Level 1 sweep and inspection to the NFPA 211 annual standard - flue, crown, cap, and flashing checked and photographed
Chimney sweep logs do not sweep chimneys. They loosen some creosote - which then falls where a brush and vacuum still have to collect it.
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AfterFamco Chimney Liner & Rebuild in New York: What to Know First
Famco chimney liner and rebuild work in New York typically costs $2,400-$7,800 depending on liner length, flue access, and whether the crown or top courses of brick need rebuilding. We’re an independent Famco service provider, not an authorized dealer, which means we recommend the right liner for the flue, not the one that matches the brand sticker on your furnace. Most Famco liner replacements and rebuilds take one to two days on site. If you’re reading this because a home inspector flagged your Famco liner or your boiler tech said the flue “looks rough,” call (551) 213-5548 and we’ll put a camera down it.
How Famco Products Fail - and How We Fix Them
Famco makes a lot of venting and chimney components that end up in New York basements and brownstone flues. Here’s what we actually see when those parts get old.
- Famco flexible aluminum liners in older boiler flues. The thin-wall flexible aluminum vent connectors Famco produced for gas appliances corrode at the seams after 15-20 years of acidic condensate. We see pinholes near the low points and kinks where installers bent them around offsets. The fix is usually a full replacement with a UL-listed stainless liner, not a patch. Condensate doesn’t stop.
- Famco rigid stainless liners with failed insulation wrap. On wood-burning flues, the insulation blanket around a rigid liner eventually sags or tears. Once the insulation gaps, the flue gas cools too fast inside the liner and creosote builds at twice the normal rate. We find this on liners that are only 8-10 years old. The symptom is a sticky, shiny glaze (Class III creosote) that the homeowner describes as “tar dripping.” Fix is a new insulated liner, not a cleaning.
- Famco caps and terminations with rusted mounting hardware. The stainless cap body holds up, but the galvanized screws and mounting brackets don’t. We see caps hanging loose on New York rooftops after a few winters of freeze-thaw. A loose cap lets rain drive straight into the flue, which soaks whatever liner is below it. When we rebuild a Famco chimney, we swap the hardware to stainless and torque it to spec.
- Famco liners in unlined masonry chimneys. A lot of older New York homes had a Famco flex liner dropped into an original clay tile flue without insulation or a proper top plate. Twenty years later, the tiles behind it have spalled and the liner is bulging where the clay collapsed inward. We see this on our camera as a flattened or twisted section mid-flue. The rebuild means removing the old liner, parging where the clay failed, and sizing the new liner to the actual interior diameter of the remaining flue.
- Famco connector adapters between furnace and liner. The low-cost crimped adapters Famco shipped with some kits loosen over repeated heat cycling. The joint opens up, flue gas leaks into the basement, and the CO detector goes off at 2 a.m. We replace the adapter, double-check the connection with a draft reading, and document the before and after on camera.
Our Famco Chimney Liner & Rebuild Process
Every Famco job at Level Two Chimney New York follows the same written sequence, and you get the record at the end.
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Call and schedule. A live person answers, takes your address and the furnace or fireplace details, and books a window. You get a text with the tech’s name and license number before we arrive.
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Camera inspection. We run a Level 2 camera scan down the flue, from the top cap to the appliance connector. You see the footage with us. Clause 4 of the Haven Standard requires a documented photo record on every job, so the images get saved to your file.
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Written scope and price. Before any work starts, we write down what we found, what we recommend, what it costs, and what the warranty covers. You sign it or you don’t. No one starts loosening bolts before that paper is in your hand.
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The work. Old liner out, flue prepped, new liner sized and installed. If it’s a rebuild, we set up scaffolding or roof anchors with full fall protection, rebuild the crown or brick courses, and install the liner as one continuous piece where flue geometry allows. Materials are sourced through our network from DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, and Famco, chosen for the specific flue condition, not the brand on the appliance.
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Draft test and photo record. We verify draft with a manometer, document the finished install with the camera, and hand over the written warranty, the before and after photos, and a written description of what was done.
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The 365-Day Done Right Promise. If the liner or rebuild doesn’t perform, we come back and make it right. That’s stamped on every job under the Haven Standard.
BeforeAfterWhat Famco Chimney Liner & Rebuild Costs in New York
Here’s the honest range we quote across New York’s boroughs and inner suburbs, based on access, flue height, and condition. Prices are written before work starts, never estimated over the phone and then “adjusted” later.
- Famco liner replacement only (gas or oil appliance flue, single story): $2,400-$3,900
- Famco liner replacement with insulation for wood-burning flue: $3,200-$5,400
- Liner plus crown rebuild and top plate replacement: $4,800-$6,900
- Full Famco chimney rebuild (top 5-10 courses of brick, liner, cap, crown): $6,000-$7,800 rising with height and parapet access
What moves the price is roof access in New York, liner length, and whether we’re scaffolding a brownstone on a busy block or working off a rear extension at grade. If you have a written estimate from another company, we’ll give you a free second opinion on it. Call (551) 213-5548 for a camera inspection and exact written price.
Why New York Homeowners Call Level Two Chimney New York for Famco Work
Most of our Famco calls come from homeowners who were told by someone else that the whole chimney has to go and they’d like a number that stands up to a second look. We’ve run Level Two in New York since 2009 and have inspected and cleaned 38,000 chimneys. Corrine Halstead grew up in the Bronx, and she’s spent the better part of two decades reading flue liners and writing repair scopes across the city, including a stretch of older brownstones near Prospect Park that kept her camera busy for years. We work on Famco, DuraFlex, HeatShield, and Gelco systems, so we’re not locked into one brand’s answer. The camera doesn’t argue with you, and neither does the price sheet. That’s the whole approach.
FAQs
No. Appliance warranties cover the appliance, not the venting connected to it. Replacing a failed Famco liner with a UL-listed liner that matches the appliance’s venting requirements doesn’t void anything. We document the install with photos and a written warranty so there’s a record if a manufacturer ever asks. Call (551) 213-5548 if you want us to check your specific unit’s venting table.
If the camera shows pinholes, separations at the joints, or a flattened section, it’s a replacement. If it shows creosote buildup on an otherwise intact liner, it’s a cleaning. We give you the footage either way and let you see what we see before any recommendation is made. Clause 4 of the Haven Standard requires the photo record on every visit.
On gas and oil flues, yes, sometimes we replace a failed connector adapter or a damaged top section if the rest of the liner measures intact. On wood-burning flues with a torn insulation wrap or mid-flue corrosion, partial repair usually doesn’t hold because condensate and creosote attack the next weakest point. We’ll show you the readings and photos that support either answer. Call (551) 213-5548 for a straight answer on your flue.
Most single-liner replacements take one day, including the camera inspection, install, draft test, and photo report. A partial chimney rebuild with a new liner, crown, and cap typically runs two days. A full top-to-bottom rebuild on a taller brownstone flue can run three to four days depending on weather and masonry work. We’ll put the schedule in the written scope before anything starts.
Sometimes, when the damage is from a documented event like a chimney fire, lightning strike, or falling branch. Routine corrosion and age-related liner failure usually isn’t. We provide the camera footage and written condition report your adjuster will ask for. Call (551) 213-5548 if you need an inspection report for a claim.
Get a Written Price First
If you own a Famco system in New York and you want a straight answer on the liner, call (551) 213-5548 and ask for an inspection. We’ll bring the camera, show you the footage, and put the price in writing before anyone touches a wrench. Free estimates always, and a free second opinion on any competitor’s written quote. Level Two Chimney New York, independently owned and operated under the Haven Standard.
Written by Corrine Halstead, Owner, Level Two Chimney New York at Level Two Chimney New York, serving New York and nearby areas.