Saddle Rock, LI’s Top Masonry Chimney Service

The chimney is one of the most taken-for-granted elements of a property. Your chimney tends to not receive the consideration or the concern usually provided other obstructed household systems. Chimneys are far from the quiet, passive black holes that are ‘just there’ that most homeowners assume them to be. Weakened or deteriorated flue liners of masonry chimneys can become soft, cracked or otherwise deteriorated – such that it/they no longer have the ability to control & contain the serious by-products of combustion.

The challenge is that scores of masonry chimneys were not designed to handle the venting requirements of modern high-efficiency heating appliances burning natural gas and oil.

Masonry elements deteriorate quickly when exposed to the extreme freeze/thaw processes of Saddle Rock, in which moisture that has penetrated the products periodically freezes & expands causing undue stress.

While most stone is not affected by water penetration, large amounts of mortar are required to bond the stone rightly.

Hundreds of masonry materials are porous & may absorb large amounts of water.

Installing chimney caps and dampers might protect your chimney & maintain a safe chimney damper.

Caps and dampers keep out the weather, all animals and most debris – all while keeping sparks from leaving the chimney which can ignite nearby combustibles like your roofing shingles, siding or nearby trees.

For a metal, brick or fabricated chimney repair evaluation call or text Expressway at 631.388.7555.

One of the least expensive parts of the chimney venting system is the one that may prevent some of the most budget-busting trouble. If you don’t have a chimney cap on your chimney, stop reading & call our chimney pros for an estimate now! Every chimney craftsmen knows that a safe chimney cap is a must.

The job of the chimney cap is to stop rain from entering the flue and to stop pests from building nests in your chimney or using the chimney for a doorway into your property.

Chimney caps also come with spark barriers to prevent stray airborne particles that are still burning from exiting onto your roof.

Our chimney contractors could recommend the best solution for your chimney.

It’s the perfect upgrade for fireplace chimneys in older houses that rarely have a damper.

Even just falling leaves could build up without the correct chimney cap in place.

Metal fireboxes, liners & dampers all may suffer rust & deterioration. Chimney liner tiles & mortar will crumble and crack, leading to critical problems. The chimney cap cover deflects rain & the side mesh prevents pests & leaves from entering. Still, annual chimney cleaning and maintenance are always recommended.

Our experts will come out & recommend the best option for you and provide a written estimate to install a new chimney cap, damper, or guard.

Water starts more leaks than any other element. It soaks into porous bricks & weathers the mortar. It’s a common problem: raccoons, squirrels, birds & bats try to make their home in your chimney.

Chimneys can block correct ventilation & even allow pests to enter your home, potentially spreading disease & causing havoc. Our strong mesh & lids will keep even the most determined animals out!

Your fireplace can send sparks onto the roof or nearby flammable products. Stray sparks may be stopped by the mesh cover that is a part of all our chimney caps.

LI Chimney Contractors for Chimney Lining Replacements

The method recommended for your chimney will depend on the type of deposits. A flue lining in a masonry chimney is defined as “a clay, ceramic, or metal liner.” Thermocrete has UL Listing and is approved for gas and oil.

It conforms to any chimney size & shape, becoming a corrosion-proof, flame- and heat-resistant, airtight system with steel-like rigidity. A stainless steel chimney liner is air- & water-tight.

This alloy resists acids from gas appliances and extreme temperature cycles.

The liner protects your house from heat transfer to nearby combustibles. NBS tests showed that unlined chimneys let heat move so quickly that adjacent woodwork caught fire within 3½ hours.

Flue gases are acidic and eat away at mortar joints from the inside. As mortar joints erode, heat transfers more quickly to combustibles & gases like carbon monoxide can leak into the home.

The chimney not only vents combustion products but also supplies draft for combustion air. Our primary role is to remove flue deposits & evaluate the overall chimney system.

Our objective is to provide recommendations that could improve the safety and efficiency of your appliance and venting system.

Chimneys should be cleaned when soot & creosote accumulations approach or exceed 1/4 inch. Glaze build-up in excess of 1/8 inch should be removed. Our technicians employ multiple cleaning techniques to remove chimney deposits. Frequent (at least annual) chimney checks are the only way to know when the chimney is in need of maintenance.

Several of the usual chimney cleaning methods we provide include:

Standard Sweep. This is the normal cleaning method and uses brushes to clean the flue. A powerful, well-filtered vacuum prevents soot & creosote from entering the house. This cleaning is effective for soot and light creosote deposits but has little effect on glaze build-up.

Mechanical Sweeping. Mechanical cleaning uses wire brushes, plastic cables, or special chains rotated at high speed by an electric motor. It is often employed to remove hard creosote or glaze deposits. In rare cases where it’s impossible to sweep the flue by standard or mechanical methods, chemicals may be used to loosen and dissolve heavy deposits.

A thorough chimney sweep can remove soot, creosote & blockages from the flue liner, smoke chamber and shelf, firebox & damper. Heat, moisture, creosote and gases can be removed, repaired, or relined with a UL-listed liner system or other approved material that can resist corrosion, softening, or cracking from flue gases at temperatures appropriate for the class of the chimney project.

Chemical Cleaning: This needs two trips — sometimes 3 if necessary. Our chimney masons can usually complete the job in a couple of hours and ensure your residence stays clean and undisturbed. Our pros pride ourselves on “no mess,” top-notch job with minimal interruption to the owner.

What do other homeowners say about Expressway’s chimney contractors? Check our Google reviews here. We are proud of them.

Expressway Chimney give you a free inspection, no-obligation quote and the chimney inspection to use as you wishes.