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.
Famco Chimney Liner & Rebuild in Passaic: What to Know First
Famco chimney liner and rebuild work in Passaic typically runs $1,900 to $4,800 for a full stainless liner replacement, and most jobs are completed in one day once parts are on hand. We’re an independent Famco service provider, not a factory-authorized shop, which means we’ll tell you plainly whether your liner needs replacing or just a repair. If you own a Famco liner or a home in Passaic with a Famco setup that’s showing its age, this page is for you. Call (551) 368-8859 and Wendell or one of the crew will talk you through what you’re seeing.
How Famco Products Fail - and How We Fix Them
- Seam separation on Famco flexible stainless liners. We see this most on older Famco single-ply flex liners in Passaic rowhouses along Gregory Avenue and Madison Street. The spiral seam pulls apart after years of heating and cooling cycles, usually near an offset or a tight bend. The first sign is often a faint metallic rattle when the wind blows across the cap, or fine soot dust settling on the mantel. We replace the affected section with proper Famco-gauge stainless and re-secure the offsets so it doesn’t happen again.
- Pinhole corrosion at the lower connector. Famco liners take on water from above and condensation from below. Where the liner meets the appliance connector, moisture sits and eats through the thin wall. On Passaic’s older oil-to-gas conversions, we regularly find pinholes right at that seam during a camera inspection. The fix is usually a lower-section replacement, not a full liner, and the camera footage tells us which one before we touch anything.
- Improper sizing from the original install. This is more common than most Passaic homeowners realize. A liner that’s too small for the appliance it serves runs hotter than it should and fails early. A liner that’s too big drafts poorly and builds creosote. We measure before we quote, and we can tell you if the Famco liner you have was ever the right size. When it wasn’t, a correctly sized replacement is the only honest fix.
- Aged Famco caps and chase covers leaking into the flue. The liner itself can be fine while the cap on top has rusted through, letting rain run down the inside and rust the liner from within. We pull the cap, show you what we found, and if the liner is still sound, we replace just the cap or chase cover. No liner job needed, and we’ll say so.
- Creosote glazing inside a liner that should have been re-swept years ago. Third-degree glaze inside a Famco liner isn’t a product failure, it’s a maintenance failure, and it happens in Passaic homes where the previous owner stopped sweeping. The liner is typically still salvageable if we catch it before the glazing eats through. You’ll see our camera footage before we recommend anything, and the verdict is in plain English.
Our Famco Chimney Liner & Rebuild Process
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Call and walkthrough. You call (551) 368-8859, a live person answers, and we ask what you’re seeing. No script, no call center. We book a time that works and tell you upfront whether there’s a trip charge for your address in Passaic.
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On-site camera inspection. Wendell or one of the crew shows up in uniform with a real arrival window. We run a camera through the entire flue and you watch the footage as we go.
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The verdict. If the liner needs replacing, you’ll see exactly why on the screen. If it doesn’t need touching, we tell you that too. “If it doesn’t need doing, I’ll tell you so.”
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Parts and pricing. We lay out OEM Famco parts where they make sense and quality aftermarket options where they’re stronger or faster to source. You get a fixed price before a single tool comes off the truck.
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The work. We remove the old liner, install the new one, rebuild any masonry or chase components that need it, and fire-test the system to confirm draft and clean burn.
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Cleanup and the promise. We leave the work area cleaner than we found it, walk you through what we did, and hand you the 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If it’s not right, one call brings us back.
What Famco Chimney Liner & Rebuild Costs in Passaic
Here’s what Passaic homeowners can expect based on the work we’ve actually done in town:
- Famco stainless liner replacement, single story: $1,900-$2,800
- Famco liner replacement, two-story or steep roof: $2,600-$3,800
- Full rebuild with new liner and crown: $3,500-$4,800
- Partial rebuild (top section only plus liner): $2,400-$3,400
- Liner repair (single section or connector): $450-$900
What moves the price: roofline height, the condition of the surrounding masonry, whether the existing cap and chase cover can be reused, and how quickly we can get the right Famco-gauge liner. We give you a fixed number before work starts, and that’s the number on the invoice. Call (551) 368-8859 for a free estimate within Passaic, and remember: seniors and veterans always save 10%.
Why Passaic Homeowners Call Top Hat Chimney for Famco Work
We’ve been in and out of these Passaic chimneys since 1999, and Wendell Pike still answers the phone himself more nights than not. We know the older rowhouses along Gregory Avenue, the converted colonials near the river, and the bungalow neighborhoods where chimneys haven’t been touched since the first Bush administration. You get a published address, a license number that checks out, and the same face on Saturday that you saw on your roof on Tuesday.
Every Famco job we do is backed by the 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If it’s not right, one call brings us back. We also work with DuraFlex, HeatShield, and Gelco, so if a Famco-specific part isn’t the best option for your Passaic home, we’ll tell you what is. No upsell, no scare talk, just the facts and a fair number.
FAQs
We’re an independent Famco service provider, not a factory-authorized shop, so we don’t process warranty claims directly. But we install to manufacturer spec, document everything with camera footage, and if you have a warranty claim, we’ll help you put together what you need to pursue it.
You’ll know when you see the camera footage. We don’t recommend a liner replacement in Passaic without showing you exactly what’s failing on screen, whether that’s pinhole corrosion, seam separation, or damage from years of skipped sweeps. Call (551) 368-8859 and we’ll schedule the inspection.
Most single-family Passaic homes are back in working order the same day. A full rebuild with new masonry and crown work can take two to three days depending on weather and materials. We’ll give you a straight answer when we see the scope.
Then we’ll tell you the liner isn’t the problem, and quote only the rebuild or repointing work the chimney actually needs. We won’t sell you a liner replacement you don’t need. Ask anyone on your street.
Yes. We install and service DuraFlex, HeatShield, and Gelco liners alongside Famco, and we’ll tell you if switching makes sense for your Passaic setup. The camera footage and a plain-English verdict, every time, no exceptions.
Written by Wendell Pike, Owner, Top Hat Chimney - Passaic, NJ at Top Hat Chimney, serving Passaic and nearby areas.





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