Trusted Masonry, Concrete, Brick & Stone Services in Greece, NY

A full chimney sweep and inspection of your chimney and fireplace is included in our chimney sweeps. We will inspect the exterior of the chimney, do a full sweep of the inside of the chimney and fireplace and then we use a camera to look at the inside of the chimney to make sure it is safe to use. We will give you an inspection report at the end and if we notice anything that needs work, we will give you an estimate for the repairs.

The National Fire Protection Association recommends that all chimneys, fireplaces, and vents shall be inspected at least once a year for soundness, freedom from deposits and correct clearances. The Chimney Safety Institute of America recommends that open masonry fireplaces should be swept at 1/8" of sooty buildup, and sooner if there is any glaze present in the system. This is considered to be enough fuel buildup to cause a chimney fire capable of damaging the chimney or spreading to the home. Factory-built fireplaces should be swept when any appreciable buildup occurs. The logic is that the deposit is quite acidic and can shorten the life of the fireplace.

A typical cleaning can be over in as little as 30 minutes, but can go as long as an hour and a half. Nesting materia, if present, can take longer and may require a separate fee.

Most chimneys and fireplaces can be cleaned from the bottom. We have specially designed tools made for this application. A typical sweeping will involve roof access for inspection of brick work, caps and flashing. Chimneys over 30 feet or hard to reach chimneys may not get inspected from the roof. This is typically left to the discretion of the technician.

The whitish discoloration on the exterior of the furnace chimney is efflorescence. It is caused by the escape of gases through gaps in the liner. Felgemacher Masonry can make specific recommendations about installing a new liner and tuck pointing or rebuilding the chimney if necessary.