Famco Chimney Inspection Nationwide

Famco Chimney Inspection in Hempstead: What to Know First

An independent Famco chimney inspection in Hempstead typically runs $149 to $349 depending on the level, and we complete most single-flue inspections within 90 minutes. We are not affiliated with Famco, which means we report what the camera actually shows, whether that is a liner with ten years left or a rusted collar that needs replacing this season. This page is for Hempstead homeowners who own a Famco chimney cap, collar, or chase cover and want a straight answer on whether the components are still doing their job.

Call (516) 559-6922

If your Famco product is showing rust, pulling away from the chase, or whistling on windy days, call (516) 559-6922 and we will get you on the schedule.

How Famco Products Fail and How We Fix Them

Famco builds solid galvanized and stainless steel termination components, but Hempstead’s salt air and freeze-thaw cycles expose weak points that generic inspections miss. Here is what we find on real jobs:

• Famco 880 Series chase covers: rust at the welded corners. These covers are fabricated from 24-gauge galvanized steel, and the factory welds are the first place the zinc layer gives out. In Hempstead, where winter salt spray rides in off the Atlantic, we regularly see corner rust within six to eight years even when the center of the pan still looks fine. Our fix: either a media blast and Cold Galvanizing Compound treatment if the pan is sound, or a replacement cover fabricated locally with a heavier gauge and a pitched center so water never pools again.
• Famco collar-to-flue gaps that never got sealed correctly. The Famco adjustable collar is designed to slide over the flue tile and tighten down, but on older Hempstead chimneys with slightly out-of-round clay tiles, the fit is never truly tight. We find smoke-stained chase tops and warped siding behind these collars frequently. The inspection camera spots the gap from the inside; the fix is usually a stainless band clamp plus refractory caulk, not a full re-flash.
• Famco bird mesh with holes larger than the Hempstead starling problem. Several Famco cap models ship with 3/4-inch mesh, which keeps out pigeons but not starlings or sparrows. We have pulled nests out of flues in the Fulton neighborhood where birds entered clean through that mesh. If you hear chirping from the chimney in spring, that is usually the cause. We swap in 5/8-inch stainless mesh and keep the Famco cap itself if it is still solid.
• Famco stainless caps on older homes with original terra cotta flue liners. The cap outlives the liner underneath it. We inspect plenty of Hempstead chimneys where the Famco cap looks new and the clay flue beneath is spalled and cracked to the point of being a fire hazard. A cap is not a liner. Our camera inspection separates the two conditions and we only recommend what the footage supports.
• Loose or missing Famco storm collars after high wind. These collars slide down over the cap base and rely on a friction fit or a small set screw. Coastal wind gusts in Nassau County work them loose over time, and a raised storm collar lets rainwater run straight down into the chase. During a Level 2 inspection we always check collar seating and reseal the joint with a urethane caulk if there is movement.

Our Famco Chimney Inspection Process

Every Famco inspection we do in Hempstead follows the same discipline, and the written price is in your hand before a single tool comes off the truck. Here is how it runs:

1. 1
   You call, a person answers. We take your address, the fireplace or stove type, and any symptoms you have noticed. If you know the Famco product model, that helps us arrive with the right parts on board.
2. 2
   We walk the property with you. Before we touch the roof, we look at the chimney from the ground, check the firebox and damper, and ask what you have observed. You approve the written price for the inspection level we recommend.
3. 3
   Rooftop and flue interior inspection. We open the Famco cap or collar as needed, run the camera down the flue, and photograph every point of concern: cracks in the liner, water intrusion, joint gaps, rust advancement, and wildlife entry.
4. 4
   Parts decision on the spot. If a Famco component is shot, we tell you plainly whether an OEM Famco replacement or a quality aftermarket part is the right call. On most caps and collars, aftermarket stainless matches OEM performance at a lower price. On chase covers, we often recommend a custom-fabricated pan instead of another 24-gauge Famco, because the heavier steel simply lasts longer in Hempstead’s climate.
5. 5
   You see the evidence. Every recommendation comes with camera stills. Nothing is quoted that you cannot see for yourself.
6. 6
   Written repair quote, then the work. If you approve repairs, the price is already written. We complete the repair, test the draft, and hand you the full-year written guarantee before we leave.

Hank Delano runs this process himself on Famco jobs throughout Nassau County, and he has been doing it long enough to know when a chimney can safely go another year and when it cannot. The flue tells the truth. You just have to know how to read it.

What Famco Chimney Inspection Costs in Hempstead

Inspection pricing depends on access, flue count, and whether we need to remove and reset Famco components to see what is underneath. Here are the ranges our Hempstead customers see most often:

• Level 1 visual inspection (no camera, clean flue, same appliance as before): $149 to $199. Covers the Famco cap or collar from the roof and the accessible firebox, but does not get a camera inside the flue.
• Level 2 camera inspection (standard for most Famco owners, home sales, or after a storm): $249 to $349. Includes full video documentation and a written report with photos.
• Level 3 partial tear-out inspection (access behind a chase or after a chimney fire): quoted per job. This is rare, and we will tell you if a Level 2 gets you the answer for less.

What moves the price: two-story roof pitch, a second flue, or a Famco chase cover that needs cutting open for access. What does not move it: the level of care. Every inspection ends in a written report, and if a repair comes out of it, the estimate for that repair is also written before any work starts. Call (516) 559-6922 for an exact quote, the estimate is free.

Why Hempstead Homeowners Call Flint Chimney Co Hempstead for Famco Work

We have been inspecting and repairing chimneys in Nassau County since 2002, as part of the Garrison Partners family of independently owned chimney service companies. Every repair we make carries the 365-Day Done Right Promise: a written guarantee, valid for one full year, and if a covered repair fails within that period we return at no charge. No argument, no trip fee, no fine print.

Price discipline matters on Famco work because a chase cover or collar failure never announces itself politely. You find out in January when the ceiling shows a water stain. Our written pricing means the number you approve is the number on the invoice, no matter what we uncover. And because we work across pro-grade chimney brands, including DuraFlex, HeatShield, and Gelco, we are not tied to selling you a Famco replacement when a different material is the better fit for your chimney. We tell you which one, and why, with the camera footage to prove it.

Our technicians are background-checked and uniformed, and you will know exactly who is showing up. Phones are answered by a live person 24 hours a day. For Famco inspection in Hempstead, that is the standard we work under, every job.

Frequently Asked Questions