The short answer
If your Gowanus chimney has a damaged clay liner, no liner, or serves a boiler that was converted from oil to gas, it likely needs a new liner. We inspect the flue first, then install a liner sized and made for your appliance and fuel type.
A chimney liner is the protective channel that carries smoke and exhaust from your fireplace, boiler, or water heater up and out of your home. In Gowanus, many chimneys run through older brick rowhouses, brownstones, and pre-war apartment buildings, where the original clay tiles may be cracked, missing, or never installed at all. Our office is right here in the neighborhood at 543 Henry St, so our certified technicians can reach homes in the 11231 ZIP code quickly to inspect your flue and install a liner that fits the appliance you actually use.
Why Liners Matter in Gowanus Homes
Much of the housing in Gowanus is older masonry construction. Over decades, heat, moisture, and freeze-thaw cycles wear down mortar joints and clay flue tiles. A damaged liner lets heat reach nearby wood framing and lets exhaust, including carbon monoxide, seep into living spaces or neighboring units through gaps in the brick.
In attached rowhouses and multi-unit buildings, chimneys often share walls with the house next door or run past several apartments on the way to the roof. That makes a sound liner important not only for your own household but for the people around you.
- Cracked, shifted, or missing clay tiles
- Brick or mortar flakes falling into the firebox or cleanout
- Water stains or efflorescence on interior chimney walls
- Exhaust odors or poor draft from a boiler or water heater
- An unlined chimney found during an inspection
Oil-to-Gas Conversions and Relining
Many Brooklyn buildings have switched boilers from heating oil to natural 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 built for oil.
If you are planning a conversion, it helps to bring us in early. We can assess the existing flue and recommend a liner sized for the new appliance so the chimney work fits into your overall project schedule rather than holding it up at the end.
How We Install a Chimney Liner
Relining starts with an inspection. Under the NFPA 211 standard, a Level 2 inspection is called for when the system changes, such as installing a new appliance or switching fuel, or when a home is sold. This typically includes a camera inspection of the flue so we can see its condition from top to bottom.
From there, we match the liner to your situation. Stainless steel liners are a common choice for gas and oil appliances and for many wood-burning fireplaces. The liner must be sized correctly for the appliance it serves; a flue that is too large or too small can cause poor draft and condensation problems.
- Inspect and photograph the existing flue
- Clean the chimney so the liner can be installed properly
- Measure and select a liner suited to the appliance and fuel
- Feed the liner down the chimney and connect it at the base
- Install a top plate and cap to keep out rain and animals
- Test draft and walk you through what we found and did
Time for your annual chimney check?
Timing Your Liner Work Around Heat Season
New York City's heat season runs from October 1 through May 31, when building owners must keep apartments heated to the city's minimum temperatures. If your boiler chimney needs a liner, late spring and summer are the easiest times to schedule the work, since the heating system can be shut down without affecting tenants or your own comfort.
That said, a failing liner is a safety issue, not just a scheduling one. If you notice signs of trouble in the middle of winter, call us so we can assess the risk and plan the safest path forward.
Serving Gowanus and Nearby Neighborhoods
Because we are based in Gowanus, we also work regularly in Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Red Hook, Park Slope, and Brooklyn Heights. These neighborhoods share much of the same housing stock, from brownstones and rowhouses to pre-war apartment buildings, so we see the same chimney issues and know how to handle access on tight roofs and attached buildings.
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