The short answer
Expert Chimney Sweep repairs brick chimneys on Bedford-Stuyvesant brownstones, rowhouses and pre-war buildings, including repointing, crowns, caps, flashing and flue liners. We start with an inspection, explain what we find, and help you schedule non-urgent work outside the October-to-May heat season when possible.
Bedford-Stuyvesant has some of Brooklyn's most recognizable housing: long rows of brownstones and brick rowhouses, plus pre-war apartment buildings and a scattering of smaller homes. Many of these chimneys have been venting fireplaces, furnaces and boilers for generations, and age, weather and shared walls all take a toll. Expert Chimney Sweep repairs chimneys throughout Bed-Stuy, including the 11216 and 11221 ZIP codes. Our office in Clinton Hill is about a mile away, so our certified technicians can reach your home without a long trip across the borough and return easily if a repair takes more than one visit.
Chimney Problems We See in Bed-Stuy Homes
Most chimneys in the neighborhood are brick and mortar, built tall and narrow to clear the rooflines of attached houses. That design works, but it leaves the top of the stack exposed to wind, rain and freeze-thaw cycles every winter. Water is the main enemy. Once it gets into the joints, it expands when it freezes and pushes brick and mortar apart a little more each season.
In rowhouses, chimneys often sit on or near a party wall, so a problem in one stack can affect a neighbor, and the reverse is true too. We look at how your chimney meets the roof and the adjoining structure, not just the flue itself.
- Cracked or missing mortar joints that need repointing
- Spalling or loose brick near the top of the stack
- Cracked or crumbling crowns that let water into the chimney
- Missing or rusted chimney caps that let in rain, debris and animals
- Failed flashing where the chimney meets a flat or low-slope roof
- Damaged, cracked or missing flue liners
- Leaning stacks or chimneys pulling away from the building
Oil-to-Gas Conversions and Flue Liners
Many brownstones and apartment buildings in Bed-Stuy have switched, or are planning to switch, their boilers from oil to gas. In New York City, the chimney has to be evaluated as part of that conversion. A new liner is often needed, because gas exhaust produces acidic condensate that can corrode an old or unlined masonry flue from the inside.
If you're planning a conversion, bring us in early. We can inspect the flue, explain whether it can stay in service, and install a properly sized liner if it can't. If you converted years ago and never had the chimney checked, it's worth a look now. Corrosion damage often shows up as crumbling flue tile, debris collecting at the base of the flue, or stained brick on the outside of the stack.
How We Diagnose a Repair
Good repairs start with a proper inspection. The NFPA 211 standard calls for chimneys, fireplaces and vents to be inspected once a year, and chimney professionals use three inspection levels. A Level 1 inspection is used when nothing about the system has changed. A Level 2 inspection is used when the system changes, such as a new appliance or a switch of fuel, or when a home is being sold. A Level 3 inspection is for hidden hazards that can only be reached by opening part of the chimney or building.
For most repair calls, we check the exterior masonry, the crown and cap, the flashing, and the inside of the flue with a camera when needed. Then we explain what we found, show you photos, and lay out your options in plain terms, separating urgent safety issues from work that can reasonably wait.
Time for your annual chimney check?
Plan Repairs Around Heat Season
New York City's heat season runs from October 1 through May 31, and building owners must keep apartments heated to the city's minimum temperatures during that time. If you own a multi-unit building in Bed-Stuy, a chimney problem that forces you to shut down the boiler in January is a serious headache for you and your tenants.
Late spring and summer are the best times for masonry repairs, relining, and cap or crown work. Mortar cures better in mild weather, and the boiler can be out of service without affecting anyone's heat. That said, if you notice smoke, fumes, falling debris or water coming in during the winter, don't wait. Stop using the appliance and contact us to have it checked.
Serving Bed-Stuy and Nearby Neighborhoods
We repair chimneys across Bedford-Stuyvesant in the 11216 and 11221 ZIP codes, on single-family brownstones, two- and three-family rowhouses, and larger pre-war buildings. We also serve the nearby neighborhoods of Crown Heights, Clinton Hill, South Williamsburg, Prospect Heights and Fort Greene.
Along with repairs, we offer chimney cleaning and dryer vent cleaning, so if your chimney needs both cleaning and repair, we can usually handle them on the same schedule.
More services in Bedford-Stuyvesant
- Chimney Sweep in Bedford-Stuyvesant
- Chimney Inspection in Bedford-Stuyvesant
- Air Duct Cleaning in Bedford-Stuyvesant
- Chimney Liner Installation in Bedford-Stuyvesant
