Skip to content
Serving Brooklyn and nearby cities Mon–Fri: 8 AM–8 PM · Requests accepted 24/7 · (804) 963-6010

Chimney Repair in Brooklyn Heights

Serving Brooklyn Heights and nearby cities.

Request Service Call (804) 963-6010

Tell us what’s going on

Prefer to talk? (804) 963-6010

The short answer

Most chimney repairs in Brooklyn Heights involve water damage to older masonry: cracked crowns, worn mortar joints, failed flashing and damaged flue liners. All Star Chimney Sweep inspects the chimney first, shows you the problem, and repairs it before small leaks turn into structural or safety issues.

Chimneys in Brooklyn Heights work hard. Many sit on top of brownstones, rowhouses and pre-war apartment buildings, where tall masonry stacks take wind, rain and freeze-thaw cycles year after year. Some serve several fireplaces or a boiler, and some share walls with the house next door. When a crown cracks or mortar starts to wash out, water gets into the brick, and small problems turn into bigger ones. All Star Chimney Sweep repairs chimneys across Brooklyn Heights from our Brooklyn office, about a mile away. Our certified technicians look at the whole system, explain what they find in plain terms, and fix what actually needs fixing.

Common Chimney Repairs in Brooklyn Heights Homes

Older masonry chimneys usually fail from the top down. The crown at the top of the stack cracks, rain gets into the brick, and each winter the trapped water freezes and expands. Over time the face of the brick flakes off, mortar joints open up, and moisture reaches the flue and the rooms below.

These are the repairs we handle most often in the neighborhood:

  • Crown repair or rebuilding to shed water off the top of the stack
  • Repointing worn or missing mortar joints
  • Replacing spalled or broken brick
  • Resealing or replacing flashing where the chimney meets the roof
  • Installing or replacing chimney caps to keep out rain, debris and animals
  • Damper repair and top-sealing damper installation
  • Firebox and smoke chamber repairs for wood-burning fireplaces
  • Flue liner repair and relining
Chimney Repair at a home

Working on Brownstones, Rowhouses and Pre-War Buildings

A chimney on a Brooklyn Heights rowhouse is rarely a simple stack. It may hold several flues side by side, one for each fireplace plus one for the heating system. It may sit on a party wall shared with the neighbor, and it is often reached through a roof hatch rather than a driveway ladder. We plan the work around those details, so we know which flue serves which appliance before anything is touched.

Inside the home, we protect floors and furnishings around the fireplace and clean up when we finish. In apartment buildings and co-ops, we can work with the building super or managing agent to schedule roof access and keep residents informed about what is happening and when.

Flue Liners and Oil-to-Gas Conversions

Many Brooklyn Heights buildings have switched their boilers from oil to gas or are planning to. 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 a masonry flue that was built for oil.

A damaged or undersized liner can let exhaust leak into the walls or fail to draft properly. We check the existing liner, tell you whether it can be repaired or needs replacement, and install a liner sized for the appliance it serves.

Time for your annual chimney check?

Call (804) 963-6010Request Service

How a Chimney Repair Visit Works

Every repair starts with an inspection. The NFPA 211 standard calls for chimneys, fireplaces and vents to be inspected once a year, and it uses three levels. A Level 1 inspection covers a system where nothing has changed. A Level 2 inspection applies when the system changes, such as a new appliance or a switch in fuel, or when the home is sold. A Level 3 inspection is used when a hidden hazard has to be reached by opening part of the chimney or building.

After the inspection, we walk you through what we found, often with photos, and explain which repairs are urgent and which can be planned. You decide what to do next. We do not push work that the chimney does not need.

Timing Repairs Around Heating Season

New York City's heat season runs from October 1 through May 31. During those months, building owners must keep apartments heated to the city's minimum temperatures, so a boiler chimney that needs repair can quickly become a pressing problem. The easiest time to handle masonry and liner work is late spring through early fall, before the heat comes on and before winter weather makes rooftop work harder.

If you notice water stains near a fireplace, brick pieces on the roof or sidewalk, a smoky smell, or white staining on the outside of the chimney, it is worth having it looked at sooner rather than later. Besides Brooklyn Heights, we also serve nearby Downtown Brooklyn, DUMBO, Boerum Hill, Fort Greene and the Financial District.

More services in Brooklyn Heights

Related

Chimney sweep cleaning a brick chimney on a rowhouse roof

Book Chimney Repair in Brooklyn Heights

Serving Brooklyn Heights and nearby cities.

  • Diagnosis before any repair
  • Written price up front
  • Written price before we start
Call (804) 963-6010Request Service

What to expect

How a visit goes

  1. We show you what we see

    Every inspection comes with photos of the flue, crown, damper or vent, so you can see the condition for yourself instead of taking our word for it.

  2. We explain your options

    When there is more than one reasonable fix, we lay out each option, what it addresses, and what happens if you wait, so you can decide what fits your home.

  3. We respect your home

    We lay down drop cloths, use sealed equipment to contain soot and dust, and leave the work area as clean as we found it.

FAQ

Common questions

Don’t see your question? Call (804) 963-6010 and we’ll talk it through.

How do I know my chimney needs repair?

Common signs include water stains on ceilings or walls near the chimney, flaking or crumbling brick, gaps in the mortar, white staining on the masonry, rust on the damper, and smoke or odors coming back into the room. An inspection confirms the cause.

Can you repair a chimney shared with the house next door?

Often, yes. Party-wall chimneys are common on Brooklyn Heights rowhouses. We identify which flues belong to which home and explain the scope of work, which may involve coordinating with your neighbor.

Do I need a new liner if my building switches from oil to gas?

Not always, but often. The chimney must be evaluated during an oil-to-gas conversion in New York City, and gas exhaust creates acidic condensate that can corrode a masonry flue. We check the liner and tell you what it needs.

What is repointing?

Repointing means removing worn or loose mortar from the joints between bricks and replacing it with fresh mortar. It keeps water out of the masonry and helps the chimney hold together.

When is the best time to schedule chimney repairs?

Late spring through early fall is usually best. It avoids the heat season, which runs October 1 through May 31, and rooftop masonry work goes more smoothly in milder weather.

Will repair work make a mess inside my home?

We cover floors and furnishings near the fireplace, contain dust and debris, and clean up the work area before we leave.

Find out what's going on in your chimney

Tell us what you're noticing, whether it's smoke, odors, leaks or a slow dryer, and we'll set up a visit. You'll get photos of what we find and a written price before any work begins.

Request Service Call (804) 963-6010
Call (804) 963-6010 Request Service