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.
Famco Fireplace Services in Greenwich: What to Know First
We service Famco fireplaces across Greenwich, from backcountry estates to the older colonials near Cos Cob and Riverside. Most Famco repairs run $240 to $780 for common fireplace issues, and we do not start any work until you have a written price, a written scope, and a written warranty in hand. That’s Clause 1 of the Haven Standard, and it’s how every Famco job has gone since 2009.
This page is for homeowners in Greenwich whose Famco fireplace is acting up, making noise, leaking, or simply hasn’t been looked at in years. If you want a technician who knows Famco fireboxes, pilot assemblies, and dampers specifically, call (516) 399-5497 and we’ll schedule a visit with a written estimate before anything gets touched.
What happens when you call
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A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
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You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
How Famco Products Fail, and How We Fix Them
Famco builds solid fireplaces, but we see the same handful of issues repeat across Greenwich homes. Here’s what actually shows up on the camera.
- Famco zero-clearance fireboxes with refractory panel cracks. The prefab Famco units from the 1990s and early 2000s use refractory panels that develop hairline cracks along the seams near the top of the firebox. Homeowners notice a faint smoky smell even when there’s no fire. The panel isn’t always shot; sometimes it needs resealing, sometimes replacement. We photograph it, show you the crack, and quote the fix before we touch anything.
- Pilot assemblies that won’t stay lit on Famco gas units. In Greenwich, we see this most often in homes where the fireplace was used heavily December through February, then left dormant. The thermocouple or thermopile fails slowly, and the pilot drops out. Some companies replace the whole pilot assembly. We test the millivolt output first, and if the thermopile is the only dead component, that’s a $90 to $140 parts-and-labor fix instead of a $400 assembly replacement.
- Famco dampers that jam in the open or closed position. The damper linkage on older Famco models is steel that rusts in the salt air common along the Greenwich shoreline. The handle still turns, but the damper doesn’t move. We’ve fixed these with a cleaning and linkage adjustment, and when the casting itself is cracked, we quote a replacement damper in writing, with the old part photographed for your record.
- Famco insert blower motors that run loud or quit. Famco fireplace inserts that push warm air into the room rely on a blower under the firebox. After five to eight winters of Greenwich use, the bearings wear and the motor gets loud before it dies. We replace with OEM Famco blowers when the unit is still under warranty, and with quality aftermarket motors when it isn’t. We tell you which one we’re quoting and why before you pay anything.
- Chase top and flashing leaks on Famco prefab chimneys. The fireplace itself can be fine while the chase top above it rusts through. Water runs down the inside of the chase, stains appear on the ceiling near the fireplace, and the homeowner assumes the firebox is bad. We camera-scan the flue first. If the flue is dry and the chase top is compromised, we fix the chase top. We don’t sell firebox work that isn’t needed.
Our Famco Fireplace Services Process

Every Famco service call in Greenwich follows the same steps, whether it’s a gas fireplace that won’t light or a wood burner that’s been smoking for years.
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You call (516) 399-5497. A live person answers. We book a window, note the model and symptom, and tell you what to expect on the visit.
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Diagnostics with the camera. Corrine Halstead or one of our techs arrives, introduces themselves, and runs a camera down the flue as part of the NFPA 211 Level 2 standard. On a Famco gas unit, we check pilot output, valve function, burner condition, and the venting path.
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You see what we see. We show you the camera footage on the spot. No guessing, no summary without a visual. “The camera doesn’t guess. Neither do we.”
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Parts decision, in writing. We tell you whether the repair calls for OEM Famco parts or a quality aftermarket equivalent, what each costs, and whether the OEM route is necessary for your warranty. You get a written price, written scope, and written warranty before work starts.
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The repair, and the test. We complete the work, then run the unit through its full cycle. For gas, we verify the pilot stays lit, the burner ignites cleanly, and the venting clears. For wood-burning, we confirm the damper opens and closes and the flue draws.
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Your documented photo record. Every Famco visit ends with a photo file of what we found and what we did. Clause 4 of the Haven Standard has required this on every job since 2009. You walk away with evidence, not a receipt.
Before
AfterWhat Famco Fireplace Services Cost in Greenwich
Famco fireplace service in Greenwich runs on a written-price model, so here are the numbers we actually quote. These reflect what we see across Greenwich’s housing stock, from Riverside Capes to the larger builds off North Street.
| Service | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Famco gas fireplace diagnosis and pilot service | $180-$320 |
| Thermocouple or thermopile replacement | $90-$140 |
| Refractory panel repair or reseal | $220-$450 |
| Damper repair or linkage adjustment | $160-$380 |
| Blower motor replacement (aftermarket) | $240-$420 |
| Blower motor replacement (OEM Famco) | $360-$590 |
| Full fireplace inspection with camera scan | $149-$249 |
What moves the price is access, parts availability, and whether the unit is under warranty. A Famco insert in a tight Greenwich basement takes longer to work on than a standard living-room unit. We quote all of it in writing before work starts. Call (516) 399-5497 for a free estimate on your specific fireplace.
Why Greenwich Homeowners Call Level Two Chimney Greenwich for Famco Work

We’ve inspected and cleaned more than 38,000 chimneys since 2009, and every single one got a written price before work started and a documented photo record when it was done. For Famco owners in Greenwich, that means you never pay for a repair you can’t see. Corrine Halstead runs the type of crew that can read a Famco firebox before the camera finishes its first pass, and the techs who show up are background-checked and uniformed. Every recommendation on a Famco unit, whether it’s a panel reseal or a blower replacement, is backed by camera evidence you can look at.
When a Famco repair calls for a liner or a venting component, we source from manufacturers we trust, including DuraFlex, HeatShield, and Gelco. That means the parts that go into and around your Famco fireplace are bought through the same network that keeps our prices honest. And if you get a written quote from another company, bring it to us. We offer a Free Second Opinion on any written estimate.
FAQs
Yes, and warranty compliance is one of the reasons we write down parts sourcing on every Famco repair. If your unit is still under warranty and requires OEM Famco components, we quote and install the OEM parts so your coverage stays intact. If it’s outside warranty, we’ll tell you honestly whether an aftermarket part does the same job for less. As an independent Famco service provider, we aren’t authorized by Famco, so we never imply we are. You get the repair, the written scope, and the photo record, and you keep the decision.
Most common Famco components, thermocouples, thermopiles, damper linkages, and blower motors, are available within one to three business days in the Greenwich area. A small number of older Famco parts are harder to source and may take a week or two. Before we order anything, we tell you exactly what part, what it costs, and how long it’ll take. Call (516) 399-5497 and we’ll give you a real timeline.
If the firebox itself is intact, the flue is clear, and the failure is a serviceable part like a blower, pilot assembly, or damper, repair is the right call. We don’t replace a Famco unit until the camera shows structural problems that make repair more expensive than replacement. When we recommend replacement, we show you the footage and explain the math. When we recommend repair, we show you the footage for that too.
Once a year, before burning season. Greenwich’s humid summers and coastal salt air do more damage to dampers, blowers, and chase tops than most homeowners realize. A yearly visit catches a rusting damper linkage or a weak thermopile before you’re standing in front of a dead fireplace on the first cold night of November. It costs less than one night of no heat at the wrong time.
For gas units, a failing thermopile or blocked venting can cause the pilot to drop out or carbon monoxide to back up into the room. Those are real risks, not scare tactics. For wood-burning Famco units, creosote accumulation in the flue becomes a chimney fire risk, and a cracked refractory panel can let heat reach combustible material behind the firebox. We’d rather show you the footage now than explain the fire report later.
Written by Corrine Halstead, Owner, Level Two Chimney Greenwich at Level Two Chimney Greenwich, serving Greenwich and nearby areas.





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