Frequently Asked Questions

We lay protective covers, run rotary brushes and hand tools up the flue to remove creosote and soot, vacuum the firebox and smoke shelf, and inspect every accessible component for damage or obstruction. The whole process takes 45 to 90 minutes for a standard sweep. If we're doing Level 2 camera work, add another 30 to 45 minutes for the video scan and documentation.

The National Fire Protection Association recommends annual inspection, with sweeping as needed based on use and fuel type. Here on Long Island, where many homeowners burn seasoned hardwood four to five months a year, we find most chimneys need sweeping every one to two years. If you burn more than three cords of wood annually, or use your fireplace as primary heat, yearly sweeping is the safer call. We can tell you where you stand after one look.

A Level 1 visual inspection takes 30 to 45 minutes alongside the sweep. A Level 2 camera inspection runs 60 to 90 minutes total because we're documenting every square inch of flue tile or liner with video you can watch with us. We don't rush. The 400th job gets the care of the first.

Clear a path to the fireplace and move any fragile items from the mantel. Don't use the fireplace for 24 hours before we arrive - we need a cool system. If you have a wood stove or insert, remove any unburned fuel. We'll handle the covers, the tools, and the cleanup. You don't need to be home the entire time, but someone over 18 should be present to let us in and review the findings.

You're not alone - we hear this regularly in older Huntington neighborhoods like Halesite and Centerport, where original owners are still in homes built in the 1960s and 70s. A long-neglected chimney usually needs a Level 2 inspection to assess creosote buildup, moisture damage, and structural condition. We've seen flues with two inches of glazed creosote that required multiple passes. We'll tell you honestly what you're looking at, and we'll never recommend work that can safely wait.

We install DuraFlex stainless steel liners for relining jobs - they're built to handle the thermal cycling our coastal climate dishes out. For masonry repair and restoration, we source through Copperfield, which carries the proper refractory mortars and firebrick we need for jobs in this market. For caps, dampers, and termination fittings, we use Famco products where they fit the application. We don't buy cheap - we buy right, and we stand behind it.

HeatShield is a cerfractory flue sealant we use to resurface cracked or pitted clay flue tiles when the damage is surface-level and the tile structure is still sound. It's a repair, not a replacement, and it costs significantly less than a full relining. We only recommend it after camera inspection confirms the flue is otherwise intact. If the tile is shifted, spalled, or compromised structurally, we move to DuraFlex liner instead. We'll show you the footage and explain which path makes sense.

Yes - a proper cap keeps rain, animals, and debris out of your flue, which matters more than people realize in tree-heavy areas like Laurel Hollow and Cold Spring Harbor. Standard stainless caps run in the mid-hundreds installed, with custom sizes or multi-flue configurations running higher. We measure on site and give you a flat price before ordering.

Every pro working under our name is required to hold the license and insurance New York requires, and we push our team toward CSIA (Chimney Safety Institute of America) certification as the standard for this trade. Russell Haines built this branch on the principle that a sweep who doesn't understand combustion, draft, and building science isn't really a sweep - they're a brush jockey. We train until they know the work cold.

Yes - fully insured for residential work, with coverage that protects your property and our people while we're in your home. We've carried this protection since we opened here in 2014. If you want documentation, we'll provide it before we step through your door. A square deal starts with transparency.

Structural repairs, liner replacements, and chimney rebuilding in the Town of Huntington typically require permits through the Building Division. We handle the paperwork and inspections as part of the job - you don't need to visit Town Hall. For routine sweeping and Level 1 inspections, no permit is needed. We'll tell you which category your work falls into when we quote it.

Evacuate immediately and call the fire department - this can indicate a chimney fire or dangerous downdraft condition. Once you're safe, call us at (631) 776-4075. We'll perform an emergency inspection to identify the source, whether it's a blocked flue, damaged liner, or negative pressure pulling smoke back into the house. Don't use the system until we've cleared it.

We answer the phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. During peak season - October through January in Huntington - our schedule fills several days out. For urgent safety concerns like suspected carbon monoxide intrusion or a blocked flue, we prioritize and do our best to get there fast. The coordinator who takes your call will give you our next available slot and flag true emergencies for the team.

Listen for a rumbling or roaring sound like a freight train, see flames or dense smoke at the top of the chimney, or notice a hot, intense smell that isn't normal fireplace operation. Chimney fires can crack flue tiles, damage liners, and ignite adjacent framing. If you suspect one, call 911 first, then call us for a full post-incident inspection before you burn again. We've assessed fire-damaged systems across Huntington Station and Greenlawn - we know what to look for.

Every repair and installation we perform is backed by The Keystone Standard: 90 days, in writing, no arguing. If it's not right, we come back. No paperwork battle, no runaround. This applies to sweeps, inspections, liner installations, masonry repairs, and cap work. The guarantee is stamped on every proposal we write, and the terms live on our website for anyone to read.

The sweep warranty covers our workmanship - that we cleaned what we said we'd clean and didn't damage anything in the process. It does not cover new creosote accumulation from continued use, which is why we recommend annual inspection. If you're burning properly seasoned hardwood and your draft is correct, buildup should be manageable between visits. We'll teach you what good fuel looks like while we're there.

We show you the photos. Every Level 2 inspection produces dated, geotagged images you can review yourself, share with a second opinion, or keep for your records. We've had homeowners in South Huntington and Bayville call us back a year later to confirm a condition hasn't worsened - we're fine with that. We don't sell fear. We document what we see and give you a straight recommendation. The decision is always yours.

Call (631) 776-4075 anytime - a live coordinator will answer, check our schedule, and book you in. We'll confirm your address in Huntington or surrounding towns, note any access issues, and give you a flat price range before we lock in the date. You'll get a reminder call the day before. We'll be there when we say.

Written by Russell Haines, Owner at Hearthstone Chimney Co., serving Huntington since 2014.