Chimney Sweep in Howells, NY

Chimney sweeping in Howells

A chimney sweep in Howells, NY could mean either of two quite different jobs, so we ask before we arrive. Brick stack with clay tiles, or a metal chimney inside a framed chase. Either way we brush the flue its full length, clear out what has collected, and tell you plainly what condition the rest of the system is in.

Howells is about three miles northwest of Middletown, one of the shortest runs we make from our base in Middletown. It shares the city's 10940 postal area, which is a fair indication of how close it really is.

Two kinds of chimney in one small area

Howells is close enough to Middletown that it shares the city's 10940 postal area. It is one of the shortest drives we make.

What makes it interesting is how mixed it is. Howells has an older hamlet core near the road, which the Town of Wallkill history records as a depot on the Erie Railroad, with newer houses filling in the land around it. Two homes a few hundred yards apart can have completely different chimney systems.

So we arrive ready for either. An older house here may have a brick stack, clay tile liners, mortar joints weathering for decades and a firebox that has seen heavy use. A newer one is more likely to have a metal chimney in a framed chase, where the chase cover and flashing are what to check first. The brushes and the approach differ. That is why we ask what you have when you call.

The NY 211 corridor also means many properties sit close to the road with mature trees behind them. Overhanging limbs drop leaves and seeds straight into an uncapped flue every fall. They also shade the masonry, so it stays damp longer after rain. Both are ordinary problems with a cheap fix.

What a visit looks like

The first thing we do is confirm what the system actually is, because a masonry flue and a factory-built one are not swept with the same brushes. Then hearth and floor go under cover, the opening is sealed, and a vacuum runs throughout. We brush the full length, clear what comes down, check what we can reach, and go through it with you. The full sweeping process is on our main page.

If something needs attention we show you why, usually with a photo. On a newer house that is often the chase cover or the flashing rather than anything inside the flue. On an older one it is more likely to be mortar. We explain the options, say when nothing needs doing, and do not price a repair we have not looked at.

Where Howells is

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Chimney services available in Howells

• Chimney Sweeping

  Brushing the flue clean, whether that is a brick stack with clay tiles or a metal chimney inside a framed chase. The brushes differ, the goal does not.

  Read about chimney sweeping

• Chimney Inspection

  Establishing what the system actually is before anything is recommended, then checking the flue, the firebox and the visible exterior.

  More about chimney inspection

• Chimney Repair

  Repointing mortar joints, rebuilding spalled brick and patching crowns, plus the chase covers and flashing that fail on newer systems.

  More about chimney repair

• Chimney Cap Installation

  With mature trees overhanging so many properties here, a cap is what keeps leaves, seeds and animals out of an open flue.

  More about chimney cap installation

• Chimney Liner Installation

  A cracked tile and a badly sized flue end the same way, with exhaust somewhere it should not be. Relining is what puts that right.

  More about chimney liner installation

Booking from Howells

Call (845) 375-3666. If you know whether the chimney is brick or a sided chase, say so. Beyond that, the address, what you burn in and when it was last swept are usually enough for us to say what the visit should cover, what it costs and how long it takes.

Summer bookings are far easier to place than autumn ones. Everyone calls at once after the first cold night. Booking early also means a leaf-filled flue or a rusted chase cover gets dealt with before you want to light a fire, rather than after you have found out the hard way.