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.
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AfterFamco Fireplace Services in Chesapeake: What to Know First
We provide independent Famco fireplace services throughout Chesapeake, from Great Bridge to Greenbrier, with most repairs completed in a single visit and upfront pricing agreed before we start. A standard Famco gas fireplace service runs $175-$275; firebox or damper repairs typically fall between $340-$850 depending on parts and access. We’re not a chain, and we’re not a one-truck operator who might answer next week.
This page is for Chesapeake homeowners who own a Famco fireplace, insert, or gas log set and need someone who knows the difference between a 304 and 430 stainless chase cover without looking it up. If your Famco unit is drafting poorly, the pilot won’t stay lit, or you’re staring at cracked refractory panels wondering if the whole thing needs replacing, we can tell you exactly what’s wrong and what it’ll cost to fix it right. Call (757) 590-6579 - a live person answers, 24 hours a day.
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 36CDVTR gas fireplace units develop thermopile drift after 8-12 years of Chesapeake’s humidity cycles. The thermopile generates the millivoltage that keeps your gas valve open; when it weakens, the pilot stays lit but the main burner won’t fire or drops out mid-cycle. We test under load with a digital manometer, not just a multimeter, because a thermopile can read 500mV at rest and collapse to 125mV when the valve solenoid draws. If it’s borderline, we replace it with an OEM Robertshaw or a White-Rodgers equivalent - never a generic that’ll fail next season.
- Famco wood-burning fireboxes in the 42F series show refractory panel cracking concentrated at the rear wall corners. The panels are 1.25-inch cast refractory, and Chesapeake’s freeze-thaw cycles accelerate thermal shock if the panels were installed without expansion gaps. We don’t slap refractory cement over cracks - that’s a temporary patch that traps heat and spalls the panel. We measure the firebox throat-to-face dimensions, source the correct Famco panel set or a HeatShield-certified refractory overlay if the panels are obsolete, and reset with proper clearances.
- Famco chimney-top dampers, particularly the Sealtight and Lyemance lines, seize in the partially-open position. The 304 stainless cable runs through a cast-aluminum frame that corrodes galvanically when debris holds moisture against the joint. A seized damper in Chesapeake’s spring pollen season means you’re losing conditioned air or choking the fire with restricted draft. We free the mechanism, replace the cable if there’s fraying (common after 15 years), and lubricate with high-temp graphite - not WD-40, which gums up and attracts more debris.
- Famco direct-vent inserts in the DV550 and DV800 series develop combustion air intake blockages from coastal insect nesting. The termination cap’s screen mesh is fine enough to keep out bees and wasps, but Chesapeake’s paper wasps pack mud and fiber into the annular space between the exhaust and intake pipes. The result is a lazy flame, sooting glass, and eventually an oxygen-depletion safety trip. We pull the termination, inspect the coaxial pipe run with a borescope, and clear the obstruction without compressing it deeper into the line.
- Famco zero-clearance fireplace metal chassis rust at the hearth-level fresh-air inlet in homes with crawl-space humidity. We’ve seen this repeatedly in the older ranch homes south of Battlefield Boulevard where the crawl space breathes directly into the fireplace chase. The rust isn’t cosmetic - it undermines the listed clearances and can transfer heat to adjacent framing. We treat the affected steel with a high-temp rust converter, fabricate a stainless inlet collar where needed, and address the moisture source so it doesn’t recur.
Our Famco Fireplace Services Process
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Call intake with a live person. We ask for the Famco model number (usually on a metal tag behind the lower louver or in the firebox), the symptom, and the installation year. This lets Russell pull the correct venting diagram and parts list before the truck rolls.
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Level-2 camera inspection and combustion analysis. For gas units, we check manifold pressure, thermopile output under load, and draft with a digital gauge. For wood units, we run a chimney camera to rule out liner damage that could be causing the fireplace symptoms. You see the photos; we give you a plain-English verdict.
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Parts decision: OEM Famco, cross-referenced equivalent, or compatible upgrade. Some Famco parts are obsolete (the company shifted supply chains in the 2010s). We stock common items and source others through our distributor network. If an aftermarket part meets or exceeds OEM spec - a Gelco damper for a discontinued Famco top-sealing unit, for instance - we’ll explain the trade-off and let you decide.
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Repair with no-hassle upfront pricing. The estimate number is the invoice number. We don’t discover “additional concerns” once the job’s half-done.
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Operational test and documentation. Gas units get a full firing sequence test, spillage check, and CO reading at the unit and in the room. Wood units get a draft test with the new components in place. We photo-document the completed work for your records and ours.
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Cleanup, written guarantee, and next-season reminder. We leave the hearth cleaner than we found it. The 90-Day Done Right Promise goes in writing before we leave. If the chimney’s right, you won’t hear from me until next season. That’s the point.
What Famco Fireplace Services Costs in Chesapeake
| Service | Typical Range | What Moves the Price |
|---|---|---|
| Gas fireplace tune-up & safety check | $175 - $275 | Accessibility of burner assembly; need for thermocouple/thermopile replacement |
| Refractory panel replacement (wood) | $340 - $650 | Panel size and thickness; whether side panels also need replacement |
| Damper repair or replacement | $280 - $550 | Top-sealing vs. throat damper; cable or frame corrosion severity |
| Direct-vent termination cleaning & inspection | $150 - $225 | Height of termination; need for coaxial pipe section replacement |
| Firebox rust treatment & air inlet repair | $425 - $850 | Extent of metal repair; need for custom-fabricated stainless collar |
These are Chesapeake-specific ranges based on our actual invoices from the last 24 months. Every job gets a free, written estimate before we start. Call (757) 590-6579 for an exact quote on your Famco unit.
Why Chesapeake Homeowners Call Hearthstone Chimney Co. for Famco Work
We’ve been working on Famco products in Chesapeake long enough to know which serial number ranges had the recalled gas valves, which refractory panels are now special-order only, and why a DV550 insert in a 1987 Greenbrier ranch behaves differently than the same unit in a 2005 Great Bridge colonial with a conditioned chase. That’s not something you get from a technician who sees three Famco units a year.
Our 90-Day Done Right Promise means if it’s not right, we make it right - in writing, no arguing, no paperwork chase. The technician who arrives will be background-checked, uniformed, and equipped with Famco-compatible parts plus our multi-brand backup inventory: DuraFlex liners, HeatShield refractory systems, and Gelco caps and dampers when the OEM path isn’t the best path. We’ve answered the phone with a live person for over 42 years, and we plan to be here when your Famco unit needs its next service. A square deal: no surprises on the bill. We’ll be there when we say.
FAQs
No - Famco’s warranty on combustion components expired years ago for most Chesapeake installations, and there is no manufacturer requirement to use authorized service for routine maintenance or repair. As an independent Famco service provider, we use OEM or equivalent parts and document our work, which protects any remaining coverage on heat exchangers or castings where applicable.
Common Famco parts - thermopiles, blowers, refractory panels for current series - are in our Chesapeake warehouse or available within 2-3 business days. Obsolete parts require cross-referencing to aftermarket equivalents like Gelco dampers or HeatShield refractory systems, which we typically have on the truck. We’ll tell you before booking if your repair requires a special-order item.
Repair if the firebox or heat exchanger is sound and the venting system meets current code; replace if the chassis is rusted through, the unit is pre-1980 with no liner, or repair costs exceed 60% of a new insert. We give you the camera evidence and a straight recommendation - we’ve restored Famco units that other companies condemned, and we’ve advised replacement on units that weren’t worth another repair. Call (757) 590-6579 and we’ll show you what we found.
Annually, before the burning season, per NFPA 211 - even if it “looks fine.” Gas fireplaces accumulate burner port debris, deteriorate gaskets, and develop draft issues that don’t show until the first cold night. Our $89 Seasonal Tune-Up covers the full safety check; the $50 Off Any Repair Over $250 applies if we find something that needs fixing.
creosote accumulates at 1/8-inch or more per season with regular use, creating a chimney fire hazard; cracked refractory panels can allow heat transfer to framing; and a stuck damper can fill your home with smoke or carbon monoxide. These are real risks, not scare tactics - and they’re preventable with an annual inspection and sweep. Call (757) 590-6579 for a free estimate; estimates are free, and we’ll tell you honestly if your system can wait.
Written by Russell Haines, Owner, Hearthstone Chimney Co. at Hearthstone Chimney Co., serving Chesapeake and nearby areas.