The short answer
EverSafe Chimney Sweep serves all of Bedford-Stuyvesant (11216 and 11221) from our Fort Greene office about 2 miles away. Our certified technicians clean, inspect and repair chimneys, install liners for oil-to-gas conversions, and clean dryer vents and air ducts in the neighborhood's brownstones, rowhouses and apartment buildings.
Bedford-Stuyvesant is full of older housing: brownstones and rowhouses, pre-war apartment buildings, and some detached homes. Many of these buildings have masonry chimneys that have been working, or sitting unused, for generations. EverSafe Chimney Sweep cleans, inspects and repairs chimneys and fireplaces and cleans dryer vents and air ducts across ZIP codes 11216 and 11221. Our office is in Fort Greene, about 2 miles west, so Bed-Stuy is close for our certified technicians. Below is what we see most often in the neighborhood and how we handle it.
Chimneys in Bed-Stuy Brownstones and Rowhouses
Many brownstones and rowhouses in the neighborhood were built with brick flues that served fireplaces on several floors. Over the years, many of those fireplaces were closed off, painted over or kept only for decoration, while another flue may now vent a boiler or water heater. Because homes share party walls, chimneys often sit in a stack alongside a neighbor's, and a problem at the top can affect more than one home.
Before anyone lights a fire in a fireplace that hasn't been used in years, we check whether the flue is open, intact and lined. We look for debris, animal nests, cracked flue tiles, loose mortar and dampers rusted shut. In pre-war apartment buildings, we also pay close attention to the chimney serving the boiler, since that flue works hard all winter.
How Brooklyn Weather Wears Down Masonry
Brooklyn winters bring repeated freezing and thawing, and coastal storms drive rain sideways into brick. Water that soaks into masonry expands when it freezes, which loosens mortar joints, cracks crowns and breaks off pieces of brick over time. Inside, the same moisture shows up as stained ceilings or walls near the chimney, a musty smell from the fireplace, or rusted damper parts.
Most fixes are straightforward when caught early:
- A chimney cap to keep out rain, birds and squirrels
- A chase cover or crown repair so water sheds off the top of the chimney
- A breathable waterproofing treatment that blocks rain but lets brick dry out
- Repointing or partial rebuilding where mortar and brick have failed
Inspections, Liners and Oil-to-Gas Conversions
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 the right call when a home is sold, a new appliance is added or the fuel is switched. A Level 3 inspection is for hidden hazards that can only be reached by opening part of the chimney or building.
Fuel switches come up often in older Bed-Stuy buildings. In New York City, the chimney has to be evaluated as part of an oil-to-gas boiler conversion, and a new liner is often needed because gas exhaust produces acidic condensate that can corrode a masonry flue. We inspect the flue, install a properly sized liner when one is needed, and show you what we found.
The city's heat season runs from October 1 through May 31, when building owners must keep apartments heated to minimum temperatures. Scheduling chimney and flue work before October means you won't have to shut down heat while tenants depend on it.
Dryer Vents and Air Ducts
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 travel a long way to reach an outside wall, with bends that trap lint. If clothes need more than one cycle or the laundry area feels hot, the vent likely needs cleaning.
For air ducts, we follow EPA guidance: cleaning makes sense when there is substantial visible mold growth, signs of vermin, or excessive dust and debris. The EPA also notes that duct cleaning has not been shown to prevent health problems, advises researching the process before responding to very cheap advertised offers, and urges care with chemical treatments. We'll tell you plainly whether your ducts need cleaning.
Services in 11216, 11221 and Nearby
We offer the following throughout Bedford-Stuyvesant, and also in Clinton Hill, South Williamsburg, Prospect Heights, Fort Greene and Park Slope:
- Chimney sweep
- Chimney inspection
- Chimney repair
- Chimney rebuilding
- Chimney liner installation
- Chimney cap and chase cover
- Chimney waterproofing
- Fireplace and damper repair
- Dryer vent cleaning
- Air duct cleaning
ZIP codes we serve
- 11216
- 11221