Expert chimney sweeping, liner installation, and historic brickwork restoration for older Bordentown homes — fully licensed, insured, and built on decades of hands-on masonry knowledge.
Comprehensive chimney sweep for Bordentown homes and businesses.
Thorough level-1 cleaning that removes creosote, soot, and blockages from older flue systems.
Camera-assisted inspections that reveal hidden cracks, liner failures, and masonry deterioration.
Stainless-steel and cast-in-place liner solutions sized and fitted for older masonry flues.
Historic-quality mortar matching and precision tuckpointing to arrest deterioration on older chimneys.
Custom crowns and stainless caps that seal the most vulnerable part of your masonry system.
Penetrating water-repellent treatments and flashing repairs that keep moisture out of your masonry.
We hold ourselves to the highest standards so you can hire with total confidence.
Most chimney companies focus on new-construction installs. We've built our reputation on the harder, more specialized work that historic homes demand — matching heritage mortars, diagnosing failing clay liners, and repairing deteriorated smoke chambers that were built before modern codes existed. Bordentown homeowners get technicians who truly understand what's behind those old brick walls.
Every technician on our crew is licensed in New Jersey and covered by comprehensive liability and workers' compensation insurance. We provide written, itemized estimates before any work begins — no verbal quotes that balloon into surprises. Our inspection reports include photographs and plain-language explanations so you can make informed decisions without feeling pressured.
We know that chimney problems rarely surface at convenient times. Whether you've just discovered a crack before lighting your first autumn fire or you're in the middle of a home sale inspection, we keep schedule availability open specifically for urgent needs. Same-week appointments are available for most services throughout the Bordentown area and Burlington County.
Older homes deserve repairs that preserve their character, not compromise it. We mix custom mortar batches to match existing joint profiles and brick tones, and we source period-appropriate materials when restoration accuracy matters. The goal is always a chimney that performs safely and looks like it belongs — because it always has, from the day the original masons laid the first course.
Matts Brothers Chimney was founded by two brothers who grew up doing masonry work alongside their father in northern New Jersey. What started as a small family operation focused on brick repair gradually evolved into a full-service chimney company as the brothers recognized how underserved older-home owners were — particularly in communities like Bordentown, where much of the housing stock predates modern chimney safety standards. Over the years, the company built a reputation not by advertising aggressively, but by doing careful work on difficult old chimneys and letting satisfied customers speak for them. The Bordentown area became a natural fit: a community that takes pride in preserving its historic homes and expects the craftspeople it hires to share that same care and attention to detail.
"Our 1910 colonial had a chimney that no one had seriously looked at in years. The Matts Brothers team did a Level 2 inspection, found three cracked liner tiles and failing mortar joints near the roofline, and gave us a clear written report with photos. The liner replacement and tuckpointing work was done cleanly and exactly as quoted. Incredibly knowledgeable about older homes."
"We bought a pre-war row house and needed a full chimney evaluation before we moved in. Matts Brothers scheduled us within days, ran the camera up the flue, and found an issue with the smoke shelf that our home inspector had completely missed. The repair was reasonable and the communication throughout was excellent. We feel safe using our fireplace now."
"I called about water stains appearing on the interior brick of my fireplace every spring. The crew identified failed step flashing and a cracked crown — both were repaired the same week. They applied a waterproofing treatment to the whole stack and the problem has been completely resolved going into our second winter. Prompt, honest, and fairly priced."
"The mortar on my 1940s chimney was crumbling badly. I was worried about getting a match that wouldn't look patched. Matts Brothers mixed a custom batch that blended almost perfectly with the original joints — you'd never know it was repaired. The quality of the tuckpointing is genuinely impressive and the crew was respectful of my property throughout."
"We've used Matts Brothers for three years running for our annual sweep and inspection. Every visit is thorough, prompt, and clearly documented. Last fall they noticed early deterioration on our clay tile liner during a routine sweep and we were able to address it before it became a costly emergency. That kind of proactive attention is hard to find."
"After a chimney fire scared us badly, we called Matts Brothers the next morning. They came out that same week, performed a full Level 2 inspection, identified the compromised areas, and installed a new stainless liner. They explained every step, answered every question we had, and left us with full documentation. Complete peace of mind — exactly what you need after something like that."
Expert local advice for Bordentown homeowners.
Learn exactly what a Level 1, 2, or 3 chimney inspection covers, which one your Bordentown home needs, and why older brick chimneys demand closer scrutiny.
Read more →Wondering what a chimney sweep costs in Bordentown in 2025? Here's what drives pricing in older masonry homes — with real local ranges.
Read more →Everything Bordentown homeowners need to know about chimney sweeping — costs, best timing, what happens during a visit, and why older masonry homes need special attention.
Read more →Call us at (973) 381-5843 or use our online form. Tell us the age of your home and what you're experiencing — odd smells, visible cracks, a recent purchase, or just an overdue inspection. We'll schedule a convenient visit, usually within the same week for Bordentown-area homeowners.
Our technician arrives on time, protects your interior with drop cloths and a HEPA vacuum system, and performs a thorough inspection of your chimney inside and out. For older homes we default to a Level 2 camera inspection so nothing is left to guesswork. You receive a photographic report and honest recommendations.
We present a plain-language written proposal with itemized pricing before any work begins. We explain what we found, why each repair matters, and what happens if it's deferred. No high-pressure upselling — just honest, prioritized information so you can decide what to address now and what to monitor over time.
Our crew completes all approved work neatly and professionally, protecting your floors, hearth, and furnishings throughout. We test your system before leaving and walk you through everything that was done. We leave your home as clean as we found it — often cleaner — and we're available by phone if any questions arise afterward.
Proudly serving Bordentown and these nearby communities.
It depends entirely on its current condition. Clay tile liners in older New Jersey homes crack over time from thermal cycling and freeze-thaw damage — and a cracked liner exposes your home to dangerous heat transfer and carbon monoxide. The only way to know for certain is a Level 2 video inspection. Many older liners we see in Bordentown are compromised even when the fireplace appears to be working fine.
Yes, absolutely — and not just a visual glance during the general home inspection. A dedicated Level 2 chimney inspection with camera equipment frequently reveals cracked liners, failed mortar joints, and missing or deteriorated flashing that general home inspectors simply don't have the tools to detect. Chimney repairs on an older New Jersey home can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, so knowing before closing matters significantly.
Yes, in most cases. Mortar fails well before visible brick damage appears — that's the nature of the material. By the time bricks start spalling or shifting, water has already been infiltrating through compromised joints for seasons, potentially saturating the interior masonry and damaging adjacent framing. Catching mortar failure early with tuckpointing is far less expensive than the structural repairs that result from ignoring it.
Yes, particularly in an older home. Frequency of use does not change the safety risk posed by a missing or damaged liner — it only takes one fire in a compromised flue to allow dangerous heat to transfer to surrounding combustibles. A stainless liner also dramatically improves draft, reduces creosote accumulation, and protects your masonry from acidic flue gases, which is especially valuable if the chimney serves a gas appliance.
Subtle chimney fires — the most common kind — often go undetected but leave clear evidence: puffy, glazed creosote deposits with a honeycomb texture inside the flue, cracked or discolored tile liners, warped metal components, and in some cases hairline cracks visible on the exterior masonry. A Level 2 video inspection is the definitive diagnostic tool. Many Bordentown homeowners discover prior chimney fire damage only when selling their home.
Not if the correct product is used. Vapor-permeable siloxane-based sealers allow moisture already within the masonry to escape as vapor while blocking liquid water from entering — this is essential for historic brick, which was made with softer clay that can be damaged by trapped moisture. Film-forming sealers, by contrast, can cause serious spalling on old brick. We only apply breathable, penetrating products appropriate for Bordentown's pre-war housing stock.
Yes. Even well-seasoned hardwood produces creosote — the rate depends on burn temperatures, chimney height, and flue condition. Low, smoldering fires and short flues in older homes with tight construction are particularly prone to accumulation. The Chimney Safety Institute recommends annual cleaning for any chimney in regular use regardless of fuel quality. An inspection also catches structural issues that have nothing to do with how cleanly you burn.
Yes — particularly in spring and early fall, chimney swifts, starlings, and raccoons regularly nest in open flues, especially in the tall, uncapped masonry chimneys typical of Bordentown's older housing stock. Nesting debris is a genuine fire hazard and some animals carry parasites. A properly fitted stainless cap with mesh sides virtually eliminates the problem. We install caps sized precisely to your flue during any sweep or inspection.
Fast response, upfront pricing, and workmanship guaranteed. Get your free estimate today.