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.
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AfterFamco Chimney Cap & Crown in Easton: What to Know First
We provide independent Famco chimney cap and crown service in Easton, Pennsylvania, with most jobs completed in a single visit and upfront pricing agreed before we start. Typical turnaround from call to completion is three to five business days during sweep season, faster for active leaks or exposed flue conditions. We charge what the job actually requires - no brand-name markup, no surprises on the bill.
This page is for Famco cap or crown owners in Easton, Palmer Township, Forks Township, and the older neighborhoods near the Delaware Canal who need repair, replacement, or an honest assessment of whether the work can wait. If the flue is clear and the mortar is sound, that’s all the good news you need. Call us at (610) 756-1504 for a free estimate.
How Famco Products Fail - and How We Fix Them
- Stainless Multi-Flue Caps (MSC Series) - fastener fatigue in Easton’s freeze-thaw cycle. The MSC line uses 18-gauge stainless with stamped mounting ears that stress-crack after repeated expansion and contraction. Easton winters swing from single digits to fifty degrees in a week, and we’ve pulled MSC caps where every ear was sheared. We replace with 304 stainless bolt-through hardware or step up to a Gelco or Olympia Chimney cap with cast-bracket mounting if the flue layout allows.
- Galvanized Single-Flue Caps (GSC Series) - rust-through at the skirt weld. The GSC’s galvanized coating holds up poorly where creosote condensation collects at the cap skirt. In Easton’s humid river-valley summers, we’ve seen five-year-old GSC caps with pinholes weeping tar-stained water onto the crown below. We strip the compromised cap, inspect the crown for saturation damage, and install a Famco stainless replacement or a Copperfield equivalent with a deeper overhang.
- Crown Seal Coating failures on Famco-protected flues. Homeowners sometimes assume the cap protects the crown completely. It doesn’t. Water tracks down the flue tile gap, and if the crown was sloped wrong or sealed with a thin DIY product, it channels inward. We see this on 1980s Easton colonials where the original mason crowned flat. Our fix: remove the cap, grind the crown to pitch, apply HeatShield CrownSeal in two troweled coats, and reinstall with a proper bead of high-temp silicone.
- Multi-Flue Cap sizing errors causing draft interference. The MSC-1318 and MSC-1722 are common in Easton, but previous installers often size to the flue tile rather than the chimney top. A cap too large traps exhaust; too small, it overheats the surrounding crown. We measure the chimney top, not just the flue opening, and spec the cap with proper clearances per the appliance vent tables. If Famco doesn’t offer the right fit, we’ll tell you straight and source from Olympia Chimney or fabricate a custom solution.
- Crown wash delamination beneath Famco caps with inadequate overhang. Famco’s standard 2-inch overhang meets spec but doesn’t handle Easton’s driving northeast rains. We’ve rebuilt crowns on homes near the Bushkill Creek where the cap dripped directly onto the wash line, eroding it in eight years. We extend the overhang or add a drip edge, then repour the wash with a Portland-based mix and acrylic fortifier, not the bagged resurfacer some crews use.
Our Famco Chimney Cap & Crown Process
- 1
Call and schedule. A live person answers, 24 hours a day. We ask for the cap model if you know it, the chimney age, and what you’re seeing - water, rust streaks, draft problems, or visible damage.
- 2
Level-2 camera inspection on arrival. Our technician photographs the cap, crown, flue top, and interior flue condition. You see the images on a tablet. We explain what’s Famco, what’s original construction, and what’s failed.
- 3
Parts decision with options. If Famco still produces your cap or crown component, we quote OEM. If the line is discontinued or an aftermarket part meets spec at lower cost, we say so. No brand loyalty that costs you money.
- 4
Repair or replacement with documented steps. Crown work gets troweled, cured, and photographed. Cap installs get torque-checked hardware and sealant at the flue tile interface. We run a draft test before we pack up.
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Written report and 90-Day Done Right Promise. You get photos, a plain-English verdict, and our guarantee in writing. If it’s not right, we come back. No paperwork to dig up, no arguing.
What Famco Chimney Cap & Crown Costs in Easton
| Service | Typical Range | What Moves the Price |
|---|---|---|
| Famco single-flue cap replacement (stainless) | $340 - $520 | Flue tile height, accessibility, need for storm collar |
| Famco multi-flue cap replacement (MSC series) | $580 - $890 | Chimney top dimensions, custom mesh size, bolt-through vs. clamp mount |
| Crown repair with coating (HeatShield CrownSeal) | $680 - $1,150 | Crown square footage, crack depth, need for structural rebuild |
| Crown rebuild + new cap install | $1,400 - $2,400 | Scaffolding, forming complexity, flue count |
| Custom cap fabrication (non-standard flue arrangement) | $720 - $1,300 | Material gauge, copper vs. stainless, screen mesh spec |
These are Easton-market ranges for 2025. Your exact quote depends on what we find when we’re on the roof, not before. We do not quote over the phone for crown work - the damage is always worse or better than it looks from the ground. Estimates are free. Call (610) 756-1504.
Why Easton Homeowners Call Hearthstone Chimney Co. for Famco Work
We’ve been answering the phone with a live person for over 42 years, and we plan to be here in thirty more. That changes how you treat a job.
Russell Haines and our technicians know Famco’s product line from hands-on work, not a catalog. When the MSC-1722 you bought in 2008 has been discontinued, we know which Olympia Chimney or Gelco cross-references fit without draft interference. When a crown is too far gone for coating, we say so - and we show you the photo so you can see why. Every job carries the 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing. Background-checked, uniformed techs. Most jobs done in one visit. The number on the estimate is the number on the invoice.
We also work with DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, and other professional-grade brands, so we’re not captive to any single manufacturer’s availability or pricing. That’s a square deal.
FAQs
No. Famco’s limited warranty covers manufacturing defects, not installation. As an independent Famco service provider, we use correct parts and proper methods, which preserves any valid manufacturing claim. If your cap failed due to a defect, we document it so you can file with Famco directly. Call (610) 756-1504 and we’ll walk you through what’s covered.
Some lines, yes; others, no. Famco has streamlined their catalog, and galvanized GSC models from the 1990s are largely discontinued. We stock common stainless MSC hardware and can cross-reference to Olympia Chimney or Gelco equivalents that match or exceed original spec. We’ll tell you before we order if only aftermarket is available.
Minor mesh damage or a loose storm collar can be repaired. Cracked mounting ears, rusted-through skirt welds, or warped lids mean replacement - the cap won’t seal or stay secure. We make that call with photos you can see, not a sales pitch. Sometimes a $40 hardware kit buys you three more years. Sometimes it doesn’t. We’ll say which.
Every year, ideally before burning season. Easton’s freeze-thaw cycle and river-valley humidity accelerate crown wash erosion and cap fastener fatigue. An annual Level-2 inspection catches cap shift or crown cracking before water enters the flue system. Our $89 Seasonal Tune-Up includes the cap and crown check. Book it, or call for a standalone inspection.
Water enters the chimney system. In Easton’s climate, that means accelerated flue tile spalling, rusted damper assemblies, and in severe cases, structural deterioration of the chimney stack. It does not improve with time. That said, not every crack is an emergency - a hairline in a well-pitched crown can be monitored. We tell you which kind you have, with photos. Call (610) 756-1504 for a free estimate.
Written by Russell Haines, Owner, Hearthstone Chimney Co. at Hearthstone Chimney Co., serving Easton and nearby areas.