Masonry repair
Sweep & inspection
Caps & crowns
Flue relining
Gas fireplace serviceLevel 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.
Fast, Reliable Fireplace Repair Across College Point
Fireplace repair in College Point usually runs $180 to $680 for common jobs like damper replacement, pilot light fixes, and firebox patching. We get calls from every corner of the neighborhood, from the rowhouse strips off 14th Avenue to the larger homes near Hermon A. MacNeil Park. The homes here aren’t like what you’d find in newer subdivisions – many share chimney stacks with the house next door, which changes how we diagnose and fix problems. If your fireplace is smoking, leaking, or simply not lighting, call (315) 644-2982 and we’ll send a technician who knows College Point’s housing stock and its quirks.
Why Ashby Chimney New York Is College Point’s Preferred Fireplace Repair Company
Ashby Chimney New York has been fixing fireplaces since 2002. We’re the local crew that understands attached homes, shared flues, and what a century of salt air does to brick and mortar. When you book a repair with us, we answer the phone with a live person every time, day or night. No voicemail trees, no waiting until Monday. We’re part of the Kingswell network of independently owned chimney companies, and our College Point customers get the same written price and written guarantee on every job.
Our Fireplace Repair team carries professional-grade materials from brands like DuraFlex and HeatShield, not whatever happened to be rolling around in the van. Every job starts with a written price before any work begins. Every job ends with a written guarantee, backed by our 365-Day Done Right Promise. If a covered repair fails during the guarantee period, we return and correct it at no charge. Nathan Corliss, who runs our team, built the entire operation around a simple idea: say the price first, show up when you said you would, and stand behind the work in writing. That’s the Kingswell Way.
Styles & brands we work with
Fireplace Insert Installation in College Point
Fireplace Insert Installation in College Point often means converting an old, inefficient wood-burning firebox into a clean-burning gas or wood insert that actually heats the room. Because many College Point homes date to the early 1900s with original clay-lined chimneys, we frequently have to address the flue before the insert goes in. A cracked or undersized liner won’t properly vent a modern insert, and in a shared-stack rowhouse that’s a danger to your neighbor as well as you.
What We Check Before Installing
We camera-inspect the flue and firebox before quoting any insert installation. You see the photos of what’s inside your chimney, so if we recommend a liner, you’ll know exactly why. In College Point, a typical fireplace insert installation runs $2,800 to $6,500, including the insert, liner if required, and labor.
Gas Inserts in Older Flues
Many College Point homeowners want gas inserts because they’re cleaner and simpler than hauling wood. The catch: gas inserts still need a properly sized flue for exhaust. In older rowhouses, we often find the existing clay liner is either too large or fractured. We correct that with a correctly sized liner – DuraFlex is our most common choice – and we don’t put a new insert into a chimney that can’t handle it.
Gas Fireplace Installation in College Point
Gas Fireplace Installation in College Point typically costs $3,800 to $8,200 for a complete job, depending on whether you’re converting an existing fireplace or installing a new direct-vent unit. The majority of the work we do here involves adding gas inserts to existing masonry fireplaces rather than building new fireplaces from scratch. In attached homes with shared stacks, proper venting matters even more than in a detached house, because exhaust has nowhere to go except up and out.
Venting in Attached Homes
A gas fireplace in a shared-stack chimney usually needs its own dedicated flue liner. We’ve seen too many installs where a contractor dropped a gas insert into one side of a shared stack and never checked that the exhaust wasn’t pushing into the other side. We don’t do that. We size the liner correctly, verify the connection, and test the draft before we call it done.
Building Code and Safety
College Point’s older rowhouses fall under New York City building regulations, which have specific requirements for gas appliance venting. We handle the venting so it meets code and so the exhaust actually leaves your home. If you’re considering a gas fireplace, call (315) 644-2982 for a free estimate that includes a camera inspection of your existing flue.
Trusted Brands We Service in College Point
We stock and install parts from HeatShield, Gelco, Olympia Chimney, and DuraFlex, so repairs in College Point don’t get delayed waiting for parts to arrive from a warehouse across the country. Whether it’s a replacement damper, a new chimney cap, or a complete flue relining, we use materials designed for the conditions they’ll face. That matters on a peninsula where salt air and coastal storms work on your chimney year-round. We also service all major gas insert brands, and we’re honest with you if a part needs to be ordered versus what we can fix same-day.
See the difference
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AfterCommon Fireplace Repair Problems We See in College Point Homes
- Shared-stack cross-contamination. Many College Point rowhouses share a single chimney stack between two properties. A cracked liner or open firebox in one unit can push smoke and carbon monoxide into the home next door. This is the #1 issue we see in attached homes off 110th Street and along 14th Avenue.
- Salt-air mortar and brick spalling. Flushing Bay and the East River are two sides of this peninsula. Salt air and driving rain from northeast storms eat away at mortar joints and chimney crowns. We see rusted dampers and water-stained walls around fireplaces throughout the neighborhood.
- Glazed creosote in smoke chambers. Wood-burning fireplaces that go years without cleaning build up glazed creosote, which is a serious fire hazard. In a shared stack, a chimney fire in your side can spread through a breach in the flue into your neighbor’s side.
- Failed or missing chimney caps. Rain gets in, dampers rust, and birds and squirrels find a home. A simple cap replacement often prevents months of water damage, and it’s one of the most common fixes we handle in College Point.
Pricing for Fireplace Repair in College Point, NY
A straightforward damper replacement in College Point runs about $180 to $380. Pilot light repairs typically cost $150 to $300. Firebox patching ranges from $400 to $800 depending on how far the deterioration has spread. Flue relining, which is sometimes required in older homes before an insert can be safely installed, runs $2,500 to $5,500 on average. The price you’re quoted is the price you pay, because every job gets a written price before any work starts. We’ll also give you a written guarantee when the job is complete. If something fails within the guarantee period, we come back at no charge. That’s our 365-Day Done Right Promise. Call (315) 644-2982 for a free estimate – the number is answered by a live person.
We Also Serve Cities Near College Point
Our Fireplace Repair in College Point crews also cover nearby neighborhoods and cities across the metro area, including nearby Whitestone, Jackson Heights, Maspeth, and the broader New York area. If you’re just outside College Point and your fireplace is acting up, we’ll likely be in your area soon. Call and tell us where you are, and we’ll schedule a visit that fits a real arrival window.
Serving College Point, NY - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the College Point area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs About Fireplace Repair in College Point
You likely share a chimney stack with the neighbor, and their flue has a breach or isn’t venting correctly. When the stack is shared, their exhaust can push through a crack in the masonry and into your side. Call us at (315) 644-2982 and we’ll camera-inspect both sides of the stack to find the source.
You should have your chimney checked at least once a year, even if you rarely light a fire. In College Point, salt air works on masonry joints year-round, water gets in through cracked crowns, and animals nest in unused flues. A yearly inspection catches small issues before they become expensive repairs.
Yes, most of the time, but your flue will likely need to be relined to handle the venting correctly. In many College Point rowhouses, the original clay liner is either cracked or too large for a gas insert. We handle the liner and the insert as one job, so you’re not left with a partially working system.
That white staining is efflorescence, and it’s caused by water moving through the masonry and depositing salts on the outside of the brick. Homes on the College Point peninsula see more of this because of salt air from Flushing Bay. The fix usually involves repairing the chimney crown, repointing the mortar, and addressing any flashing issues.
Yes, it can. A damper that won’t close lets cold air and moisture into the flue, and in a shared stack, that can contribute to deterioration in the shared masonry. More importantly, a rusted damper often signals water intrusion, which means the structure of the shared chimney may be compromised. We’ll replace the damper and inspect the stack, so call (315) 644-2982 for an exact quote.
Written by Nathan Corliss, owner at Ashby Chimney New York, serving College Point and the surrounding metro area.