Plain answers about ducts, vents and chimneys
Short guides to the questions we hear on jobs across New York City.
Birds and animals in the chimney: what to do and what not to do
What to do when a bird, squirrel or raccoon is in your chimney, what not to do, why timing matters with nesting birds, and how a cap prevents a repeat.
Chimney crown, cap and flashing explained
What the chimney cap, crown and flashing each do, how each one fails, and how to tell which of the three is letting water in.
Dryer vent fire warning signs people miss
The warning signs of a dryer vent fire risk: longer drying times, heat, a burning smell, lint in the wrong places. What to do when you notice them.
Dryer vents in multi-family buildings: what to schedule and why
What landlords, supers and boards should schedule for dryer vents, and why shared laundry rooms and common risers clog faster than a single home.
Foil, flexible or rigid: which dryer vent hose is safest?
The kinds of dryer vent hose and duct compared. Rigid and semi-rigid metal are preferred. Thin plastic or vinyl hose is not recommended. Here is why.
How often should you clean the air ducts in a New York apartment?
How often air ducts need cleaning in a New York apartment or house, and what moves the date up: renovation, pets, moving in, visible mold, allergies.
Signs your air ducts need cleaning, and the things that are not signs
The real signs that air ducts need cleaning: dust from the registers, visible mold, musty smells, pests. Plus the things people mistake for signs.
Switching from oil to gas heat and your chimney
Why an old masonry chimney may need a liner after an oil-to-gas conversion: cooler, wetter exhaust condenses in the flue and wears it from inside.
What a chimney inspection covers
What gets looked at in a chimney inspection, outside on the roof and inside from the firebox up, and when to have one done.
What is a PTAC unit and why does it smell?
A PTAC is the through-the-wall heating and cooling unit under many New York windows. Why it gets musty or drips, and how it is cleaned properly.
Why does my dryer take two cycles?
A dryer that needs two cycles usually has a restricted vent. The causes in order of likelihood, and how to tell a vent problem from a dryer problem.
Why renovation dust ends up in your ducts
How drywall dust and sawdust get into a forced-air system during construction, what to do while the work is going on, and what to do when it is finished.
Tell us what is going on. We will tell you what it needs.
Call or text with your ZIP code and a line about the problem. For dryer vents, text DRYER and your ZIP.