The short answer
A chimney sweep removes creosote, soot and debris from your flue so smoke and exhaust vent safely. In Stuyvesant Town and nearby Manhattan neighborhoods, the best time to sweep is before the October heat season begins. The NFPA 211 standard calls for a yearly inspection to decide whether a sweep is needed.
Nexora Chimney Services sweeps chimneys for homes in Stuyvesant Town and the nearby East Side of Manhattan, working from our office at 304 E 20th St. You might have a wood-burning fireplace in a brownstone parlor, a long-unused fireplace in a pre-war apartment, or a masonry flue that serves a boiler. In each case, our certified technicians clean the flue, check the parts you can't see from the hearth, and tell you plainly what they found. Because we're based in the neighborhood, booking a sweep here is simple, even in the busy weeks before heating season.
What a Chimney Sweep Covers
A sweep clears creosote, soot and debris from the flue so smoke and exhaust leave the house the way they should. Creosote forms when wood smoke cools on its way up the chimney. Heavy deposits can ignite. Soot and loose debris can also narrow the flue and push smoke back into the room.
On a typical visit, we cover the floor and hearth, seal off the fireplace opening, and brush the flue from the top or the bottom, depending on which end can be reached safely. We run a vacuum the whole time to keep dust out of your living space.
- Brushing the full length of the flue and removing creosote and soot
- Cleaning the smoke chamber and smoke shelf above the damper
- Clearing the firebox and checking that the damper opens, closes and seals
- Looking for blockages such as nests, fallen masonry or broken flue tiles
- Photos and a short written note on what we found
Chimneys in Stuyvesant Town and Nearby Buildings
Housing in and around Stuyvesant Town ranges from large apartment buildings to the brownstones, rowhouses and pre-war buildings found in nearby Gramercy, the East Village, Murray Hill and Kips Bay. Older buildings often have several fireplaces tied into stacked flues. Some of those flues sit unused for years before a new owner or tenant lights a fire. An idle flue can hold debris, animal nests or cracked tiles that you can't see from the hearth.
Not every chimney here serves a fireplace. Many buildings vent boilers through masonry chimneys, and those flues collect soot and debris too.
In apartment buildings, roof access usually has to be arranged with building management or the super. We can coordinate with them before your appointment so the sweep is done from the right end of the chimney. When roof access isn't possible, we work from below with tools suited to the flue.
When to Schedule a Sweep
The NFPA 211 standard calls for chimneys, fireplaces and vents to be inspected once a year. A sweep is usually recommended when that inspection shows creosote or soot buildup, and we often do both on the same visit.
New York City's heat season runs from October 1 through May 31. Boilers and fireplaces get the most use during those months. Late summer and early fall are good times to sweep, before the first cold night. Call sooner if you notice any of these signs:
- A smoky or musty smell in the room, especially on humid days
- Smoke spilling into the room when you light a fire
- Black flakes or debris falling into the firebox
- Fires that are hard to start or keep burning
- Animal sounds or nesting material near the damper
- You just moved in and don't know when the flue was last cleaned
Time for your annual chimney check?
Switching Fuels, Adding Appliances or Selling a Home
Chimney professionals use three inspection levels. A Level 1 inspection fits when nothing about the system has changed. A Level 2 inspection is called for when the system changes, such as a new appliance or a switch of fuel, or when the 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.
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. A thorough sweep is usually the first step, since it lets the flue be seen clearly during that evaluation.
After the Sweep
Before we leave, we walk you through what we saw. If we find cracked flue tiles, a missing cap, a damaged crown or worn mortar joints, we'll show you photos and explain your options. You decide what, if anything, happens next. We don't do repair work you haven't asked for.
Besides Stuyvesant Town, we sweep chimneys in Peter Cooper Village, the East Village, Gramercy, Murray Hill and Kips Bay.
More services in Stuyvesant Town
- Chimney Inspection in Stuyvesant Town
- Chimney Repair in Stuyvesant Town
- Air Duct Cleaning in Stuyvesant Town
- Chimney Liner Installation in Stuyvesant Town
