The short answer
Yes, Nexora Chimney Services covers all of East Midtown from our nearby Gramercy office. We handle chimney sweeps, inspections, repairs, liners, waterproofing, and dryer vent and air duct cleaning for townhouses, brownstones and apartment buildings in the neighborhood.
Nexora Chimney Services works throughout East Midtown, about 2 miles northeast of our office in Gramercy. We serve homes and buildings across ZIP codes 10017, 10022, 10152, 10154, 10167, 10169, 10170, 10171, 10172 and 10174. Our certified technicians sweep and inspect chimneys, install liners, repair fireplaces and dampers, and clean dryer vents and air ducts. Because we're close by, scheduling around building rules, elevator reservations and doorman sign-ins is routine for us. Whether you have a working fireplace in a townhouse or a co-op unit with a decorative hearth, we can tell you what condition it's in and what, if anything, it needs.
Chimneys in East Midtown's Older Buildings
East Midtown mixes pre-war apartment buildings, co-ops and condos, brownstones and townhouses, and mixed-use buildings with apartments over street-level businesses. Many of the older buildings have masonry chimneys that are decades old. Some serve wood-burning fireplaces, some vent boilers or water heaters, and some have been sealed off and forgotten.
A building can look fine from the sidewalk while the inside of the chimney is in poor shape. Mortar joints wear out, clay flue tiles crack, and dampers rust shut. In a building with shared walls, a problem in one flue can affect the neighbors. That's why we start with an inspection. It lets us look at the whole system before we recommend any work.
New York Winters and the Heating Season
Manhattan winters bring hard freezes, wet snow, and wind-driven rain from coastal storms. Water that soaks into brick and mortar freezes, expands and thaws again many times each winter. Over a few seasons that cycle can loosen crowns, open joints, and push moisture into the flue. Humid summers then give damp masonry and debris a chance to smell and stain.
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, so boilers and their chimneys get steady use. The NFPA 211 standard calls for chimneys, fireplaces and vents to be inspected once a year. Late summer and early fall is a practical time to do it, because any repairs can be finished before the heat has to stay on.
Oil-to-Gas Conversions and Chimney Liners
Many older Manhattan buildings have switched, or are planning to switch, their boilers from oil to gas. When a New York City building converts from oil to gas, the chimney has to be evaluated as part of the work. A new liner is often needed. Gas exhaust produces acidic condensate, and that condensate can corrode an unlined or poorly lined masonry flue.
A change of fuel or a new appliance is also the point where a Level 2 inspection applies. If an inspection points to a hidden hazard that can only be reached by opening part of the chimney or building, a Level 3 inspection may be needed. We explain which level fits your situation and what we found, so owners, boards and managing agents can plan the work.
Time for your annual chimney check?
Dryer Vents and Air Ducts in Apartments and Townhouses
In-unit laundry often means a long or awkward dryer vent run through walls and ceilings. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, failure to clean is the leading factor contributing to clothes dryer fires in homes. If your clothes take longer to dry or the laundry area runs hot, the vent is a good place to look first.
For air ducts, we follow the EPA's practical view. Cleaning makes sense when there is substantial visible mold growth, vermin, or excessive dust and debris. The EPA also notes that duct cleaning hasn't been shown to prevent health problems. It advises homeowners to research the process before responding to very cheap advertised offers and to be careful with chemical treatments. We'll tell you plainly whether your ducts need cleaning.
Services Available in East Midtown
Our certified technicians offer the full range of chimney and vent work in the neighborhood:
- Chimney sweep for wood-burning fireplaces and heating flues
- Chimney inspection at Levels 1, 2 and 3
- Chimney repair, including mortar, crowns and flue tiles
- Chimney liner installation, including for oil-to-gas conversions
- Chimney cap and chase cover installation to keep out rain, snow and animals
- Chimney waterproofing for brick exposed to freeze-thaw cycles
- Fireplace and damper repair
- Chimney rebuilding when masonry is too far gone to patch
- Dryer vent cleaning
- Air duct cleaning
Nearby Neighborhoods We Also Serve
Besides East Midtown, we regularly work in Murray Hill, Kips Bay, Midtown South, Flatiron and Union Square. All of them are a short trip from our Gramercy office. If you manage or own property in more than one of these areas, we can coordinate visits.
ZIP codes we serve
- 10017
- 10022
- 10152
- 10154
- 10167
- 10169
- 10170
- 10171
- 10172
- 10174
