; targeted at homeowners installing or replacing built-in fireplaces.
• Dryer Vent Cleaning Professional dryer vent cleaning and inspection services to prevent fire hazards and improve dryer efficiency; targeted at residential homeowners seeking preventive fire-safety maintenance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 16,000 home fires per year are caused by clogged dryer vents (CSIA estimate)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Sweep Away CancerminorOthers · 1 January 2015Tommy Nelms co-founded Sweep Away Cancer, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, with two others in the chimney industry. The initiative raises funds and awareness for cancer research during October each year. In its first year, the organization raised more than $15,000 for the National Breast Cancer Foundation. This is a charitable/community initiative rather than a commercial business partnership.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• All American Chimney Service: Mid-Atlantic chimney service company offering chimney sweeping, inspections, masonry repairs, and dryer vent cleaning. Directly comparable in service breadth, customer segment (residential homeowners), and certifications posture.
• Weststar Chimney Sweeps: Regional chimney service provider offering full-service chimney and fireplace maintenance including sweeping, inspections, repairs, and installations. Comparable regional service business with similar offerings and customer mix.
• Above & Beyond Chimney: Chimney service company offering chimney sweeping, inspections, repairs, and dryer vent cleaning to residential customers. Directly comparable service offering and target customer base within a similar regional operating model.
• Mr. Chimney: Chimney service company offering chimney cleaning, inspections, repairs, and dryer vent cleaning services. Comparable in service offering, residential target market, and regional service company structure.
• Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep: Long-established Massachusetts-based chimney sweep company offering a comparable full-service portfolio — sweeping, inspections, relining, masonry repair, and dryer vent cleaning — to residential customers. Closely comparable in service mix, CSIA-certification positioning, and regional-only operating model.
• Guardian Chimney Services: Chimney service company offering sweeping, inspections, repairs, and installations with similar CSIA-certification positioning. Comparable regional service business in service breadth and customer base.
• Top Hat Chimney Sweeps: Regional chimney sweep service provider offering comparable chimney and fireplace services including cleaning, inspection, and repair to residential customers with similar CSIA-style positioning.
• Hudson Valley Chimney: Regional chimney service company operating across New York's Hudson Valley with similar offerings in chimney cleaning, inspection, repair, and hearth product sales. Comparable in scale, regional service structure, and residential customer focus.
• Pristine Chimney Service: Regional chimney service company with similar offerings in cleaning, inspection, and repair services. Comparable in service mix, certifications, and customer targeting within a regional operating footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Authority Brands: Multi-brand home services franchisor whose portfolio (including The Maids, Mr. Handyman, America's Handyman, and other home-service brands) addresses the same homeowner customer with adjacent maintenance services. Not a chimney-specific peer, but illustrates the scaled, franchise-capitalized model that competes for the same homeowner wallet in adjacent categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sweepsladders
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/tommy-nelms-4b4753a
• Xx.com/SweepsLadders

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sweeps & Ladders