Chimney Services in Upper Township, NJ

What the numbers suggest for chimneys in Upper Township

Two in five of Upper Township's 6,619 housing units, about 40% by Census estimates, went up between 1980 and 1999, and another 15% since 2000, so factory-built fireplaces with metal chimneys and chase covers are likely among them. Another 31% come from the 1960s and 1970s, an era of masonry chimneys that often carry a furnace or water heater flue.

Utility gas is the main heat in 74% of occupied homes; electricity covers 10%, oil 6% and propane 3%. Of the 6,619 units, 5,258 are occupied, so about one in five was unoccupied at survey time. A house that was empty when a storm passed needs a look afterward.

Detached houses account for 78% of units, and the estimates list no apartment buildings of five units or more. Taken together, the figures describe Upper Township, not your particular chimney.

What Upper Township says about flooding and repair permits

The township's flood information center names three sources of flooding: tidal flooding, tidal flooding pushed higher by a coastal storm, and stormwater runoff. It says tidal flooding occurs routinely in Strathmere and occasionally along Cedar Swamp Creek and the Tuckahoe River, and that the November 2009 nor'easter left most Strathmere roads impassable under more than four feet of water. A coastal vulnerability assessment published through NJDEP identifies Strathmere as the township's area of most concern in the VE zone, where storm waves add to flooding.

On repairs, the township's building guidance says work on a home may need a construction permit from the Construction Office, a flood development permit from the Engineering Office, or both, and that some repairs costing more than $10,000 may need a flood development permit even without a construction permit. Ask the township which applies before storm repairs begin.

Two ends of the chimney to check

The top, after wind. Standing well back in the yard, look for a cap that is missing or tilted, a chase cover that has lifted or bent, flashing pulled away from the roof, and bricks or crown pieces on the roof or in the yard. Keep off a wet or storm-damaged roof. Our post-storm guide lists what to look for.

The bottom, after water. If floodwater reached a basement or crawlspace, the chimney's cleanout, the connector pipes and the appliances that vent into the flue were in its path. NDSU Extension's flood guidance says a heating system that sat in floodwater needs professional inspection, cleaning and reconditioning before it runs again, and that the chimney should be checked for debris and leaks before the furnace or a fire is lit.

Order of steps after the storm

1. Stay safeIf you smell gas, leave and call the gas utility from outside. Do not restart any appliance that was under water.
2. DocumentTake dated photos of the chimney top and any water marks before cleanup. The reasons are set out in chimney damage and insurance.
3. Ask about permitsCheck with the Construction and Engineering offices as described above.
4. Have the appliances evaluatedA heating contractor judges whether each flooded appliance can safely go back into service.
5. Inspect the chimneyThe assessment covers the top, the flue by camera if it is passable, and the base and connector, with findings and photos before repairs.

Local questions

Sources

1. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates (tables B25034, B25040, B25024), via Census Reporter
2. Upper Township Flood Information Center: Flood hazards
3. Upper Township Flood Information Center: Build responsibly
4. Coastal Vulnerability Assessment Report: Upper Township, NJ (Rutgers University, hosted by NJDEP, PDF)
5. NDSU Extension: Restoring Heating Systems After a Flood (via ND Response, PDF)