Chimney sweep in Bay Shore, NY

Chimney care in the 631 area

Long heating seasons and repeated freeze-thaw cycles are hard on masonry around Bay Shore, Huntington Station and Patchogue. Water that soaks into a cracked crown or open mortar joint freezes, expands and breaks brick apart (spalling), and nor'easter rain drives water in at the flashing. An annual inspection before the first cold snap catches crown cracks and creosote build-up from a winter of wood burning.

The Census Bureau counts about 542,700 homes and apartments in the 631 territory. 69.6% were built before 1980 and 9.5% before 1940, close to the New York figure of 75.4% built before 1980. The median home here dates from the 1960s, and 80.1% of homes are single-family detached houses.

46% of occupied homes heat mainly with fuel oil or kerosene and 40.6% with utility gas. Wood is the main heating fuel in 0.5% of homes, lower than the national rate of 1.5%.

Most homes here are more than 40 years old, so original flue liners, mortar joints and chimney crowns have seen decades of weather. An annual inspection catches wear before it becomes a repair.

Under the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code, the territory is in climate zone 4A (mixed, humid).

The 631 territory (with overlay 934) is home to roughly 1,347,000 people across 109 ZIP codes in Suffolk County, Nassau County.

Services in Bay Shore

• Chimney inspection in Bay Shore: Level 1, 2 and 3 to NFPA 211
• Chimney cleaning in Bay Shore: creosote and soot removal
• Dryer vent cleaning in Bay Shore: full vent run to the outside hood
• Chimney repairs, chimney relining and wood stove installs: ask your local company whether they offer them

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates (tables B25034, B25040, B25024) for the ZIP codes in this territory; climate zones from PNNL, Guide to Determining Climate Zone by County (2022). Population from our ZIP code data.