Bay Shore is a Town of Islip hamlet with two housing stocks, and the chimneys tell you which one you are looking at immediately. Near Main Street and toward the water there are large period homes with substantial masonry stacks. Inland it is postwar and later, with smaller and simpler chimneys.
Wide chimneys need a cricket
A cricket — sometimes called a saddle — is a small peaked roof structure built on the up-slope side of a chimney to divert water and snow around it rather than letting it dam against the masonry.
On the wide stacks common to these older Bay Shore houses, a cricket is not optional and yet a great many of them do not have one. Without it, every rain and every snowmelt piles against the up-slope face, saturates the brick, and works at the flashing. It is the leading cause of the chronic chimney leak nobody can find.
Adding a cricket during a roof replacement is straightforward. Adding one as a standalone job is more involved but still far cheaper than the interior damage from a decade of water at that junction.
Big stacks, real repointing scope
A large period chimney has a lot of joint linear footage, and the deterioration is rarely uniform. The windward faces — usually south and west — go first, and the section above the roofline goes long before the section below it, because that part is exposed on all four sides and gets no shelter at all.
- Above the roofline: the most exposed, usually the section that needs work
- The windward faces, which take driven rain year-round
- The crown, which on a wide stack is a large surface and cracks readily
- The wash and shoulders where the stack steps in
- The flashing line, where masonry and roof meet
We scope by section rather than quoting the whole stack, so you are not paying to repoint sound masonry below the roof.
Salt down by the ferries
Properties toward the Fire Island ferry terminals take direct bay exposure. Salt accelerates masonry deterioration and corrodes galvanized flashing fast. On those jobs we specify stainless or copper flashing and a stainless cap rather than standard inland material.
Jurisdiction
Bay Shore files with the Town of Islip. Repointing generally does not require a permit; a rebuild above the roofline may. We confirm before starting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a chimney cricket and does my chimney need one?
It is a small peaked structure built on the up-slope side of a chimney to divert water and snow around it instead of letting it dam against the masonry. Wide chimneys need one, and a great many older Bay Shore houses do not have it. Without a cricket, every rain and snowmelt piles against the up-slope face — it is the leading cause of the chronic chimney leak nobody can locate.
Does the whole chimney need repointing?
Usually not. Deterioration is rarely uniform — the section above the roofline is exposed on all four sides and goes long before the sheltered section below, and the windward south and west faces go before the others. We scope by section so you are not paying to repoint sound masonry.
Do you sweep or clean chimneys?
No. We handle the structure — repointing, crowns, caps, flashing, rebuilds and leak repair. Sweeping and flue cleaning are a separate trade with its own certification. If that is what you need we will say so rather than take the job.
When can chimney work be done?
Roughly April through November for mortar work, because masonry mortar has to cure above about 40 degrees and cannot freeze while curing or it never reaches strength. Flashing and cap work can be done colder. Emergency leak repairs we handle year-round with temporary measures until it can be done properly.
Related Reading
- Chimney Repair Services — repointing, crowns, flashing and rebuilds
- Chimney Repair on Long Island — the full homeowner guide
- Repointing: When and Why — and why the mortar mix matters more than the mason
- Freeze-Thaw and Masonry — what actually breaks brick on Long Island
- Hiring a Masonry Contractor — the questions that separate the bids
Also Serving Bay Shore
- Roofing in Bay Shore — roof replacement and repair
- Siding in Bay Shore — James Hardie and vinyl
- Driveway Paving in Bay Shore — blacktop, most driveways one day
- Masonry & Pavers in Bay Shore — patios, walls and walkways
- Front Steps & Stoops in Bay Shore — rebuilds and repair
- ADUs in Bay Shore — accessory apartments and grants
Ready to Get Started?
Free chimney inspection with photos of the crown, flashing, joints and cap — and a written scope naming which one is actually leaking. Most jobs are one to three days.
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