The short answer
Yes, AshVanta Chimney Services serves Times Square, Manhattan, about 2 miles from our Yorkville office. We handle chimney sweeping, inspections, repairs, liners, waterproofing, caps and air duct and dryer vent cleaning for apartments, walk-ups and mixed-use buildings in the neighborhood.
Times Square is mostly high-rise offices and hotels, but people do live here. Pre-war apartment buildings, older walk-ups and mixed-use buildings with apartments above street-level businesses share these blocks with towers. Many of them have masonry flues serving boilers, a few working fireplaces, and ventilation and dryer exhaust routed through tight interior spaces. AshVanta Chimney Services works throughout Times Square, including ZIP codes 10020, 10103, 10110, 10111, 10112, 10153, 10165, 10173 and 10177. Our office in Yorkville is about 2 miles northeast, so getting here is a short trip across Manhattan.
Chimneys and Vents in Times Square Buildings
Most residential chimneys around Times Square are tall masonry flues in older apartment buildings and walk-ups. They usually carry exhaust from a central boiler, and some also serve fireplaces in individual units. These flues run many stories, pass through occupied apartments, and end at rooftops that are often crowded with mechanical equipment. Because of that, a small problem like a cracked flue tile or a loose crown can affect more than one household.
In newer buildings, the concern is often ventilation rather than a traditional chimney: long duct runs, shared shafts and dryer vents that travel far before reaching the outside. Our certified technicians look at the whole path air and exhaust take through the building, not just the part you can see.
Services We Offer in Times Square
Every service we provide elsewhere in Manhattan is available here:
- Chimney sweep to remove soot and creosote from fireplace and appliance flues
- Chimney inspection at the level that fits your situation
- Chimney repair for cracked crowns, worn mortar joints and damaged flue tiles
- Chimney liner installation, including relining after a fuel change
- Chimney cap and chase cover installation to keep out rain, debris and animals
- Chimney waterproofing for masonry exposed to wind-driven rain
- Fireplace and damper repair
- Chimney rebuilding when masonry is too damaged to patch
- Air duct cleaning
- Dryer vent cleaning
Weather, Heat Season and Your Chimney
New York's climate is hard on rooftop masonry. Winters bring repeated freeze-thaw cycles, so water that soaks into brick and mortar expands when it freezes and slowly opens cracks. Nor'easters and summer storms push rain sideways into exposed chimney tops on tall buildings. Humid summers can leave damp flues smelling of old soot.
New York City's heat season runs from October 1 through May 31, and building owners must keep apartments heated to the city's minimum temperatures during that time. That makes late summer and early fall the practical window for inspections and repairs, before the boiler is running full time. The NFPA 211 standard calls for chimneys, fireplaces and vents to be inspected once a year. A Level 1 inspection fits when nothing has changed. A Level 2 inspection is appropriate when a building switches fuel, adds a new appliance, or is sold. A Level 3 inspection is used when a hidden hazard has to be reached by opening part of the chimney or building.
Time for your annual chimney check?
Oil-to-Gas Conversions and Chimney Liners
Many older Manhattan buildings have moved or are moving their boilers from oil to gas. When a New York City building makes that conversion, the chimney has to be evaluated as part of the work. A new liner is often needed because gas exhaust produces acidic condensate that can corrode a masonry flue. We inspect the existing flue, explain what we find, and install a properly sized liner when one is needed.
Air Ducts and Dryer Vents in Dense Buildings
Dryer vents in apartments and mixed-use buildings tend to be long, with bends that trap lint. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, failure to clean is the leading factor contributing to clothes dryer fires in homes. If clothes take longer to dry or the laundry area feels hot, the vent should be checked.
For air ducts, we follow the U.S. EPA's guidance. Cleaning makes sense when there is substantial visible mold growth, vermin, or excessive dust and debris. The EPA also notes that duct cleaning has not been shown to prevent health problems, and it advises caution with chemical treatments. We'll tell you plainly whether your ducts need cleaning.
Nearby Neighborhoods We Serve
Along with Times Square, we work in Lincoln Square, Lenox Hill, Roosevelt Island, Carnegie Hill and across the Upper East Side, all close to our Yorkville office.
ZIP codes we serve
- 10020
- 10103
- 10110
- 10111
- 10112
- 10153
- 10165
- 10173
- 10177
