The short answer
Yes, EmberGuard Chimney Sweep serves all of Boerum Hill, Brooklyn (ZIP 11201), about 2 miles from our Manhattan office. We handle chimney sweeping, inspections, repairs, liners, waterproofing, and dryer vent and air duct cleaning for rowhouses, brownstones and pre-war buildings.
Most homes in Boerum Hill are older masonry: brownstone and brick rowhouses, plus pre-war apartment buildings. Many of their chimneys have served through decades of Brooklyn winters, fuel changes and renovations, and they need regular attention to stay safe. EmberGuard Chimney Sweep serves the whole neighborhood and the 11201 ZIP code, about 2 miles southeast of our Manhattan office. Our certified technicians clean, inspect and repair chimneys and fireplaces, install liners, and clean dryer vents and air ducts.
Chimney care for Boerum Hill rowhouses and brownstones
Older rowhouses often have more than one flue. A typical house may have a fireplace in a parlor-floor room, another upstairs, and a separate flue for the boiler or water heater. Some fireplaces were closed off years ago. Others were reopened during a renovation without anyone checking the flue behind them. Before you light a fire in a fireplace you have just started using again, have it inspected.
The NFPA 211 standard calls for chimneys, fireplaces and vents to be inspected once a year. A Level 1 inspection covers a system that hasn't changed. A Level 2 inspection is for when something changes, such as a new appliance or a switch of fuel, or when the home is sold. A Level 3 inspection is for when a suspected hidden hazard can only be reached by opening part of the chimney or building. We'll tell you which level fits your situation and explain why.
How Brooklyn weather wears down masonry chimneys
New York winters swing above and below freezing again and again. Water that soaks into brick, mortar and chimney crowns freezes, expands and slowly pries the masonry apart. Nor'easters and summer thunderstorms add wind-driven rain, and humid summers keep damp flues from drying out. On attached houses, a leaking chimney can stain shared walls and ceilings several floors below the roof.
Our work here includes chimney caps and chase covers to keep rain and animals out, waterproofing for brick that absorbs water, and repointing or crown repair where mortar has failed. When a chimney stack is leaning, badly spalled or loose above the roofline, we can rebuild it.
- Brick faces flaking or popping off (spalling)
- Crumbling or missing mortar joints
- Water stains near the fireplace or on ceilings below the chimney
- Rusted damper or a damper that won't close
- A musty smell from the fireplace in humid weather
Oil-to-gas conversions and chimney liners
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 an unlined masonry flue. We inspect the flue, size and install the right liner, and coordinate with your heating contractor's schedule.
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. If you own a multi-unit building, schedule liner and boiler-flue work before October whenever you can, so the heat isn't interrupted.
Time for your annual chimney check?
Dryer vent and air duct cleaning
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, failure to clean is the leading factor contributing to clothes dryer fires in homes. In rowhouses and apartments, dryer vents often run a long way to reach an outside wall, and lint builds up faster in long runs. If your clothes take longer to dry or the dryer runs hot, the vent needs cleaning.
For air ducts, we follow the U.S. EPA's guidance. Cleaning makes sense when there is substantial visible mold, vermin, or excessive dust and debris. The EPA also says duct cleaning has not been shown to prevent health problems, so we won't promise that it will. It advises caution with chemical treatments too, and we won't apply them without discussing them with you first.
Services in Boerum Hill and nearby
Here is everything we offer to homes and buildings in Boerum Hill:
- Chimney sweep
- Chimney inspection
- Chimney repair
- Chimney liner installation
- Chimney cap and chase cover
- Chimney waterproofing
- Fireplace and damper repair
- Chimney rebuilding
- Dryer vent cleaning
- Air duct cleaning
ZIP codes we serve
- 11201
