The short answer
Yes, All Star Chimney Sweep serves Sunset Park, Brooklyn (11220 and 11232), about 2 miles from our office. We handle chimney sweeping, inspection, repair, liners, caps, waterproofing, rebuilding, and dryer vent and air duct cleaning for rowhouses, apartment buildings and detached homes.
Sunset Park is about 2 miles south of our Brooklyn office, so our crews work in the neighborhood regularly. Across ZIP codes 11220 and 11232, the housing ranges from brick and brownstone rowhouses to pre-war apartment buildings and the occasional detached home. Many of these buildings have masonry chimneys that have been through decades of New York winters. All Star Chimney Sweep handles cleaning, inspection, repair and venting work for Sunset Park homeowners and building owners. Our certified technicians show you what they find and explain your options before any work starts.
Chimney and Venting Services for Sunset Park Homes
Sunset Park homes vary widely. A rowhouse may share a party wall and a chimney stack with its neighbors. A pre-war apartment building may run a boiler flue up several stories. A detached home may have a working fireplace along with a separate appliance flue. We look at how your system is actually set up before recommending anything.
These are the services we offer in Sunset Park:
- Chimney sweep for wood-burning fireplaces and appliance flues
- Chimney inspection following the NFPA 211 inspection levels
- Chimney repair, including mortar joints, crowns and flashing
- Chimney rebuilding when masonry above the roofline has deteriorated
- Chimney liner installation for damaged flues and fuel conversions
- Chimney cap and chase cover installation
- Chimney waterproofing for exposed brick
- Fireplace and damper repair
- Dryer vent cleaning
- Air duct cleaning
How Brooklyn Weather Wears Down Masonry Chimneys
Brooklyn winters bring repeated freeze-thaw cycles. Water soaks into brick and mortar, freezes, expands and pushes the masonry apart a little more each time. Over the years that shows up as cracked crowns, crumbling joints and loose bricks at the top of the stack. Wind-driven rain from coastal storms finds the same weak spots. In humid summers, moisture inside a flue can mix with old soot and leave a strong odor indoors.
A chimney cap keeps rain, debris and animals out of the flue. Waterproofing helps brick shed water while still letting it breathe. Sound flashing protects the roof and walls where the chimney passes through. Catching small problems early usually keeps the repair small.
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 minimums during that period. Getting heating flues inspected and cleaned before October helps avoid shutting down a boiler in the middle of winter.
Oil-to-Gas Conversions and Chimney Liners
Some Sunset Park buildings still heat with oil, and owners planning a switch to gas should know how it affects the 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. We can inspect the existing flue, tell you whether it can be reused, and install a properly sized liner if it can't.
Time for your annual chimney check?
Dryer Vents and Air Ducts
Lint builds up in dryer vents, especially in long or bent runs that go through rowhouse walls or up to the roof. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, failure to clean is the leading factor contributing to clothes dryer fires in homes. If your clothes take longer to dry or the laundry area runs hot, the vent may need cleaning.
We take an honest approach to air ducts. The U.S. EPA advises cleaning ducts when there is substantial visible mold growth, vermin, or excessive dust and debris. It also notes that duct cleaning has not been shown to prevent health problems. We'll tell you whether your ducts actually need cleaning, and we're careful about chemical treatments.
Yearly Inspections and Nearby Neighborhoods
The NFPA 211 standard calls for chimneys, fireplaces and vents to be inspected once a year. A Level 1 inspection fits when nothing has changed. A Level 2 inspection is called for when the system changes, such as a new appliance or a fuel switch, or when the home is sold. A Level 3 inspection is used when a hidden hazard can only be reached by opening part of the chimney or building.
Along with Sunset Park, we serve Park Slope, Gowanus, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill and Red Hook.
ZIP codes we serve
- 11220
- 11232
