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Chimney Inspection in Gowanus, Brooklyn

Serving Gowanus and nearby cities.

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The short answer

Under the NFPA 211 standard, chimneys, fireplaces and vents should be inspected once a year. In Gowanus, a Level 1 inspection fits most homes, but a Level 2 is called for when you buy or sell a home, add a new appliance, or convert a boiler from oil to gas.

Many homes in Gowanus rely on chimneys that have been in service for generations: brownstones and rowhouses with original masonry flues, pre-war apartment buildings vented through a central boiler chimney, and older buildings that have changed fuel or heating equipment over the years. A chimney inspection tells you what condition that flue is actually in before you light a fire or start another heating season. All Star Chimney Sweep works out of our office at 543 Henry St, so homes in Gowanus and the 11231 ZIP code are close by for our certified technicians.

What We Check in a Gowanus Chimney

Older Brooklyn masonry chimneys tend to show their age in predictable places. Mortar joints wear out, clay flue tiles crack or shift, and crowns at the top of the chimney let water in. Inside, soot and creosote build up from fireplaces, and boiler flues can collect debris that partly blocks the exhaust path. Our inspection looks at the parts of the system you can't easily see from inside the home.

A typical inspection covers:

  • The firebox, damper and smoke chamber of wood-burning fireplaces
  • Creosote and soot buildup inside the flue
  • Flue liner condition, including cracked, missing or shifted tiles
  • Chimney crown, cap and exterior masonry where it can be reached safely
  • Connections from boilers, furnaces and water heaters to the chimney
  • Signs of water entry, animal nests or other blockages
Chimney Inspection at a home

Choosing the Right Inspection Level

The NFPA 211 standard calls for chimneys, fireplaces and vents to be inspected once a year, and chimney professionals use three levels of inspection depending on the situation.

A Level 1 inspection is the right choice when nothing about your system has changed and you use it the same way you did last year. A Level 2 inspection is called for when the system changes, such as installing a new appliance or switching fuel, or when the home is sold. Since brownstones and rowhouses around Gowanus change hands regularly, a Level 2 inspection gives buyers and sellers a clear record of the chimney's condition. A Level 3 inspection is used when a hidden hazard has to be reached by opening part of the chimney or the building. We only recommend it when the earlier levels point to a problem that can't be evaluated any other way.

Inspections for Oil-to-Gas Conversions

Many older buildings in this part of Brooklyn have moved, or are planning to move, from oil heat to gas. 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 never designed for it.

If you are planning a conversion in a rowhouse or a pre-war apartment building, an inspection early in the process helps you understand whether the existing flue can be used, what the liner situation is, and what needs to happen before the new boiler goes into service.

Time for your annual chimney check?

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Timing Your Inspection 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. For owners of multi-unit buildings, a chimney problem found in the middle of winter can mean scrambling to keep the boiler running safely.

Scheduling your inspection in late spring or summer gives you time to plan any repairs, liner work or cleaning before the heating system has to run every day. Homeowners who use a fireplace can follow the same approach, getting the flue checked well before the first cold night.

Serving Gowanus and Nearby Brooklyn Neighborhoods

Because our office is in the neighborhood, we also inspect chimneys in nearby Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Red Hook, Park Slope and Brooklyn Heights. The housing across these areas is similar, with plenty of brownstones, rowhouses and pre-war buildings, so the same kinds of chimney issues come up throughout. After every inspection, we explain what we found in plain terms and tell you which items need attention now and which can be watched.

More services in Gowanus

Related

Chimney sweep cleaning a brick chimney on a rowhouse roof

Book Chimney Inspection in Gowanus

Serving Gowanus 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 often should my chimney be inspected?

The NFPA 211 standard calls for chimneys, fireplaces and vents to be inspected once a year, even if you rarely use the fireplace.

Do I need an inspection if I only use my boiler and never the fireplace?

Yes. Boiler and water heater flues also vent through the chimney, and blockages or liner damage can affect how exhaust leaves the home.

I'm buying a brownstone in Gowanus. What inspection should I get?

A Level 2 inspection is the level used when a home is sold, so it is the appropriate choice for a purchase.

We're converting our building from oil to gas. Does the chimney need to be checked?

Yes. In New York City the chimney has to be evaluated as part of an oil-to-gas conversion, and a new liner is often needed because gas exhaust can corrode a masonry flue.

When is the best time to schedule an inspection?

Late spring through summer works well, since it leaves time for repairs before the city's heat season begins on October 1.

Do you serve areas outside Gowanus?

Yes. From our office at 543 Henry St we also serve Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Red Hook, Park Slope and Brooklyn Heights.

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