Chimney Sweep in Irondequoit, NY

What Chimneys in Irondequoit Usually Need

Irondequoit went from 23,376 people in 1940 to 55,337 in 1960, the first suburb in the county to pull big numbers of families out of the city. That boom put up rows of brick Cape Cods, colonials and ranches, and nearly every one has a masonry chimney. We see them every week.

Cape Cods and Colonials

Small lots mean a chimney sits close to the neighbor with little ladder room. A lot of these roofs are low-pitched, so we can reach the crown without a lift. The usual trouble is a cracked crown, loose top bricks and a cap that rusted through years ago.

Bayfront and Lakeshore Homes

Water wraps this town on three sides: the Genesee River, Irondequoit Bay and Lake Ontario. Wind off any of them shoves rain into the north face of a chimney. Spalling and white salt stains (efflorescence is the proper word) tell us moisture is getting in.

Older Homes Near Culver Road

Houses closer to the city line are some of the oldest in town. Their chimneys sometimes have no liner at all, just bare clay tile or brick. If you have a fireplace you want to use, a Level 2 camera inspection tells you what is inside.

Peninsula Homes With Wood Stoves

A fair number of Irondequoit homes heat a finished basement or a sunroom with a wood stove. The stovepipe builds up faster than a fireplace flue, so we check it every year for creosote, the black tar behind most chimney fires. It takes ten minutes to look and saves a lot of trouble.

How Much Does Chimney Repair Cost in Irondequoit, NY?

Chimney repair in Irondequoit runs from about $350 for a crown sealing job to $2,500 for a new crown, with repointing from $600 to $3,500 depending on height. A sweep is $200 to $330. Every price is written down after we walk the roof, and nothing is added without your signature.

Water repellent works on a chimney with a sound crown and tight joints, so those come first. If the repellent can wait, we say so.

Types of Chimney Services We Offer in Irondequoit

Waterproofing Brick

Chimney Saver is our pick for wet peninsula brick. It lets water vapor out of the brick but turns liquid rain away, and it carries a 10-year guarantee. Save it for sound brick, though. On a cracked crown it is wasted money, which we have told more than one customer. See chimney waterproofing.

Partial and Full Rebuilds

When the top has gone soft or leans, we take it down to solid brick and build it back up. Most Irondequoit rebuilds are partial, from the roof line up, and we did about 25 rebuilds last year. Joe lays every course himself. See chimney rebuild.

Caps and Dampers

A stainless cap shuts out rain. A top-mount damper seals the flue from above, so the cold air that used to slide down the chimney all night stays outside. In a drafty Cape Cod that one change shows up on the heating bill, and the damper carries a lifetime warranty.

Liners for Gas and Wood

Clay flue tile cracks, and it does so quietly. A stainless liner sleeves the flue, fits a new stove or insert and handles oil and gas exhaust as well. Honestly, if you are adding any appliance to an old chimney, put the liner in first. See chimney liner installation.

Yearly Sweeps and Inspections

A sweep clears out soot and creosote, and the 21 point report records everything we saw, with photos. Keep it with the house papers. We have handed over about 1,150 of them in the past year, and buyers and insurers ask for them more than you would think.

Animal Guards and Screens

Raccoons, squirrels and starlings all like a smoke shelf for a nest. A stainless cap with mesh keeps them out, and it costs a lot less than a nest fire. We size the cap to your flue, whatever the shape.

What a Chimney Visit Looks Like in Irondequoit

• We park at the curb and carry two ladders up the side of the house.
• We lay plastic over the hearth and tape it down so soot stays put.
• The sweep starts from the top, and the smoke chamber and shelf are brushed and vacuumed by hand.
• A camera checks the flue, and you see the pictures on your phone before we pack up.
• The written report lists every crack and gap, so repair prices come with the evidence.

Most Irondequoit visits take one to two hours, and nothing gets added to the price without your yes.

Bay Winds and Brick Maintenance in Irondequoit

Brick drinks water like a sponge, and in Rochester that water freezes. Water expands about 9 percent when it turns to ice, enough to pop the face off a brick. A tight crown and tight joints are the cheapest brick protection you can buy.

Burn dry wood and keep a carbon monoxide detector on every floor. Small habits, big difference.

Just south, Gates has a different mix of homes and a lot of the same chimney trouble.