Chimney Services in Washington Township (Gloucester County), NJ

What the numbers suggest for chimneys in Washington Township

Census estimates place about 44% of the township's 18,839 housing units in 1980 to 1999 and 35% in the 1960s and 1970s; only about 8% are older than that. Houses from the later decades are where factory-built fireplaces show up: a metal firebox lined with refractory panels, a metal chimney pipe and, outside, a framed chase with a metal top. If you are not sure which kind you have, see masonry vs. factory-built chimneys.

About 85% of occupied homes heat with utility gas and 11% with electricity, while oil (3%), propane (1%) and wood (0.2%) are small shares. In many homes of this age the furnace and water heater vent separately from the fireplace, so the fireplace system is the part of the house that ages on its own schedule.

About 73% of units are detached houses and 11% are attached. These are township-wide estimates and describe no particular home.

Where a factory-built fireplace shows its age

Factory-built fireplaces are tested and listed as whole assemblies. The Majestic SSTB11 manual, for example, cites the UL 127 standard for factory-built fireplaces. Firebox, chimney pipe, cap and chase top are designed to work together, and wear tends to show in the same handful of places:

• Refractory panels. The Majestic manual says panels should be replaced once cracks grow large enough, or pieces come loose, that the metal behind them is exposed.
• Grate and firebox metal. The same manual requires a warped or damaged grate to be replaced with the specified part number. Warping or burn-through in the firebox itself is more serious.
• Chimney pipe and cap. CSIA notes that deposits in prefab systems are quite acidic and can shorten the fireplace's life by corroding its components, one reason sweeping matters on these units.
• The chase top. Rust streaks on the siding or water in the firebox often trace back to the metal cover on the chase; see our chase cover page.
• Doors and screens. Missing or damaged doors change how the unit was tested to operate. The Majestic manual says units with doors should run with them fully open or fully closed.

Repair, replace or retire: a decision path

1. Identify the unitThe model and listing information on the fireplace's label let parts be looked up. Manuals for these units call for parts made and labeled for that fireplace.
2. If parts exist and the body is sound, repairNew panels, a grate, a cap or a chase cover can extend the life of a fireplace whose firebox and chimney pipe are intact. Our fireplace repair page covers this work.
3. If the firebox is burned through or parts are gone, skip to replacementThe Majestic manual warns against any alteration the maker has not specifically recommended, which rules out improvised substitutions.
4. Choose what replaces itThe options include a new factory-built wood fireplace with the chimney its listing requires, or a gas fireplace that vents on its own. An insert goes into a factory-built fireplace only when both manufacturers allow that pairing.
5. Or retire itIf the fireplace goes unused, cap and close it properly; our guide to caring for a fireplace you never use explains how.

Local questions

Sources

1. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates (tables B25034, B25040, B25024), via Census Reporter
2. Majestic SSTB11 factory-built fireplace owner's manual (PDF)
3. CSIA: Frequently Asked Questions