Chimney sweep and repair in Wayne
From lake cottages turned year-round homes to postwar split-levels, we clean and repair Wayne chimneys after a free inspection.
Wayne was farmland for most of its history. In the early 1900s wealthy New Yorkers built summer bungalows around its lakes, at Packanack Lake, Pines Lake and Lions Head Lake. During the Second World War many of those bungalows were turned into year-round homes, and after the war the farms became housing developments. The Census puts the median Wayne home at 1967, and only about 8 percent of houses before 1940.
So Wayne chimneys come in two kinds. Around the lakes, some started life on summer cottages and were never built for a long heating season. Across the rest of town, ranches, split-levels and colonials from the 1950s to the 1970s have masonry chimneys now 50 to 70 years old, or factory-built fireplaces with metal flues. We inspect either kind for free, take photos and give you a written price before any work.
Postwar chimneys at 50 to 70 years
A chimney built in the 1960s is reaching the age when crowns crack and flashing gives out. The crown is the concrete cap on top of the brick, and many were poured thin, so water gets into the masonry and frost splits it. Typical costs are $600 to $2,200 for a crown, $300 to $1,800 for flashing and $250 to $850 for a cap. Caught early, these are repairs. Left for years, the top courses come loose and need rebuilding.
About 87 percent of Wayne homes heat with gas. Replacing the furnace, boiler or water heater means a chimney verification on New Jersey form F-370 before the job is approved, and the original clay-tile flue is often too large for a new appliance. A furnace or water-heater liner typically costs $625 to $2,250.
Lake houses, flooding and fireplaces
On a converted lake house, the chimney is often the oldest part of the building and the least changed. We see small fireboxes, missing liners and chimneys that are too short for the roof that was added later, which causes smoke problems. Draft fixes typically run $150 to $1,500, depending on the cause.
The Passaic River runs along part of Wayne and often floods near Willowbrook Mall and riverside streets. When water reaches a basement boiler or water heater, the replacement unit needs the same F-370 chimney check as any other, so call us early in the process to keep the permit moving.
Where we work in Wayne
Packanack Lake · Pines Lake · Lions Head Lake · Preakness · Lower Preakness · Mountain View · Point View · Pompton Falls · Two Bridges · Barbours Mills
FAQ
Wayne chimney questions
Our Wayne split-level has a cracked crown. How urgent is that?
Not an emergency, but don't leave it for years. A cracked crown lets water into the brick, and every freeze opens the cracks further. Crown work typically costs $600 to $2,200. We'll show you photos and tell you whether a seal or a new crown is the right fix.
We have a factory-built fireplace. Do you service those?
Yes. Metal fireplaces and flues need cleaning and a check of the chimney pipe, chase cover and cap. Chase covers rust through over time and let water into the chase. A replacement chase cover typically runs $300 to $700.
Our basement flooded and we need a new water heater. Does the chimney matter?
Yes. In New Jersey a water heater replacement needs a chimney verification on form F-370 unless both units are direct-vent, and the flue may need a liner sized to the new unit. We can inspect it and complete the form.
What does chimney cleaning cost in Wayne?
We price it at the free inspection, after we've seen the chimney and how much it's been used. You get the price in writing before we start. We book Sunday to Friday in 3-hour windows.
Book online
Book in Wayne. The inspection is free.
Free inspection in a 3-hour window: 8 to 11, 11 to 2, or 2 to 5. We call to confirm before we arrive.