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 Chimney Cap & Crown in North Bergen: What to Know First
Famco chimney cap and crown work in North Bergen runs $185 to $640 for most jobs, with standard cap replacements usually completed in a single visit. We’re an independent Famco service provider, which means we work on your cap and crown without voiding your warranty and without pretending to be the factory. If you own a Famco cap or crown and something’s not right, call (848) 361-3227 for a straight answer and a free estimate.
This page is written for North Bergen homeowners who have Famco equipment on their chimney and want to know what’s actually wrong, whether it needs fixing now, and what it should cost. Wendell has been inside North Bergen chimneys since 1999, and he’ll tell you plainly when a repair can wait and when it can’t.
How Famco Products Fail - and How We Fix Them
- Famco stainless caps with mesh rusting at the base weld. The Famco caps we see most often in North Bergen are their stainless steel models with galvanized mesh. The stainless body holds up fine, but the mesh is a different material, and where the two meet, you get galvanic corrosion. We replace the mesh with a true stainless screen and re-secure the cap rather than selling you a whole new unit.
- Famco crown coating lifting at the flue tile seam. The flat concrete crowns on older North Bergen chimneys get hairline cracks where the terra cotta flue tile meets the crown. Water tracks down that seam, freezes in February, and opens it like a wedge. We grind the crack clean, apply a flexible crown coat with a proper slope, and usually save the crown without a full pour.
- Famco single-flue caps knocked loose by wind. North Bergen gets wind off the river, and a lightweight Famco cap that wasn’t set with a proper mechanical fastener will rattle or rotate. The fix is a tightened draw band and, where the flue allows, a proper mounting bracket. A cap that’s loose at the flue is a cap that’s letting in rain from the sides.
- Famco multi-flue caps with sagging center supports. On wider chimneys, the long span of a Famco multi-flue cap can droop in the middle if the original installer skipped the center support. Water pools instead of running off, and the pooling is what rusts the mesh and stains the cap. We set a center brace and re-pitch the cap so water sheds.
- Famco crowns with spalling concrete from trapped moisture. Spalling on a Famco crown means the outer layer is flaking away in chips. The root cause is usually water soaking into the crown from above or wicking up from a damaged cap. We stop the water entry, patch the spalled area with a polymer-modified crown repair, and coat the whole crown so it breathes but doesn’t absorb.
Our Famco Chimney Cap & Crown Process
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You call (848) 361-3227. A live person answers. Wendell asks what you’re seeing: water in the firebox, rust on the cap, pieces of crown in the yard. He gives you a straight quote before anyone drives out.
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We show up in a real window. Wendell or one of his crew gets on the roof, takes photos, and shows you exactly what he’s looking at.
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For a cap, we measure the flue opening and check whether the Famco unit is still square. We decide together: OEM Famco replacement, quality aftermarket cap that fits better, or repair of the existing unit. Warranty-safe, always.
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For a crown, we evaluate cracking, slope, and surface condition. If the crown is sound, we coat. If it’s spalling but intact, we repair. Only a crown that’s crumbling or dropped is a full re-pour.
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We do the work the same day in most cases, clean all debris off the roof and ground, and test the cap for proper draw and rain deflection.
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Every Famco cap and crown job gets written up with the 90-Day Done Right Promise. If something’s not right, one call brings Wendell back at no charge.
What Famco Chimney Cap & Crown Costs in North Bergen
Here’s what real Famco work costs in North Bergen, based on what we’ve actually done in this area:
- Cap inspection and tightening: $85 to $150
- Mesh replacement on an existing Famco cap: $120 to $190
- Single-flue Famco cap replacement: $185 to $340
- Multi-flue Famco cap replacement: $390 to $640
- Crown crack repair and coating: $295 to $550
- Full crown re-pour with proper overhang: $800 to $1,450
What moves the price is roof pitch, access, and whether we’re dealing with one flue or three. The number Wendell gives you on the phone is the number on the invoice, no exceptions. Call (848) 361-3227 for a quote on your specific chimney.
Why North Bergen Homeowners Call Top Hat Chimney for Famco Work
We’ve been in North Bergen chimneys since 1999, and we’re the shop your neighbors will mention by name. Wendell’s an owner-operator with a published address and license number, not a franchise that rotated in last spring. He knows the Famco cap you have because he’s installed, repaired, and replaced that exact model down the street. And if a Famco unit isn’t the right call, we work with DuraFlex, HeatShield, and Gelco too, so you get the part that serves the chimney, not just the part that matches a logo.
Every job carries the 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If it’s not right, Wendell comes back. Calls are answered by a live person, around the clock, and that person may well be Wendell himself. You get a real arrival window, background-checked crew members in uniform, and no trip charge if you’re inside the county. Seniors and veterans always get 10% off, and any repair over $200 takes $40 off.
FAQs
No. Your Famco warranty covers the manufacturing of the cap or crown itself, and warranty claims are handled through Famco, not through whoever installed it. As an independent Famco service provider, we install to manufacturer spec and never modify a unit in a way that would void a warranty. If you have a warranty claim, we’ll document it and help you file it.
Most single-flue cap jobs are done the same day we arrive, and we’re typically on-site within a few days of your call, not weeks. Crown coating and crack repair are also same-day jobs. A full crown re-pour needs a dry 24 to 48 hours before curing is complete, but the form work and pour happen in one visit.
If the stainless body is solid and only the mesh is rusted, we replace the mesh for $120 to $190 and leave the cap in place. If the cap is dented, warped, or the draw band is broken, replacement at $185 to $340 for a single flue is the better money. Wendell will show you the damage before you spend a dime.
A cracked crown doesn’t cause chimney fire directly. The real risk is water getting into the flue system, which degrades the liner and in some cases can create carbon monoxide pathways into the living space. The fire risk comes later, as compromised masonry allows creosote to accumulate or embers to reach wood framing. Crown repair is a water stop first, a safety stop second.
Written by Wendell Pike, Owner at Top Hat Chimney, serving North Bergen and nearby areas.





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