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 Westchester County: What to Know First
We rebuild and reline Famco chimney systems throughout Westchester County, usually within five to seven business days of your call. A typical Famco liner replacement runs $1,200 to $3,400 depending on flue height, access, and whether the existing liner is still pulling out cleanly. Call (914) 537-6479 and we’ll give you an honest read on what the job actually needs before anything comes off the truck.
If you own a home with a Famco liner or firebox and you’ve been told it needs work, this page is for you. We’ll walk through how these systems fail, what’s worth fixing versus replacing, and what it’ll cost here in Westchester County. We’re Top Hat Chimney. Wendell Pike started this company in 1999, and he’s been inside more Famco flues than he can count. If it doesn’t need doing, he’ll tell you that too.
Key Takeaways
- Famco liners installed before roughly 2005 often fail at the tee connection, not the liner body itself.
- A failed Famco liner in Westchester County is a carbon monoxide risk that can’t wait until next season.
- We’re an independent Famco service provider. We’re not authorized by Famco, and we don’t pretend to be.
- You’ll see camera footage of any failure before we suggest a single dollar of work.
- Every job gets the 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing.
How Famco Products Fail - and How We Fix Them
Famco made a lot of liner kits that went into Westchester County homes in the 1990s and early 2000s. Most of what we see now is at the end of its service life. Here’s what actually fails:
- Famco rigid stainless liners with riveted seams. The liner body itself holds up, but the riveted seam joints loosen over years of heating and cooling cycles. We see this most on tall exterior chimneys in places like Cortlandt, where the flue runs up an outside wall. The fix is usually a sectional replacement with a welded or mechanically locked seam. We don’t patch riveted joints; it’s not a repair that lasts.
- Famco flexible liners kinked at the smoke shelf. The flex liner kits from the early 2000s were single-wall 316 alloy in most cases. If the original installer made too tight a radius at the smoke shelf, that kink becomes a creosote trap. In Croton-on-Hudson and Ossining, where wood stoves get run hard from October to March, we pull kinked flex liners that look fine on the outside but are packed solid at the bend. We replace them with a properly sized and insulated liner.
- Tee snout corrosion at the cleanout. This is the one we see more than any other. The tee snout at the base of a Famco liner corrodes because condensation pools there. Westchester County humidity does the rest. The symptom is a rust stain on the cleanout door or a faint smoky smell in the basement. The liner above is often still serviceable. We replace the tee and cleanout section, which is a few hundred dollars, not a full reline.
- Famco firebox panels cracking in older zero-clearance units. Famco made fireplace components, not just liners, and we still run into their zero-clearance fireboxes in homes built in the late 1980s and early 1990s around Yorktown and Somers. The refractory panels crack, and sometimes the home inspector flags it as a rebuild. Half the time the panel is cosmetic and the unit still ventilates properly. We’ll tell you which one it is, with camera footage to back it up.
- Improperly sized original liner. Famco sold a lot of 6-inch liner kits that got connected to appliances that needed 7 or 8 inches. This is not a Famco defect; it was an installer shortcut. But we see it often enough in older Westchester County homes that it’s worth naming. The symptoms are slow draft, smoke rollout, and heavy creosote accumulation. The fix is a proper reline, not a band-aid draft inducer.
Our Famco Chimney Liner & Rebuild Process
When we take on a Famco liner or rebuild job in Westchester County, the process runs the same way every time:
- 1
Call and schedule. A live person answers. We give you a real arrival window, and we call if it slips.
- 2
On-site inspection. Wendell or one of his crew goes up on the roof, runs a camera down the flue, and checks the firebox, cleanout, crown, and cap. You see the footage.
- 3
Plain-English verdict. You get a written scope of work with a flat price. If the liner is still serviceable, we say so. No charge for the second opinion if you already have a written estimate from someone else.
- 4
Parts decision. For Famco repairs, we use OEM where it matters for fitment and safety, and we’ll tell you when a quality aftermarket part from DuraFlex, HeatShield, or Gelco does the same job for less money without touching your warranty.
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The work. Liner extraction, prep, installation, and rebuild happen in a single day for most relines. Partial and full rebuilds run two to four days depending on masonry scope.
- 6
Test and proof. We run a post-installation draft test and camera inspection. You get the footage. The 90-Day Done Right Promise goes on the invoice in writing.
- 7
Cleanup. We leave the hearth cleaner than we found it. Drop cloths, HEPA vacuum, the works.
What Famco Chimney Liner & Rebuild Costs in Westchester County
Here are real numbers for the Famco jobs we do most in Westchester County:
- Famco tee snout or cleanout replacement: $280-$450
- Single-flue flex liner replacement, one story: $1,200-$1,800
- Single-flue liner replacement, two-story home: $1,800-$2,600
- Full reline with insulation wrap: $2,200-$3,400
- Partial chimney rebuild (crown to roofline): $2,800-$5,500
- Full chimney rebuild (roofline up): $6,000-$12,000+
What moves the price: flue height, roof pitch, whether the old liner comes out cleanly, and whether there’s masonry work behind it. A two-story exterior chimney in Mount Kisco is a different job than a one-story chase in Cortlandt. Call (914) 537-6479 and we’ll give you a real number. Estimates are free, and there’s no trip charge inside Westchester County.
Why Westchester County Homeowners Call Top Hat Chimney for Famco Work
We’ve been working chimneys in Westchester County since 1999. Wendell Pike put his name on this business, and his license number is published for anyone to check. When a Famco liner needs a second opinion, we give you the camera footage and a plain-English verdict, every time, no exceptions. The number you hear on the phone is the number on the invoice. And if the work isn’t right, the 90-Day Done Right Promise means one call brings the crew back at no additional cost.
We know Famco systems, but we don’t marry ourselves to one brand. If a DuraFlex liner fits the job better, we’ll say so. Same for HeatShield resurfacing or a Gelco cap. Your flue doesn’t care what name is stamped on the box. It cares how it breathes. And when you call, a live person answers, around the clock. It may well be Wendell himself.
Standing offers: $40 off any repair over $200, a free second opinion on any competing written estimate, no trip charge inside Westchester County, and 10% off always for seniors and veterans.
FAQs
In most cases, no. Famco’s warranty language covers manufacturing defects in the original materials, and most warranties we see have long since expired. For newer Famco installations that are still under coverage, we’ll use OEM parts where warranty language requires it, and we’ll document the work so you have what you need if a claim comes up. We’re an independent Famco service provider, so we’ll never pretend to be the manufacturer.
The camera tells us. Two things matter: the condition of the liner body and the condition of the connections. A rusted tee snout is a repair. A liner with perforation, separated seams, or a severe kink is a replacement. You’ll see the footage and we’ll talk through the options. If repair will buy you years, we’ll recommend repair. Call (914) 537-6479 to schedule an inspection.
Most single-flue relines happen in one day, and we’re usually scheduled within a week of your call. Full rebuilds take two to four days depending on masonry scope and weather. We’ll give you a firm schedule before work begins, and we’ll call you if anything shifts.
We keep common Famco replacement sections, tees, and cleanout components on the truck. For less common pieces we can usually source them within two to three business days. If a DuraFlex or HeatShield part does the same job and gets your flue working faster, we’ll say so and let you decide.
A compromised liner can send carbon monoxide into the house, and that’s not a scare tactic; it’s what a failed flue does. But it can also be a slow problem, like a rusted tee that leaks smoke into the basement for months before anyone notices. Get it inspected. If it can wait, I’ll tell you that too. If it can’t, you’ll know exactly why. Call (914) 537-6479 and we’ll take a look.
Contact Top Hat Chimney for Famco Liner & Rebuild in Westchester County
If you’ve got a Famco liner, firebox, or full chimney system that needs an honest set of eyes, call us at (914) 537-6479. We’ll schedule a visit, run the camera, and tell you what’s really going on. Free estimates, no trip charge inside Westchester County, and a written 90-Day Done Right Promise on every job. Ask anyone on your street.
Written by Wendell Pike, Owner, Top Hat Chimney at Top Hat Chimney, serving Westchester County and nearby areas.