Chimney repair and sweeping in Fair Lawn, NJ
Fair Lawn filled in fast after the Second World War. The median home dates to 1953, and about 73 percent of the borough's 12,500 homes predate 1960. That is a lot of original masonry standing over appliances that have probably been replaced more than once. The older Radburn section, laid out around cul-de-sacs, breaks the pattern. Elsewhere in the borough the houses are mostly Cape Cods and ranches.
In brief
Fair Lawn's housing comes mostly from the 1940s and 1950s, when chimneys were built for coal or oil. Most homes now burn gas, so the first thing we check is whether the old flue was ever matched to the newer appliance.
What we run into in Fair Lawn
Most houses on our Fair Lawn route went up before 1960, the bulk of them between 1940 and 1959. Original masonry built when coal or oil was the fuel is still the usual flue here, even though 81.3 percent of households now heat with gas and only 4.0 percent burn oil. A flue sized for hotter oil exhaust cools the gas from a modern furnace on the way up, and cooler exhaust condenses sooner, leaving moisture on a clay liner. Every furnace, boiler or water heater replacement along the way called for a signed chimney verification saying the flue suited the new appliance, and on a house this age that has likely happened more than once. The Radburn section, planned around cul-de-sacs, has different lot layouts and rooflines, and the same question about what the chimney was built to vent.
Places we drive to in Fair Lawn
- Radburn
- Memorial Park
- Warren Point
- Columbia Heights
- Broadway
- Dunkerhook
Services we bring to Fair Lawn
- Chimney sweepCamera check first, then brushes and a HEPA vacuum
- Chimney inspectionsLevel 1 or Level 2, written up after the visit
- Chimney repairsCrown, cap, flashing and liner repairs that stop leaks
- Fireplaces and stovesDampers, gaskets, glass doors and pilot lights
- Dryer ventsLint pulled out of the full run, wall cap included
- Duct cleaningAn honest look first, then cleaning if it helps
- Duct repairCrushed, torn or sagging runs fixed or replaced
Reviews on our Google listing
Fair Lawn homeowners ask
How old are most chimneys in Fair Lawn?
The median home dates to 1953, and most homes predate 1960, so most chimneys were built for coal or oil before gas took over. Today 81.3 percent of households heat with gas.
Does Fair Lawn require a permit for chimney work?
The Building Department has a chimney form separate from its general permit application, and New Jersey requires a signed chimney verification whenever a furnace, boiler or water heater is replaced. Keep any earlier paperwork handy.
We still heat with oil. What do you check first?
The liner and the connection from the burner, since oil leaves acidic residue and scale. If you switch to gas later, the flue size will need checking before the new appliance goes in.
Do you work in Radburn?
Yes. Radburn homes are older than most of the borough and sit on a different street plan, and we treat their chimneys the same careful way.
Our listing on Google Maps
Open the map to find Royal Chimney Repair Bridgewater on Google, or go to the listing to read reviews or write one.
Royal Chimney Repair Bridgewater
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