Earliest Available (Location Dependent): TUES, JAN 7th
Chimney Work Area Prep
Canvas tarps are used for protecting carpet and flooring, and are laid out in front of fireplaces. All obstructing furniture within this 5' x 7' area must be removed prior to arrival to facilitate servicing. I will not move furniture for you. No one aside from the technician is permitted to step on tarps.
3 Types of Opened-Faced Fireplaces
Traditional Masonry Fireplace
Traditional Masonry Fireplace
Traditional Masonry Fireplace
Factory-Prefab Fireplace
Traditional Masonry Fireplace
Traditional Masonry Fireplace
Heat-Form Steel Box Fireplace
Traditional Masonry Fireplace
Heat-Form Steel Box Fireplace
Factory Pre-Fab Fireplaces
A pre-fab fireplace's refractory panels measure between three-quarters of an inch to one and one-quarter inch in thickness, depending on age and manufacturer. Over time and usage, they deteriorate, and require replacement. Although a wide window, panels can last for ten to twenty years. Over-fueling/firing and pouring water on a lit fire will expedite the urgency of replacement.
Replacement panels come in either 3-piece or 4-piece replacement kits; either the three side panels are replaced, or all four panels (to include the floor) are replaced. Starting price is $900.00, and typically doesn't exceed $2,000.00. A deposit is required for all panel replacement projects.
Installations for entire factory-prefab fireplace systems and chimney pipe are not provided.
Heat-Form Fireplaces
Heat-form fireplaces generate modest, increased heat to the living area, compared to most of their masonry counterparts. These were popular throughout the 1960s and 1970s for new home construction due to the fuel crisis. They are encased in solid masonry from when the home was first constructed; heat-form repairs are usually costly, as there is no way to gain easy access to their internals. Similarly, servicing can be particularly troublesome, as the damper may be rusted and seized (a fireplace component which is usually extracted to facilitate service and chimney sweeping). Most heat-forms require replacement with a masonry and fire-brick fire box, as the old steel box and smoke chamber assembly are damaged from rusting and heat-warping. All heat-form fireplaces have two vertical C-shaped air recirculating chambers; two vents on the left, and two vents on the right. Absence of chambers or covered vents will render the fireplace unsafe for continued use.
Heat-forms are constructed with four vents (C-shaped recirculating chambers, one on each side of the fireplace). These are meant to circulate warm air during use, and can sometimes have fans permanently installed from within. Most of these fans no longer operate. All four vents cannot be covered during use.
Textured, or "ribbed" rear walls indicate an early 1st-gen heat-from, from the 1940s to 1960s. An integral heat exchanger is located above the fireplace opening, and obstructs access to the damper and smoke chamber. These cannot be serviced.
Heat-form fireplaces are constructed from a mild steel material, and are double-walled. They tend to rust and warp over time, becoming unserviceable and unusable. Heat-forms haven't been installed in new home construction since the early 1980s.
The majority of heat-forms rust from the outside in, due to age coupled with water/moisture intrusion. It is always recommended to remove a heat-form fireplace, and have the firebox and smoke chamber rebuilt with masonry.
1st Gen Heat-Form Fireplaces
Gas Fireplace Applications
Chimney sweeping is seldom, if ever, required fore open-faced fireplaces when the fuel type is only gas (NG or LP), as it burns extraordinarily clean when compared to solid-fuel applications (wood, coal, pellet).
Typically, prior to a wood-to-gas conversion, the chimney is swept one last time. While MFC can provide service and evaluation of the chimney structure and fireplace, a licensed plumber specializing in such gas appliance types is required for appliance repair and troubleshooting (likewise for gas appliance installations and replacements).
MFC is not a licensed plumber. Pilot lights must be off for at least two hours prior to chimney service and evaluation, and MFC will not reignite the appliance for a test-fire upon completion.
Sealed gas inserts (with a glass service panel covering the fireplace opening) are ineligible for servicing and evaluation.
Fireplace Grates
I'll remove your heavy and dirty grate after laying down a clean tarp. Pictured above is a Thermo-Rite grate. These are integral to some models of glass door sets, and usually cannot be removed. These may cause the price to increase due to hindered access, additional labor, and time spent.
Large recirculators and heat exchanger grates (above) obstruct access to the damper, and chimney brushes cannot pass unless the recirculator is removed. These cause the price to increase due to hindered access and increased labor as well.
Most factory fireplace models have grates fixed in place, against the rear wall, and cannot be removed. These seldom cause an issue in timely service, as there is still an abundance of open space on the fireplace floor. There is no price increase for these variants.
Fireplace Dampers
Dampers are extracted for masonry fireplaces. The retaining pin holding the damper handle to the damper blade is removed to gain access to the fireplace's smoke chamber.
Occasionally, the cotter pin may be seized, or instead of a pin, a nut/bolt or bent nail will be present. Seized cotter pins and nut/bolt hardware will be cut out using an angle grinder, and replaced with a new, stainless steel cotter pin.
Replacement is sometimes subject to a price increase due to additional time and labor spent on the service. A functions check is performed after reinstalling all dampers.
Damper cables for these aftermarket solutions sometimes have to be retracted from above for fireplace chimney sweeping services. This is performed by accessing the top of the chimney.
Be advised, a follow-up service post-season may be required if you're scheduling during the winter, if your roof and chimney top cannot be safely accessed. Weather-related conditions can restrict roof and ladder access, most commonly during the winter months when snow and ice are present.
While fireplaces can still be serviced by means of conventional, static sweeping brushes, occasionally it yields sub-par results compared to rotary sweeping.
Types of Wood Stoves & Wood Inserts
Masonry Fireplace Wood Insert
Masonry Free-Standing Wood Stove
Masonry Fireplace Wood Insert
Fully relined with a stainless steel sleeve, as per manufacture's instructions, and for building code compliance. "Unlined" inserts will not be serviced.
Masonry Alcove Wood Stove
Masonry Free-Standing Wood Stove
Masonry Fireplace Wood Insert
Vent pipe isn't removed, as it is connected to a stainless steel sleeve, similarly to fireplace inserts. "Unlined" stove applications will not be serviced.
Masonry Free-Standing Wood Stove
Masonry Free-Standing Wood Stove
Masonry Free-Standing Wood Stove
Stove's vent pipe is disconnected for cleaning, and to facilitate servicing for the chimney. If the thimble/chimney base area is shallow, servicing may be performed from indoors.
Servicing is suspended Nov/Dec (pending weather) until the springtime.
Free-Standing Class-A Wood Stove
Class-A Chimney Pipe With Removable Tee Cap
Masonry Free-Standing Wood Stove
Non-masonry chimney system, comprised of triple-walled stainless "class-A" piping, and the vent pipe isn't removed.
Servicing is suspended Nov/Dec (pending weather) until the springtime.
Class-A Chimney Pipe With Removable Tee Cap
Class-A Chimney Pipe With Removable Tee Cap
Class-A Chimney Pipe With Removable Tee Cap
Removeable tee cap at the bottom, allowing for year-round servicing, as chimney sweeping can be performed from the bottom up.
NFPA Wood Stove Clearance Rules
Stove Pipe Reclaimers
Expect a significant mark-up because of how dirty these make your chimney. Conventional chimney sweeping may have little to no effect, and most likely descaling rotary sweeping will be required to remove creosote accumulation. Stove appliances with a reclaimer are only eligible for service during the off-season, spring through summer. An estimate will be remitted to remove the reclaimer, and replace with standard, steel stove pipe.
Stove & Insert Installation
Mt Freedom Chimney does not perform installation and flue lining projects for free-standing wood stoves or fireplace inserts.
Unlined fireplace inserts will not be removed or reinstalled for service.
Most fireplaces with a one square-ft flue area can burn through approximately one full cord of firewood before requiring service. For casual weekend use from Nov-Feb, one cord may last 3 to 4 years. Most free-standing and inserted wood stoves can consume more than double before the chimney needs to be swept, due to higher efficiency.
Restricted flue dimensions from either negligence of maintenance or construction defects can cause a down-draft, loss of performance, and smoke re-entry into the living space. This may also lead to odor issues, especially during the humid, summer months. Odor, however, isn't always indicative of a needing a sweep, and chimney sweeping doesn't always reduce or stop odor.
Bldg Code & Grandfathering
In 1996, New Jersey adopted the International Code Counsel's I.R.C. (International Residency Code) for state-wide minimum building code standards. Under N.J.A.C. 5:23 (1996), grandfathering of older standards is permitted up to six months after the release of a new publication, until it is expected that a homeowner seek the means conduct the necessary actions of bringing up certain facets of their house to the newest standards. There are 42 chapters and 10 appendices comprising the I.R.C., and chimneys mostly fall under Chapter 10. The latest publication of "Chapter 10: Chimneys & Fireplaces" was released on January 1st, 2024. Additionally, the following chapters contain some overlapping standards when evaluating chimneys and their corresponding appliances: "Chapter 4: Foundations," "Chapter 9: Roof Assemblies," "Chapter 15: Exhaust Systems," "Chapter 17: Combustion Air," "Chapter 18: Chimneys & Vents," Chapter 20: Boilers & Water Heaters," "Chapter 24: Fuel Gas," and "Chapter 28: Water Heaters."
Chemical Chimney Cleaning
MFC does not offer PCR chemical cleaning as a service option. "ICC/IRC Chapter 10 (2004) R1003.12: Flue Lining Construction" is brought into consideration when weighing the option of using PCR if recommended by other companies, especially when weighing the cost. PCR is used to dissolve stage-3 creosote glazing and accumulation, which cannot be removed by conventional chimney sweeping (static steel-wire brushes and rotary braided steel cable). Chimneys in such condition have usually undergone thermal shock as a result from chimney fire(s) (typically from negligence of maintenance), damaging the clay flue liner. When this occurs, the original, clay flue liner is usually broken out, removed, and replaced with a stainless steel sleeve. Given the bldg code update is from 2004, and that the majority of homes in Morris County were built 40-60 years ago, "relining" is the most financially practical option, skipping an unnecessary cleaning service that could cost well over $1,000.
Roof Access
While not uncommon, stone caps are becoming more infrequent, due to no longer being permissible under building code (R1003.9.3). Free-standing wood stove and home-heating appliance chimneys with stone caps cannot be serviced from the roof with this type of cap configuration, and services will be retracted.
Temporary fan emplacement up top and/or the usage of a heat gun at the bottom are sometimes deployed to counter down-draft. A down-draft will stop me in my tracks due to soot spillage concerns. Plan accordingly for appointment rescheduling if your chimney has a down-draft you roof is snow-covered.
Roofs comprised of slate, Spanish tile, wood shake, metal, or roofs with solar panels will not be accessed due to safety and damage considerations. Slate and solar panels are fragile and expensive; excluding asphalt shingles, these listed roof types have poor traction, especially when slightly damp or wet.