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.
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterFamco Chimney Cap & Crown in Paterson: What to Know First
We install, replace, and repair Famco chimney caps and crowns in Paterson as an independent Famco service provider. Most cap replacements run $385-$680 installed, depending on the flue size and whether the crown underneath needs work too. We’re not authorized by Famco, and we tell you that straight, because it matters for warranty questions. If you own a Famco cap or crown that’s failing, call (862) 356-5229 and we’ll put eyes on it before we quote anything.
This page is for Paterson homeowners who already have a Famco product on the roof and want to know what’s actually wrong with it, what it costs to fix, and whether the warranty still means anything. Corrine Halstead and our crew have worked on Famco caps across Paterson for years, including a run of older row houses near the Great Falls Historic District where original masonry and harsh flue conditions make every cap job a little different.
How Famco Products Fail - and How We Fix Them
Famco makes solid caps, but every brand has patterns. Here’s what we see on Paterson roofs, and what we do about it.
- Famco MB Series mesh burnout. The MB cap line uses a stainless mesh band around the base. After five or six Paterson winters, the mesh on the windward side corrodes through and birds get in. The cap body is still fine. We replace the mesh band with a heavier-gauge aftermarket stainless mesh rather than swapping the whole cap, which saves $200 or more versus a full replacement.
- Famco TC Series lid warping. The TC line has a flat lid design that traps heat on the underside. On short flues, like those on Paterson’s older two-story row homes, the lid warps and gaps open along the edge. Rain gets in, then the crown starts spalling. We replace the lid and usually recommend a crown evaluation at the same time, because the two problems compound.
- Famco crown coat failure on original crowns. When a builder paired a Famco cap with an original poured crown, we see the same thing over and over: the crown looks fine from the ground but has hairline cracks running under the cap’s mounting flange. Water gets under the cap, freezes, and the cracks widen. Our fix is a full crown inspection with the cap off, then a flexible crown coat before remounting. We won’t put a new cap on a cracked crown and call it done.
- Famco LD Series rust at the mounting screws. The LD line uses zinc-plated hardware that rusts within a few years in Paterson’s freeze-thaw cycle. The screws seize, and the next technician to touch it either strips the head or breaks the screw. We pre-drill and swap to stainless hardware on every Famco cap we touch, which sounds small but saves you a $150 extraction fee down the road.
- Multi-flue Famco caps with uneven leg pressure. On multi-flue Paterson chimneys, we see Famco caps where one leg sits on a low crown edge and the other floats. The wind rocks the cap, the leg wears a groove into the crown, and water pools there. We shim and level every multi-flue cap install, and if the crown is too far gone, we say so before quoting the cap work.
Our Famco Chimney Cap & Crown Process
- 1
Call and book. You call (862) 356-5229. A live person answers, takes the address, and schedules the visit. No voicemail, no web form. We text when the tech is on the way (H.A.V.E.N. standard, ‘Arrive on schedule’).
- 2
Roof inspection with the cap off. We remove the Famco cap, photograph the crown and flue top, and check for the failure patterns above. Camera first, quote second, work third - in that order, every time.
- 3
Parts decision. If the cap can be saved with a mesh band or lid replacement, we price it. If it needs replacing, we quote the Famco cap and a quality aftermarket option side by side. We carry DuraFlex, HeatShield, and Gelco products on the truck for related liner or crown work, so you’re not waiting on a second trip.
- 4
Written price and scope. You get a written price, written scope, and written warranty before any work starts. That’s Clause 1 of the Haven Standard: ‘Have it in writing.’ If you have a competitor’s quote, bring it. We offer a Free Second Opinion on any written estimate.
- 5
The repair and the test. We install, seal, and level the cap. For crown work, we apply the coating and let it cure. Then we test for draw and run the camera once more to confirm nothing shifted. Every job gets a documented photo record before and after (Clause 4).
- 6
Cleanup and the 365-Day Done Right Promise. We leave the roof cleaner than we found it. You get the photos, the written warranty, and a reminder: if it’s not done right, we make it right. That promise is stamped on every job.
BeforeAfterWhat Famco Chimney Cap & Crown Costs in Paterson
Here are honest Paterson numbers, not ‘call for a quote.’
- Famco cap replacement (single flue): $385-$520 installed, depending on flue size and roof access
- Famco cap replacement (multi-flue): $540-$680 installed
- Mesh band replacement only: $120-$180
- Crown inspection with cap removal: $95-$140, credited toward crown work if we do it
- Crown coat (standard single-flue): $350-$550
- Full crown rebuild (if spalling is past the point of coating): $900-$1,600 depending on size and access
What moves the price: roof pitch, chimney height, whether we’re working from a ladder or need a lift, and whether the crown under the cap is salvageable. We’ll tell you plainly if your crown can wait a season or needs attention now. Estimates are free. Call (862) 356-5229 and we’ll put the number in writing before anything starts.
Why Paterson Homeowners Call Level Two Chimney Paterson for Famco Work
Because the price is on the page, the tech is background-checked, and you get photos of what we found. We’ve completed more than 38,000 chimney inspections and cleanings since 2009, every one with a written price before work started and a documented record when it was done. We know how Famco caps fail in Paterson specifically, because we’ve pulled enough of them off enough roofs to see the patterns. And when a Famco part isn’t the right call, we carry DuraFlex, HeatShield, and Gelco alternatives, so you get an honest recommendation, not whatever’s on the truck.
Live phone support runs 24/7. Our license number is on every page, our techs arrive in uniform, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise means exactly what it says: if it’s not done right, we make it right.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. We are an independent Famco service provider, not a Famco affiliate, and our work does not void a Famco manufacturer warranty. The Famco cap itself carries its own warranty from the manufacturer. Our workmanship carries our 365-Day Done Right Promise. If a warranty claim is needed on the cap itself, we’ll document the install with photos you can submit. Call (862) 356-5229 and we’ll walk you through what applies to your specific cap.
We repair when the cap body is sound and the failure is isolated, which is common with Famco MB Series mesh burnout and TC Series lid warping. But when the cap is past year eight or the under-cap crown is cracking, replacement is usually the more honest math. We’ll show you photos of the cap off the flue before you decide. Free estimates at (862) 356-5229.
Most single-flue Famco cap replacements are done within three to five business days of the inspection. If we’re replacing a crown at the same time, that adds a day for coating to cure. We keep common Famco sizes and aftermarket equivalents stocked, so we’re not usually waiting on a distributor. Call (862) 356-5229 to get on the schedule.
Water gets under the cap flange, freezes in Paterson winters, and widens the crack. The crown spalls, water reaches the flue liner, and eventually you’re looking at a liner repair or rebuild that costs far more than a crown coat. We can tell you after one camera inspection whether your crown needs work now or can safely wait a year. Call (862) 356-5229 and we’ll give you a written assessment either way.
Yes. We service DuraFlex liners, HeatShield resurfacing systems, and Gelco caps and crowns as well. If your Paterson chimney has a Famco cap but a HeatShield liner, one visit covers both. Same written price, same photo record, same Done Right Promise.
Written by Corrine Halstead, Owner, Level Two Chimney Paterson at Level Two Chimney Paterson, serving Paterson and nearby areas.