The short answer
Expert Chimney Sweep provides chimney cleaning and inspections, chimney liner work for oil-to-gas conversions, dryer vent cleaning and air duct cleaning throughout Brooklyn. Chimneys should be inspected once a year, and we recommend duct cleaning only when there is a real reason for it.
Brooklyn homes run on a mix of heating and venting systems: wood-burning fireplaces in brownstones, gas boilers in row houses, and dryers and ductwork in everything from converted lofts to newer condos. Expert Chimney Sweep cleans and inspects chimneys, dryer vents and air ducts across the borough. Our certified technicians explain what they find and what, if anything, needs to happen next.
Chimney Cleaning and Yearly Inspections
The NFPA 211 standard calls for chimneys, fireplaces and vents to be inspected once a year. That applies whether you burn wood on winter weekends or only run a gas boiler. There are three levels of inspection, and the right one depends on your situation:
Cleaning removes creosote, soot, nests and debris so the flue drafts properly and carries exhaust out of the house.
- Level 1: a routine yearly check when nothing about the system has changed.
- Level 2: when you add a new appliance, switch fuels, or buy or sell the home.
- Level 3: when a suspected hidden problem can only be reached by opening part of the chimney or building.
Oil-to-Gas Conversions and Chimney Liners
Many older Brooklyn buildings have converted their boilers from oil to gas, or are planning to. In New York City, the chimney has to be evaluated as part of that work, and a new liner is often needed. Gas exhaust produces acidic condensate that can corrode a masonry flue. We inspect the existing flue, tell you whether a liner is needed, and install one when it is.
Dryer Vent Cleaning
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, failure to clean is the leading factor contributing to clothes dryer fires in homes. Lint collects inside the vent run, especially in the long or bent runs common in apartments and renovated row houses. Signs that a vent needs cleaning include clothes that take more than one cycle to dry, a hot laundry area, or a burning smell.
Time for your annual chimney check?
Air Duct Cleaning When It Makes Sense
The U.S. EPA advises cleaning air ducts when there is substantial visible mold growth, vermin, or excessive dust and debris. The EPA also says duct cleaning has not been shown to prevent health problems. We follow that guidance. We look first, tell you whether cleaning is worthwhile, and say so when it isn't. The EPA suggests researching the process before responding to very cheap advertised offers and being careful with chemical treatments, so ask us exactly what we plan to do and why.
Neighborhoods We Serve in Brooklyn
We work across Brooklyn, including Park Slope, South Slope, Windsor Terrace, Prospect Heights, Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Crown Heights, Wingate and East Flatbush; Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill, Gowanus, Red Hook, Downtown Brooklyn and DUMBO; Fort Greene, Clinton Hill and Bedford-Stuyvesant; and Williamsburg, South Williamsburg, East Williamsburg, Bushwick and Ocean Hill.
New York City's heat season runs from October 1 through May 31. Late summer and early fall are good times to schedule chimney work, before boilers run every day.
Communities we serve here
- Clinton Hill
- Prospect Heights
- Fort Greene
- Park Slope
- Downtown Brooklyn
- DUMBO
- Boerum Hill
- Bedford-Stuyvesant
- South Williamsburg
- Crown Heights
- Brooklyn Heights
- Carroll Gardens
- Cobble Hill
- Gowanus
- Red Hook
- Prospect Lefferts Gardens
- Wingate
- Williamsburg
- Windsor Terrace
- South Slope
- East Williamsburg
- Bushwick
- Ocean Hill
- East Flatbush
