About EverFlame Chimney Care

EverFlame Chimney Care cleans and inspects chimneys, dryer vents and air ducts for homes in and around New York. Our work is straightforward. We find out what your system actually needs, do that work carefully, and explain what we saw so you can make your own decisions about your home.

How we approach chimney work

We follow the NFPA 211 standard, which calls for chimneys, fireplaces and vents to be inspected once a year. We match the inspection level to your situation. A Level 1 inspection fits when nothing about your system has changed. A Level 2 inspection fits when something has changed, such as a new appliance or a switch of fuel, or when the home is being sold. A Level 3 inspection is only for cases where a hidden hazard has to be reached by opening part of the chimney or building. We don't recommend more inspection than the situation calls for.

Many New York buildings are converting boilers from oil to gas. That conversion requires an evaluation of the chimney, and a new liner is often needed because gas exhaust produces acidic condensate that can corrode a masonry flue. If you're planning a conversion, we can look at your flue and tell you what we find before the work moves forward.

City heat season runs from October 1 through May 31, and heating systems work hardest during those months. We encourage owners to schedule inspections and cleanings before October so any problems can be handled before the system is needed every day.

• Inspections matched to what has changed in your home
• Chimney evaluations for oil-to-gas boiler conversions
• Plain explanations of what we found and why it matters

How we approach dryer vents and air ducts

Dryer vents are easy to forget, but they matter. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, failure to clean is the leading factor contributing to clothes dryer fires in homes. We clear lint and debris along the full length of the vent run, not just the part you can see behind the machine.

For air ducts, we follow the U.S. EPA's guidance. Cleaning makes sense when there is substantial visible mold growth, signs of vermin, or excessive dust and debris. The EPA also notes that duct cleaning has not been shown to prevent health problems, so we won't tell you it will. We avoid unnecessary chemical treatments. If your ducts don't need cleaning, we'll say so.

• Full-length dryer vent cleaning
• Duct cleaning recommended only when conditions call for it
• No unnecessary chemical treatments

What you can expect from us

Our technicians are certified. They show up ready to protect your floors and furnishings and keep the work area as clean as possible. Before we start, we explain what we plan to do. When we finish, we walk you through what we found, including anything that needs attention now and anything that can wait.

The EPA advises homeowners to research the process before responding to very cheap advertised offers for duct cleaning, and we agree. Ask us questions about how we work. A good service company should be glad to answer them.