Chimney sweep in York, PA

Chimney care in the 717 area

Long heating seasons and repeated freeze-thaw cycles are hard on masonry around York, Harrisburg and Lancaster. 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 851,000 homes and apartments in the 717 territory. 57% were built before 1980 and 19.2% before 1940, lower than the Pennsylvania figure of 68.4% built before 1980. The median home here dates from the 1970s, and 60.4% of homes are single-family detached houses.

35.7% of occupied homes heat mainly with utility gas and 32.7% with electricity. Wood is the main heating fuel in 3.5% of homes, higher than the national rate of 1.5%, and 18.5% heat with fuel oil, whose furnaces and boilers also vent through a chimney flue.

With 19.2% of homes built before 1940, many chimneys here are older masonry. Older flues can be unlined or have clay tile liners that have cracked over the years, which a camera inspection of the flue will show. Wood heat is common in this area. Homes that burn wood as their main heat build creosote faster than occasional fireplace users, so plan on more frequent cleaning.

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

The 717 territory (with overlay 223) is home to roughly 2,073,000 people across 277 ZIP codes in Lancaster County, York County, Dauphin County, Cumberland County and 9 more counties.

Services in York

• Chimney inspection in York: Level 1, 2 and 3 to NFPA 211
• Chimney cleaning in York: creosote and soot removal
• Dryer vent cleaning in York: 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.