A professional annual sweep is the single most important thing you can do to protect an older home's chimney system. Our technicians use industrial-grade rotary brushes and HEPA-filtered vacuum equipment to remove creosote deposits, soot buildup, nesting debris, and any loose masonry fragments from your flue. We pay particular attention to the smoke shelf and smoke chamber — areas that are notorious for heavy buildup accumulation in older fireplace designs. Every sweep includes a visual inspection of accessible flue surfaces, the firebox, and the damper assembly. We document findings and provide a written report so you always know exactly what condition your system is in. Bordentown homeowners with pre-1970s chimneys benefit most from annual service, as older clay tile liners collect deposits faster and crack more easily than modern alternatives.
Request this service →We offer all three NFPA 211-defined inspection levels, calibrated to your situation. A Level 1 inspection covers accessible portions of your chimney during a routine sweep. A Level 2 inspection — which we recommend for any Bordentown home being bought or sold, or one that has experienced a chimney fire or severe storm — uses a high-definition video camera to examine the full interior of your flue, including areas hidden behind walls. A Level 3 inspection involves selective removal of components to access concealed areas and is reserved for cases where serious structural damage is suspected. All inspections are performed by certified technicians and come with a written, photographic report. For older New Jersey homes, a Level 2 inspection frequently uncovers cracked clay tiles and deteriorated mortar crowns that would otherwise go unnoticed for years.
Request this service →Many Bordentown homes built before 1960 have either no liner at all, or an original clay tile liner that has cracked due to thermal cycling and freeze-thaw damage over decades of New Jersey winters. An unlined or compromised flue exposes combustible framing and interior walls to dangerous heat transfer and carbon monoxide infiltration. Matts Brothers installs flexible and rigid stainless-steel liners, as well as cast-in-place systems that are ideal for irregularly shaped older flues that won't accept a standard round liner. Every installation includes a correctly sized stainless cap and a proper top seal. We size every liner to the specific appliance it serves — whether that's a traditional wood-burning fireplace, a gas insert, or an oil furnace — ensuring proper draft and maximizing system safety for the life of your home.
Request this service →The mortar joints on a Bordentown chimney face more punishment than almost any other exterior surface on your house — sun, rain, wind, and New Jersey's dramatic freeze-thaw cycles all work continuously to erode the binding between your bricks. Once mortar begins to fail, water infiltrates rapidly, accelerating the breakdown of surrounding brick faces and eventually threatening structural integrity. Our tuckpointing process involves carefully removing deteriorated mortar to a depth of at least three-quarters of an inch, then packing in a correctly mixed lime-Portland blend that matches both the strength and the color of your original mortar. Matching mortar hardness to the age of the brick is critical — using a mix that's too hard on soft historic brick actually causes the brick faces to spall. We take that science seriously on every older-home project.
Request this service →The chimney crown — the concrete or mortar slab that seals the top of the masonry chimney stack — is the first line of defense against water penetration, yet it is almost always overlooked until visible cracks appear. On many older Bordentown homes, the original crown was built with plain mortar rather than purpose-mixed concrete, making it brittle and prone to early failure. We repair cracked crowns using high-performance elastomeric crown coatings for minor damage, and full rebuild with reinforced concrete for severely compromised crowns. We also fabricate and install correctly sized stainless-steel chimney caps with mesh spark arrestors that keep birds, squirrels, and raccoons out of your flue — a recurring headache for homeowners near Bordentown's wooded neighborhoods. Every cap is sized to overhang the flue tile properly and is secured against New Jersey wind loads.
Request this service →Water is the primary long-term enemy of any masonry chimney — and in Bordentown's climate, where annual precipitation averages over 46 inches and hard winters produce repeated freeze-thaw cycles, even a small leak can cause disproportionate interior damage within a single season. We apply 100% vapor-permeable siloxane-based waterproofing sealers that penetrate deeply into brick and mortar to repel liquid water while still allowing water vapor to escape from within — critical for older masonry that must breathe. We also repair and fully replace step flashing and counter-flashing at the roof-chimney junction, which is the most common point of water entry in older New Jersey homes. Every waterproofing job begins with a careful examination of the crown, the mortar joints, and the flashing before any product is applied, ensuring we address the source of the leak rather than just masking it.
Request this service →Fast response, upfront pricing, and workmanship guaranteed. Get your free estimate today.