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Chimney and Duct Cleaning in Hudson Square, Manhattan

The short answer

EmberGuard Chimney Sweep is based at 489 Broome St in Hudson Square and serves all of ZIP 10012 plus nearby SoHo, Little Italy, Tribeca, Civic Center and Greenwich Village. Our certified technicians handle chimney sweeping, inspections, repairs, liners, dryer vents and air ducts. It's best to schedule before heat season starts on October 1.

EmberGuard Chimney Sweep's office is at 489 Broome St in Hudson Square, so this neighborhood is home ground for us. We clean, inspect and repair chimneys, fireplaces, dryer vents and air ducts for homeowners and building owners across ZIP code 10012 and the surrounding parts of Lower Manhattan. You might have a wood-burning fireplace in a rowhouse parlor, a boiler flue serving a pre-war apartment building, or a dryer vent snaking through a converted loft. Our certified technicians can look at the whole system and tell you plainly what it needs.

Hudson Square Housing and What It Means for Your Chimney

Hudson Square's housing is mostly older masonry: pre-war apartment buildings, converted loft buildings and a scattering of rowhouses. Many of these buildings have tall brick chimneys that were built for coal or oil. Today they may vent gas boilers, water heaters or a fireplace that sees occasional use. Unlined or deteriorated clay-lined flues are common in buildings of this age. So are flues that have been altered over the years without anyone keeping records.

Lower Manhattan's weather is hard on brick. Winters bring repeated freeze-thaw cycles. Water that soaks into a cracked crown or porous mortar expands when it freezes, loosening bricks over time. Nor'easters and summer thunderstorms drive rain sideways into exposed chimney tops. Humid summers can leave a damp, smoky odor in fireplaces that let moisture in. A cap, a sound crown and a breathable water repellent go a long way toward slowing that damage.

Technician lowering an inspection camera into a chimney flue

Getting Ready for Heat Season

New York City's heat season runs from October 1 through May 31. During that stretch, building owners must keep apartments heated to the city's minimum temperatures. That makes late summer and early fall the practical time to have boiler flues and fireplaces checked, so you aren't fixing a problem in the middle of a cold snap.

The NFPA 211 standard calls for chimneys, fireplaces and vents to be inspected once a year. We follow the three inspection levels used across the trade:

  • Level 1: for a system that hasn't changed and is used the same way as before.
  • Level 2: when something changes, such as a new appliance or a switch of fuel, or when the home is being sold.
  • Level 3: when a suspected hidden hazard can only be reached by opening part of the chimney or the building.

Oil-to-Gas Conversions and Chimney Liners

Many buildings in and around Hudson Square have moved their boilers from oil to gas, or plan to. When a New York City building makes that switch, the chimney has to be evaluated as part of the work. Gas exhaust produces acidic condensate that can corrode a masonry flue, so a new liner is often needed.

We inspect the flue, confirm whether it can safely serve the new equipment, and install a properly sized liner when one is required. Coordinating with your boiler contractor early helps keep the conversion on schedule.

Time for your annual chimney check?

Call (472) 287-7082Request Service

Dryer Vents and Air Ducts in Apartments and Lofts

Dryers in apartments and lofts often vent through long ducts with several turns, which lets lint build up out of sight. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, failure to clean is the leading factor contributing to clothes dryer fires in homes. Schedule a cleaning if clothes take longer to dry or the laundry area feels unusually hot.

For air ducts, we follow the U.S. EPA's guidance. Cleaning makes sense when there is substantial visible mold growth, vermin, or excessive dust and debris. The EPA also notes that duct cleaning hasn't been shown to prevent health problems, so we won't promise that it will. We explain exactly what we'll do, and we're careful with chemical treatments rather than pushing them. The EPA suggests researching the process before responding to very cheap advertised offers. We're happy to walk you through ours.

Services We Offer in Hudson Square and Nearby

From our Broome Street office we serve all of ZIP code 10012. We also serve the neighborhoods next door, including SoHo, Little Italy, Tribeca, Civic Center and Greenwich Village.

  • Chimney Sweep: removing soot and creosote from fireplace and appliance flues
  • Chimney Inspection: Level 1, 2 and 3 inspections
  • Chimney Repair: crowns, mortar joints, flashing and damaged brick
  • Chimney Liner Installation: for gas conversions and deteriorated flues
  • Chimney Cap & Chase Cover: keeping out rain, debris and animals
  • Chimney Waterproofing: breathable repellents for weather-exposed masonry
  • Chimney Rebuilding: partial or full rebuilds of failing chimney tops
  • Fireplace & Damper Repair: dampers, fireboxes and smoke chambers
  • Dryer Vent Cleaning: clearing lint from the dryer to the exterior
  • Air Duct Cleaning: when mold, vermin or heavy debris are present

ZIP codes we serve

  • 10012

Services in Hudson Square

Nearby areas

Chimney sweep cleaning a brick chimney on a rowhouse roof

Book Chimney & Duct Cleaning in Hudson Square

Serving Hudson Square and nearby cities.

  • Diagnosis before any repair
  • Photos of what we find
  • Written price before we start
Call (472) 287-7082Request Service

What to expect

How a visit goes

  1. Look first, then recommend

    We inspect the system and show you photos before suggesting any repair, so you know why a recommendation is being made.

  2. Clean work inside your home

    We cover floors and furniture, use HEPA vacuums, and leave the room the way we found it.

  3. Coordinated with your building

    In co-ops and apartment buildings, we work with your super or managing agent on roof access, scheduling and building rules.

FAQ

Common questions

Don’t see your question? Call (472) 287-7082 and we’ll talk it through.

Where is your office?

Our office is at 489 Broome St in Hudson Square, so we can reach most of ZIP code 10012 and the surrounding neighborhoods quickly.

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.

When is the best time to schedule chimney work in Hudson Square?

Late summer or early fall is ideal. New York City's heat season starts October 1, and it's easier to fix a flue problem before the boiler is running every day.

Does an oil-to-gas boiler conversion require a new chimney liner?

The chimney has to be evaluated as part of the conversion, and a new liner is often needed. Gas exhaust produces acidic condensate that can corrode a masonry flue.

Do I really need my air ducts cleaned?

Following U.S. EPA guidance, cleaning makes sense when there is substantial visible mold, vermin, or excessive dust and debris. It hasn't been shown to prevent health problems, so we'll tell you honestly whether it's worthwhile.

Do you serve neighborhoods outside Hudson Square?

Yes. We regularly work in SoHo, Little Italy, Tribeca, Civic Center and Greenwich Village.

Schedule a Chimney or Vent Inspection

Tell us what you're noticing and what kind of building you live in. We'll set up a visit, inspect the system, show you photos, and give you a written price before any work begins.

(472) 287-7082
Call (472) 287-7082 Request Service