The short answer
Boerum Hill homeowners should have chimneys, fireplaces and vents inspected once a year, as the NFPA 211 standard recommends. Book a more detailed inspection when you change appliances or fuel, buy or sell a home, or suspect hidden damage.
Most chimneys in Boerum Hill have been working for a long time. The neighborhood's brownstones, rowhouses and pre-war apartment buildings often have several flues in one stack, fireplaces that have been closed and reopened more than once, and basement boilers that have changed fuels over the decades. A chimney inspection tells you what condition those flues are in now, whether they are safe for the way you use them, and what, if anything, needs attention. Our certified technicians inspect chimneys throughout Boerum Hill and the 11201 ZIP code, about a mile from our office in Clinton Hill.
Why Boerum Hill Chimneys Need a Careful Look
A brownstone or rowhouse chimney is rarely a single, simple flue. One masonry stack may serve a parlor-floor fireplace, an upstairs fireplace and a basement heating appliance, each in its own flue. Some of those flues are active, some were sealed years ago, and some were reopened by a previous owner without anyone checking the inside. Because rowhouses share party walls, a problem in one flue can also affect the masonry around it and, in some cases, a neighbor's side.
Older masonry wears in predictable ways. Mortar joints erode, clay tile liners crack, crowns and caps weather on exposed rooftops, and flashing where the chimney meets the roof can pull loose. None of this is always visible from inside the living room. An inspection looks at the full system, from the firebox or appliance connection to the top of the stack.
Choosing the Right Inspection Level
The NFPA 211 standard calls for chimneys, fireplaces and vents to be inspected once a year. Chimney professionals use three levels of inspection, and the right one depends on what has happened to your system since it was last checked.
- Level 1: For a chimney you use the same way as before, with no changes. We examine the readily accessible parts of the chimney, the appliance connection and the fireplace to confirm they are sound and free of blockages and combustible buildup.
- Level 2: When the system changes, such as a new boiler, water heater or insert, or a switch from oil to gas. It also applies when a home is sold. This includes a camera inspection of the flue interior, plus accessible areas such as attics, basements and the roof.
- Level 3: When a hidden hazard is suspected and the only way to reach it is to open part of the chimney or building, for example after a chimney fire or when signs point to concealed damage.
What We Check During an Inspection
Our technicians follow the same process on every visit and explain what they find in plain terms. If something needs repair, we show you where it is and why it matters, and you decide how to proceed.
- Firebox, damper and smoke chamber condition
- Flue liner cracks, gaps, missing sections or deterioration
- Creosote and soot buildup inside the flue
- Blockages from debris, nests or fallen masonry
- Chimney crown, cap and exterior brick and mortar
- Flashing where the chimney meets the roof
- Clearances between the chimney and nearby wood framing, where accessible
- Connections from boilers, furnaces and water heaters to the flue
Time for your annual chimney check?
Boiler Flues, Oil-to-Gas Conversions and Heat Season
Many Boerum Hill homes and small apartment buildings heat with a boiler that vents through an old masonry chimney. When a New York City building converts its boiler from oil to gas, the chimney has to be evaluated as part of the work. A new liner is often needed, because gas exhaust produces acidic condensate that can corrode a masonry flue that was built for oil. If you are planning a conversion or have recently completed one without a chimney evaluation, a Level 2 inspection is the right place to start.
Timing matters too. 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 period. Scheduling your inspection in the late spring or summer gives you time to handle any repairs before the heating system has to run every day.
Serving Boerum Hill and Nearby Neighborhoods
Our Clinton Hill office is close to Boerum Hill, so our crews work in the neighborhood regularly. We also inspect chimneys in Downtown Brooklyn, DUMBO, Brooklyn Heights, Fort Greene and Clinton Hill. Whether you own a single-family brownstone, a rowhouse with rental units or a pre-war apartment building, we will recommend the inspection level that fits your situation and give you a clear written account of what we found.
More services in Boerum Hill
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- Chimney Liner Installation in Boerum Hill
