The short answer
Apex Premier Chimney Services provides chimney sweeping, inspection, repair, liner installation, and dryer vent and air duct cleaning throughout Brooklyn Heights. We work on brownstones, rowhouses, pre-war apartment buildings and detached homes, and our office is about 2 miles away in Manhattan.
Brooklyn Heights is a Brooklyn neighborhood in New York City, about 2 miles south of our Manhattan office. Its brownstones, rowhouses and pre-war apartment buildings put real demands on chimneys and vents. Many older homes have several flues running through shared masonry, and many apartment buildings still depend on a boiler chimney that has been in service for generations. Apex Premier Chimney Services sends certified technicians to inspect, clean and repair these systems. We also clean the dryer vents and air ducts that keep a home safe and comfortable.
Chimney Service Built Around Brooklyn Heights Homes
Most homes in the neighborhood are older masonry buildings, and their chimneys tend to have a long history. A brownstone may have a working fireplace on the parlor floor, sealed fireplaces on upper floors, and a separate flue for the heating system, all in the same chimney stack. Before recommending any work, we look at how each flue is used today.
In pre-war apartment buildings the main concern is usually the boiler chimney. It carries exhaust from the heating plant and has to stay sound through the whole heating season. In detached homes and rowhouses, wood-burning fireplaces need regular sweeping to remove creosote, plus a working damper to control drafts.
- Chimney sweep and creosote removal for wood-burning fireplaces
- Chimney inspection for fireplaces, boilers and furnaces
- Fireplace and damper repair
- Chimney liner installation for new or converted appliances
- Chimney repair and full chimney rebuilding when masonry has failed
How Brooklyn Weather Wears Down Masonry
Brooklyn winters bring repeated freezing and thawing. Water that soaks into brick and mortar expands when it freezes, and over many seasons that loosens joints, cracks crowns and pushes brick faces off. Wind-driven rain in spring and fall, plus humid summers, keep older masonry damp for long stretches.
A good chimney cap keeps rain, debris and animals out of the flue, and a chase cover protects framed chimneys. Chimney waterproofing with a breathable water repellent helps brick shed water while still letting moisture escape. If the damage is past repair, we can rebuild the chimney from the roofline up.
Yearly Inspections and the Heating Season
The NFPA 211 standard calls for chimneys, fireplaces and vents to be inspected once a year. A Level 1 inspection fits when nothing about the system has changed. A Level 2 inspection is used when the system changes, such as a new appliance or a switch of fuel, and when a home is sold. A Level 3 inspection is needed when a hidden hazard can only be reached by opening part of the chimney or building.
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. That makes late summer a practical time to have a boiler chimney inspected, so any repairs are finished before the heat has to stay on.
Oil-to-Gas Conversions and Chimney Liners
Many older Brooklyn buildings have moved, or are planning to move, from oil heat to gas. 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 a masonry flue. We inspect the existing flue and recommend a liner sized for the new equipment, then install it so the exhaust vents safely.
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. Long or bent vent runs, which are common when a dryer has been added to an older building, collect lint quickly. We clean the full run and check that air moves freely to the outside.
For air ducts, we follow the U.S. EPA's guidance. The EPA advises cleaning ducts when there is substantial visible mold growth, vermin, or excessive dust and debris. It also notes that duct cleaning has not been shown to prevent health problems. We will tell you plainly whether your ducts need cleaning, and we are careful about any chemical treatment.
Nearby Areas We Also Serve
Besides Brooklyn Heights, our technicians regularly work in Chinatown, Two Bridges, the Lower East Side, Tribeca and the Civic Center. These neighborhoods have the same mix of older masonry buildings and heating systems, so the same care applies.