Level 1 sweep and inspection to the NFPA 211 annual standard - flue, crown, cap, and flashing checked and photographed
Chimney sweep logs do not sweep chimneys. They loosen some creosote - which then falls where a brush and vacuum still have to collect it.
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AfterFamco Chimney Liner & Rebuild in Flushing: What to Know First
We provide independent Famco chimney liner and rebuild service in Flushing, with most jobs completed in a single visit and upfront pricing agreed before we start. A typical Famco liner replacement runs $2,800-$4,500 depending on flue height and diameter; partial rebuilds start around $3,200. We are not affiliated with or authorized by Famco - we are an independent service provider who has worked on enough of their products to know where they hold up and where they do not.
This page is for Flushing homeowners who have a Famco liner, cap, or venting component showing signs of failure, or who need a rebuild after years of service in our freeze-thaw climate. If you are not sure what you have, we will identify it during our camera inspection and show you the photos. Call (516) 206-6672 - a live person answers, 24 hours a day.
How Famco Products Fail - and How We Fix Them
- Famco 304 stainless single-wall liners in pre-2005 Flushing installs often develop pinhole corrosion at the weld seams where condensate pools. Our Flushing winters accelerate this - the liner cools fast after the fire dies, moisture collects, and the seam weeps. We pull a camera to confirm location, then sleeve with a DuraFlex 316Ti alloy liner rated for the appliance, or do a partial rebuild if the surrounding masonry is compromised.
- Famco Wind Directional chimney caps on raised-ranch homes near Kissena Park seize in their collars after fifteen years of salt-air exposure off Long Island Sound. The cap stops rotating, wind drives rain straight down the flue, and the liner corrodes from the top. We free or replace the collar mechanism with a quality aftermarket equivalent, inspect the liner crown-down, and document everything with photos you can see.
- Famco flexible liner kits in oil-to-gas conversions sometimes get sized for the old appliance BTU load. The new high-efficiency unit runs cooler, flue gases condense inside the oversized liner, and the flexible corrugations trap acidic condensate. We measure actual appliance output, calculate the correct diameter per NFPA 211, and install a properly sized Famco-compatible liner or a Gelco equivalent if the original spec is no longer produced.
- Famco masonry rebuild anchors in multi-wythe Flushing chimneys - common in the 1920s brick row houses - pull loose when the freeze-thaw cycle separates wythes. The liner shifts, cracks at the thimble, and leaks combustion gases into wall cavities. We rebuild the affected courses with proper through-wall anchors, reseat the liner with an expansion joint, and pressure-test before we leave.
- Famco B-vent connectors in attic runs sag at the joints where homeowners in Flushing’s older capes have stored boxes against them. The joint separates, the liner pulls back from the appliance collar, and CO risk becomes real. We find these with our camera, replace the damaged run with proper slope and support spacing, and mark the clearance zone so it does not happen again.
Our Famco Chimney Liner & Rebuild Process
- 1
Call and schedule. A live person answers, day or night. We ask about the appliance type, the symptoms you’ve noticed, and when you first saw them. We book a Level-2 inspection with camera.
- 2
Camera inspection and plain-English verdict. Our technician runs a camera from top to bottom or bottom to top depending on access, takes photos of every defect, and explains what we found before we quote. You see what we see. No surprises.
- 3
Parts decision: OEM Famco, quality aftermarket, or compatible upgrade. If Famco still produces the exact part, we will source it. If the line is discontinued - and some pre-2010 Famco flexible kits are - we specify a DuraFlex, HeatShield, or Gelco equivalent that meets or exceeds the original rating. We explain the trade-off and you decide.
- 4
The repair or rebuild. Our background-checked, uniformed techs complete most Famco liner replacements and partial rebuilds in one visit. Full rebuilds may need a second day for cure time. We protect your floors, work clean, and keep you informed.
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Pressure test or smoke test, photo documentation, and written guarantee. We verify the repair holds, show you the after photos, and leave you with our 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If it is not right, we come back. No arguing, no paperwork chase.
- 6
Cleanup and final walkthrough. We haul away debris, run a magnet for fasteners, and walk the job with you before we collect. The number on the estimate is the number on the invoice.
What Famco Chimney Liner & Rebuild Costs in Flushing
| Service | Typical Range | What Moves the Price |
|---|---|---|
| Famco stainless liner replacement (single flue, standard height) | $2,800 - $4,500 | Flue length, diameter, number of bends, access difficulty |
| Famco flexible liner kit (oil-to-gas conversion, properly sized) | $3,200 - $5,100 | BTU rating needed, insulation requirement, appliance collar adaptation |
| Partial chimney rebuild with liner reseat (1-3 courses) | $3,200 - $5,800 | Brick matching, anchor depth, scaffold needs |
| Full chimney rebuild with new Famco-compatible liner | $8,500 - $14,000 | Height, liner alloy grade, crown and cap replacement |
| Famco cap/collar repair or replacement | $380 - $720 | Access height, collar corrosion extent, aftermarket vs. OEM |
These are Flushing-market ranges for 2025. Every job gets a written estimate before we start. Estimates are free. Call (516) 206-6672 for yours.
Why Flushing Homeowners Call Hearthstone Chimney Co. for Famco Work
We have been serving Flushing for over 42 years, and we plan to be here thirty more. That means we do not gamble our name on shortcuts.
Our 90-Day Done Right Promise - in writing, no arguing - covers every Famco liner and rebuild we touch. Russell Haines and our crew have worked on Famco products long enough to know which part numbers cross-reference to DuraFlex, HeatShield, and Gelco when Famco discontinues a line. We carry those relationships so you are not stuck waiting on back-ordered OEM while burning season approaches.
Calls are answered by a live person, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Most jobs finish in a single visit. And we do not recommend work without camera evidence you can see for yourself - because a clean flue is not a luxury. It is just the job done right.
FAQs
Famco’s original equipment warranty typically covers manufacturing defects only, not installation or subsequent service, regardless of who performs the work. As an independent Famco service provider, we document our repairs with photos and part serial numbers so any legitimate defect claim remains traceable. If you have a concern about a specific Famco warranty term, bring your paperwork to the inspection and we will review it with you. Call (516) 206-6672 to schedule.
Some Famco flexible liner kits and collars from the 1990s and early 2000s are discontinued, but we maintain cross-reference data to match functionally equivalent DuraFlex, Gelco, or HeatShield components that meet NFPA 211 and local code. We never install a substitute without showing you the spec sheet and explaining why it fits. For current-production Famco parts, we source through our regular wholesale channels with typical lead times of 3-5 business days.
We decide with a camera. Isolated corrosion at the top few feet often warrants a partial sleeve repair. Widespread pitting, seam failure along more than 30% of the run, or liner collapse means replacement. We show you the footage, mark the timestamps, and explain which option is safe and which is false economy. No work proceeds without your clear view of the problem.
Most partial rebuilds - one to three courses with liner reseat - finish in a single day. Full rebuilds typically run two days: one for demolition and rebuild, one for mortar cure and final liner connection. We schedule around weather, because mortar needs proper temperature to set, and Flushing’s January cold snaps can push cure times. We will tell you honestly if the job should wait for better conditions.
A compromised liner allows combustion gases, including carbon monoxide, to enter wall cavities and living spaces. In Flushing’s older masonry chimneys, that risk is real and not hypothetical. Creosote can also reach combustible framing through liner gaps, creating fire hazard. The timeline varies - a small top corrosion spot may be watchable for one season; a separated B-vent joint needs immediate attention. Our camera inspection tells you which situation you are in, and we will say plainly when work can safely wait. Call (516) 206-6672 for a free estimate.
Written by Russell Haines, Owner, Hearthstone Chimney Co. at Hearthstone Chimney Co., serving Flushing and nearby areas.