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.
DuraFlex Chimney Cap & Crown in Paterson: What to Know First
We install, replace, and repair DuraFlex chimney caps and crowns throughout Paterson, typically completing most cap jobs in a single visit. A standard DuraFlex cap replacement in Paterson runs $340-$680 installed, while crown repair or coating work ranges $450-$1,200 depending on condition. We’re an independent DuraFlex service provider - not factory-authorized, which means we choose the part that’s actually right for your flue setup, not the one a manufacturer’s program tells us to sell. If you own a DuraFlex liner system and your cap or crown is failing, call (862) 356-5229 for a written quote before any work starts.

This page is for Paterson homeowners who already have DuraFlex components and need straight answers on cap failure, crown deterioration, and what a repair actually costs here. No call-for-pricing games. No flashlight “inspection” that misses the real problem.
How DuraFlex Products Fail - and How We Fix Them
- DuraFlex 316L liner-to-cap connection corrosion. We see this constantly in Paterson’s older row houses near the Great Falls Historic District, where moisture cycles are aggressive. The stainless collar where the cap meets the liner corrodes at the seam, allowing water to run down the outside of the liner and into the smoke chamber. The fix is a replacement cap with an oversized collar and a bead of high-temp silicone rated for continuous flue temperatures, not the stuff from a hardware store.
- DuraFlex Pro cap screen blockage. The wire mesh screen on DuraFlex Pro caps is fine enough to trap creosote flakes and mortar dust from spalling brick. In Paterson, where many chimneys still have original masonry from the 1920s, that mortar dust is constant. A blocked screen restricts draft and pushes smoke back into the living space. We replace the screen with a wider-gauge mesh when we swap the cap, which breathes better in older flues.
- Crown cracking above DuraFlex liner systems. The crown is the concrete slab that caps the chimney structure itself. Paterson’s freeze-thaw winters crack crowns fast, and a cracked crown lets water seep behind the liner chase. DuraFlex liners don’t rust from the inside, but the exterior chase and the clay tile around them do. We repair crowns with a flexible polymer-based crown coat that moves with the masonry instead of cracking again the next winter.
- Multi-flue cap sizing errors on DuraFlex twin liner installations. Paterson homes with a furnace and a water heater both venting through one chimney often have two separate DuraFlex liners. A single oversized cap that spans both flues looks fine from the ground but does nothing to keep water out of the gap between liners. We measure each flue opening separately and spec a custom multi-flue cap that actually seals both.
- Aftermarket cap fit issues on DuraFlex oval-to-round transitions. Paterson chimneys built for masonry fireplaces often have oval flue openings. DuraFlex liners terminate in round, and the transition point is where generic caps leak. We use caps with oval-to-round adapters that match the actual flue geometry, not a universal clamp that leaves a quarter-inch gap on one side.
Our DuraFlex Chimney Cap & Crown Process

- 1
You call (862) 356-5229. A live person answers. We schedule a visit and send a text with the tech’s name and arrival window.
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Camera scan of the flue and cap area. We run a camera down the flue and shoot the cap and crown from the roof. You see the footage. This is Clause 4 of the Haven Standard - photo documentation on every visit, no exceptions, a practice we’ve run since 2009.
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Written diagnosis and written price. We name what’s failing - the cap seam, the crown surface, the mesh - and quote a fixed price for the fix. You get the scope in writing before we touch anything.
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Parts decision: OEM or better aftermarket. If a genuine DuraFlex part matches your flue geometry and budget, we use it. When an aftermarket cap from Gelco or a crown coat from HeatShield does the job better for the money, we tell you that and show you the difference. We stock both.
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Installation and test. We install the cap or apply the crown repair, then test draft and check for leaks with a thermal camera. You get a photo record of the finished work.
- 6
Written warranty and the 365-Day Done Right Promise. Every job includes a written warranty. If it’s not done right, we make it right. That’s the Promise, and it’s stamped on the paperwork.
Before
AfterWhat DuraFlex Chimney Cap & Crown Costs in Paterson
| Job | Typical Paterson Price |
|---|---|
| DuraFlex cap replacement (single flue, standard mesh) | $340-$520 |
| Custom cap for oval-to-round DuraFlex termination | $480-$680 |
| Multi-flue cap (twin DuraFlex liners) | $650-$950 |
| Crown repair (crack filling and polymer coat) | $450-$800 |
| Full crown rebuild over DuraFlex liner system | $900-$1,200 |
What moves the price: roof access difficulty, flue geometry (oval openings cost more to cap correctly), and how much crown surface needs rebuilding. We don’t charge extra for the camera scan or the written quote. Bring us a competitor’s written estimate and we’ll give you a free second opinion on it. Call (862) 356-5229 for an exact number.
Why Paterson Homeowners Call Level Two Chimney Paterson for DuraFlex Work

Because we show you the evidence before we quote anything. Corrine Halstead has been cleaning, inspecting, and lining chimneys for eighteen years, and her rule on every job is camera first, quote second, work third - in that order, every time. When we find a failed cap on a DuraFlex liner, we show you the corrosion on camera, explain what it means in plain terms, and quote a written price before any work starts. We also service HeatShield and Gelco components, so if your chimney has mixed brands from previous work, we’re not going to tell you to rip everything out and start over. Our techs are background-checked, uniformed, and live phone support runs 24/7. We’ve inspected and cleaned over 38,000 chimneys since 2009, every one with a written price before work and a documented record when it was done.
FAQs
No. DuraFlex warranties cover the liner material itself, not the cap. Replacing a cap with a properly fitted unit - OEM or quality aftermarket - does not void liner coverage. What voids warranties is improper liner installation, not cap work done by a competent contractor.
Most single-flue cap replacements are done the same visit. We carry common DuraFlex sizes plus Gelco and Olympia cap stock in the truck. Custom caps for odd flue geometry take five to seven business days to fabricate. Call (862) 356-5229 and we’ll tell you which bucket your job falls into.
Fix it before the next Paterson winter. Water gets into a cracked crown, freezes, expands, and turns a $600 polymer coat into a $2,500 crown rebuild plus possible masonry repair. The camera scan will show you exactly how far the cracking has progressed, and you’ll see the evidence yourself.
Sometimes no. If the mesh is clogged with creosote but the cap structure is sound, we clean it and recommend more frequent sweeps. If the mesh is corroded or pulled away from the cap body, replacement is cheaper than trying to patch stainless steel. The camera tells us which situation you have, and we quote based on what we see.
Yes. We work with HeatShield and Gelco products regularly, and we’ll match the cap to the existing crown coating system rather than layering incompatible materials. We’ll tell you plainly if the crown coat needs a touch-up before the new cap goes on. Call (862) 356-5229 for a written quote.
Written by Corrine Halstead, Owner, Level Two Chimney Paterson at Level Two Chimney Paterson, serving Paterson and nearby areas.





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