Long Island chimney services.

Once a year. That is the recommendation in the national fire-safety standard for chimneys (NFPA 211), and it fits Long Island, where fireplaces and wood stoves get heavy use from fall through early spring. A yearly check catches creosote build-up, blockages from nests and leaves, and early masonry damage while they are still simple to fix. Even if you never light the fireplace, the chimney still stands in the weather, so it still needs a look.

Brick and mortar absorb water. In winter that water freezes, expands and pushes the masonry apart a little more each time. Coastal wind drives rain sideways into mortar joints and behind flashing, and salt air speeds up rust on metal caps and chase covers. Over the years the crown cracks, joints open up and bricks start to spall.

Not every chimney is brick, either. Many homes here have a framed chimney finished in siding, with a metal chase cover on top, and those covers rust out. Most of the chimney repairs we do trace back to water getting in somewhere. That is why we look at the whole chimney, from the crown down to the flashing, not just the spot where the stain shows up.