The short answer
EverFlame Chimney Care serves Murray Hill (ZIP codes 10016 and 10168) from our Lincoln Square office about 2 miles north. We handle chimney sweeping, inspection, repair, liners, waterproofing, and dryer vent and air duct cleaning for the neighborhood's brownstones, rowhouses and apartment buildings.
Murray Hill is about 2 miles south of our Lincoln Square office, so EverFlame Chimney Care technicians can reach homes and buildings in the 10016 and 10168 ZIP codes without a long trip across the borough. The neighborhood mixes brownstones and rowhouses with pre-war apartment buildings and larger co-op and rental buildings, and each type has its own chimney, flue and vent concerns. Our certified technicians clean, inspect and repair wood-burning fireplaces, boiler flues, dryer vents and air ducts. We explain what we find in plain terms before any work begins.
Murray Hill Housing and What It Means for Your Chimney
Many brownstones and rowhouses have masonry chimneys that serve fireplaces on more than one floor. Over time, mortar joints wear down, clay flue tiles crack, and dampers rust shut. New owners sometimes reopen fireplaces that were closed off for years. If a fireplace hasn't been used in a long time, have it inspected before you light it. A flue can look fine from the hearth and still have gaps, blockages or old debris higher up.
Pre-war apartment buildings often vent their boilers through a central masonry chimney. 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. We inspect these chimneys and install liners sized for the new equipment.
How New York Weather Wears on Chimneys
New York winters bring repeated freeze-thaw cycles. Water soaks into brick and mortar, freezes, expands and widens small cracks. Nor'easters and heavy spring rain push water sideways into crowns, flashing and open flues. Humid summers can draw musty creosote odors out of a fireplace and into the room.
A cap keeps out rain, debris and animals. A properly fitted crown or chase cover sheds water away from the flue. Waterproofing treatments made for masonry slow water absorption while still letting the brick dry. Fixing these early usually prevents larger repairs, up to and including chimney rebuilding.
New York City's heat season runs from October 1 through May 31. During that period, building owners must keep apartments heated to the city's minimum temperatures. Building owners and managers in Murray Hill do well to schedule boiler flue cleaning and inspection before October, so problems turn up before the system is needed every day.
Chimney Inspections and the NFPA 211 Standard
The NFPA 211 standard calls for chimneys, fireplaces and vents to be inspected once a year. The standard uses three inspection levels, and the right one depends on your situation:
- Level 1: for a system that hasn't changed and is used the same way as before.
- Level 2: when the system changes, such as a new appliance or a switch of fuel, or when the home is sold.
- Level 3: when a suspected hidden hazard can only be reached by opening part of the chimney or building.
Dryer Vents and Air Ducts in Manhattan Homes
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, failure to clean is the leading factor contributing to clothes dryer fires in homes. In Manhattan apartments and townhouses, dryer vents often run long distances through walls and ceilings before they reach the outside, and lint builds up along the way. If drying takes longer than it used to or the laundry area feels unusually hot, have the vent checked.
For air ducts, we follow the approach the U.S. EPA describes. Cleaning makes sense when there is substantial visible mold growth, vermin, or excessive dust and debris. The EPA also notes that duct cleaning has not been shown to prevent health problems. We tell you honestly whether your ducts need cleaning, and we discuss any chemical treatment with you before using it.
Services We Offer in Murray Hill and Nearby
We provide the full range of chimney and vent services in Murray Hill:
- Chimney Sweep
- Chimney Inspection
- Chimney Repair
- Chimney Liner Installation
- Chimney Cap & Chase Cover
- Chimney Waterproofing
- Fireplace & Damper Repair
- Chimney Rebuilding
- Dryer Vent Cleaning
- Air Duct Cleaning
Neighborhoods Near Murray Hill We Also Serve
Beyond Murray Hill, we work in East Midtown, Turtle Bay, Midtown, Times Square and Hell's Kitchen. If your building is nearby, the same services and scheduling apply.
ZIP codes we serve
- 10016
- 10168