Chimney Service in Morris County
Gas in most towns, oil in plenty of others, and wood in the colder hills. We inspect for free and write the price down first.
Morris County mixes old and new. About 14 percent of homes were built before 1940, according to the Census Bureau's 2024 survey, and the median home dates to 1971. Morristown, home to the country's first national historical park and two winter encampments of the Continental Army, has 23.5 percent of its homes from before 1940. Madison, Chatham and Mendham have their own prewar centers, and Parsippany, Randolph and Denville filled in with postwar colonials and split-levels.
Heating is more mixed than in most of North Jersey. About 73 percent of Morris homes heat with gas, but 12 percent still use oil, one of the higher shares in the state. Oil-fired boilers vent through masonry chimneys and leave soot behind. When a house converts from oil to gas, the old flue usually has to be checked and often relined for the new appliance. The free inspection covers the oil flue, the fireplace flue and anything else in the chimney.
Oil-to-gas conversions in Morris County
New Jersey's chimney verification form, F-370, covers conversions from oil to gas as well as plain furnace and water-heater replacements. The person signing it attests that the chimney is clean of residue from its previous use, in good repair, and lined and sized for the new appliance. A homeowner can't sign it.
Old oil soot left in a flue can mix with gas exhaust and corrode a liner, so the flue has to be cleaned before the switch. A liner for the new furnace or water heater typically runs $625 to $2,250.
Freezing nights and Lake Hopatcong homes
NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals give the Caldwell station, just east of the county, about 108 nights a year at or below freezing. Newton, to the northwest, logs about 142. Crowns crack and brick spalls faster under that many freeze-thaw cycles. A new crown typically runs $600 to $2,200.
Lake Hopatcong, the state's largest freshwater lake, sits on the Morris and Sussex line. The lake was a summer resort before it became a year-round community, so some lake houses started as summer places. Their chimneys and stoves are worth a close look before a first full winter.
FAQ
Morris County questions
We are switching from oil to gas in Randolph. What happens to the chimney?
The chimney gets checked on form F-370 before the town approves the new appliance. It usually needs cleaning of old oil residue, and often a liner sized for the gas furnace or water heater. Our inspection covers what the form asks about and is free.
Do you work on chimneys in Morristown's older neighborhoods?
Yes. Prewar chimneys there often need repointing, a new crown or a liner. Repointing typically runs $500 to $2,500. We photograph what we find and price it before any work.
Do you install wood stoves in Morris County?
Yes. A wood stove installation typically runs $3,000 to $8,000 and a wood insert with a liner $3,000 to $7,000. Stoves and inserts go through your town's construction office, and we handle the permit.
When can you come?
Sunday through Friday in 3-hour windows: 8 to 11, 11 to 2 or 2 to 5. We call to confirm. Closed Saturday.
Book online
Pick a day. We'll bring a ladder.
Free inspection in a 3-hour window: 8 to 11, 11 to 2, or 2 to 5. We call to confirm before we arrive.