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Chimney Sweep in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn

Serving Boerum Hill and nearby cities.

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The short answer

EverSafe Chimney Sweep cleans chimneys in Boerum Hill's brownstones, rowhouses and pre-war buildings, with certified technicians coming from our Fort Greene office about a mile away. A sweep removes soot and creosote and gives a clear view of the flue's condition. The NFPA 211 standard calls for chimneys to be inspected once a year.

Boerum Hill is mostly brownstones, rowhouses and pre-war apartment buildings, and many of them still have their original masonry chimneys. Some flues serve working wood-burning fireplaces. Others carry exhaust from a boiler or water heater, and some have sat unused for decades behind a closed-off mantel. EverSafe Chimney Sweep sends certified technicians from our Fort Greene office, about a mile away, to clean these chimneys, check their condition and tell you plainly what we find. This page covers chimney sweeping for homes in Boerum Hill and the 11201 area.

What a chimney sweep includes

A sweep removes the soot and creosote that build up inside a flue every time it's used. Creosote is a byproduct of burning wood. It's flammable, and thick layers in a narrow flue are where chimney fires start. Soot from oil or gas appliances is less dramatic, but it can still narrow the flue and affect how well exhaust leaves the house.

During a sweep in Boerum Hill, we typically:

  • Protect the hearth and floor around the fireplace with drop cloths and run a vacuum to keep dust out of the room
  • Brush the flue from the firebox up, or from the roof down when access allows
  • Clear the smoke shelf, damper area and firebox of debris
  • Look for nests, fallen brick or mortar, and blockages near the top
  • Check the damper, crown and cap for damage that lets water or animals in
  • Walk you through what we saw, including anything that needs follow-up

Chimneys in brownstones and rowhouses

Older Brooklyn rowhouses often have several flues running through the same chimney stack. There may be one for each fireplace on each floor, plus one for the heating system. It isn't always obvious which flue connects to which opening, and over the years some were capped, filled or relined. Part of our job is figuring out which flue serves your fireplace or appliance before we clean it.

Masonry this old can also have worn mortar joints, cracked or missing flue tiles, or a crown on the roof that has started to crumble. A sweep is a good time to spot these problems, because a clean flue is far easier to inspect than one coated in soot. If you're thinking about using a fireplace that has been closed off for years, have it swept and looked over before the first fire. An unused flue can hide debris, animal nests or damage you can't see from the room.

Yearly inspection and the heat season

The NFPA 211 standard calls for chimneys, fireplaces and vents to be inspected once a year, whether or not you think they need cleaning. Most routine visits are a Level 1 inspection, which is used when nothing about the system has changed. A Level 2 inspection applies when something does change, such as a new appliance or a switch in fuel, or when the home is sold. A Level 3 inspection is needed only when a suspected hidden hazard can be reached only by opening part of the chimney or building.

In New York City, the heat season runs from October 1 through May 31. During that time, building owners must keep apartments heated to the city's minimum temperatures. If your boiler vents through a chimney, a problem with that flue can become urgent in the middle of winter. Scheduling a sweep and inspection in late summer or early fall gives you time to handle repairs before the heat has to be on. For fireplaces you use often, an extra cleaning partway through the season can also make sense.

Oil-to-gas conversions and flue liners

Many older buildings in Boerum Hill have converted their boilers from oil to gas, or are planning to. In New York City, the chimney has to be evaluated as part of that work. A new liner is often needed, because gas exhaust produces acidic condensate that can corrode a masonry flue over time.

If a conversion is in your plans, we can sweep the old flue and look at its condition. That way you and your heating contractor know what you're working with before the project moves forward.

Serving Boerum Hill and nearby neighborhoods

Our office is in Fort Greene, so Boerum Hill is close by. We also sweep chimneys in Downtown Brooklyn, DUMBO, Brooklyn Heights, Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, where housing ranges from brownstones and rowhouses to pre-war and newer apartment buildings. When you book, tell us what the chimney serves, whether there's roof access, and whether you're an owner, a tenant or a building manager. That helps us plan the visit.

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What to expect

How a visit goes

  1. Look first, then recommend

    Every visit begins with an inspection of the parts we can reach. Recommendations come from what we actually find, not from a standard package.

  2. Plain explanations

    We tell you what each problem is, why it matters and what happens if it waits. You decide what gets done and when.

  3. A clean work area

    We cover floors and furniture near the fireplace or vent and contain soot and debris while we work. We clean up before we leave.

FAQ

Common questions

How often should my chimney be swept?

The NFPA 211 standard calls for an inspection once a year. Whether the chimney also needs sweeping depends on how much soot and creosote has built up. Fireplaces used often through the winter may need cleaning more than once a season.

My fireplace hasn't been used in years. Can I just light it?

It's safer to have it swept and inspected first. Long-unused flues in older rowhouses can be blocked by debris or nests, or have cracked tiles and loose mortar that you can't see from the room.

Does a boiler or water heater flue need sweeping?

Yes, it can. Oil appliances in particular leave soot that narrows the flue. A blocked or damaged appliance flue can keep exhaust from leaving the house properly, so it should be checked along with any fireplace flues.

Do you need access to the roof?

Not always. Many fireplace flues can be cleaned from the firebox up. Roof access helps us check the crown and cap and clear blockages near the top, so let us know when you book whether it's available.

Will a chimney sweep make a mess in my home?

We cover the hearth and surrounding floor and use a vacuum while we work to keep soot out of the room. Some dust is possible, but containing it is part of the job.

We're converting our boiler from oil to gas. What happens with the chimney?

In New York City the chimney has to be evaluated as part of the conversion, and a new liner is often needed because gas exhaust creates acidic condensate that can damage masonry. We can sweep and assess the existing flue so you know its condition.

Schedule a chimney or vent visit

Tell us what you're noticing, whether it's a smoky smell, a slow dryer or a cracked crown. We'll inspect, show you photos of what we find and give you a written price before any work begins.

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