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.
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterFamco Fireplace Services in Allentown: What to Know First
We provide independent Famco fireplace services in Allentown, with most repairs completed in a single visit and upfront pricing agreed before we start. A standard Famco gas fireplace service call runs $180-$320, and we’ll tell you honestly when a repair isn’t worth doing. This page is for homeowners running Famco gas fireplaces, wood burners, or inserts in Allentown homes who want the job diagnosed right and fixed without upselling. Call (610) 632-1394 - a live person answers, any hour.
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 FV36 and FV42 direct-vent gas units - delayed ignition and soot buildup. These units run a smaller burner orifice than comparable HeatShield systems, so when the glass seal gasket compresses after eight to twelve years, combustion air gets diluted. We see this in Allentown’s older West End homes where the unit was installed in a converted masonry opening. Our fix: replace the glass gasket with OEM spec, clean the burner ports with a pin-vise set (never a drill bit - that widens the orifice), and test CO levels with a calibrated meter before we leave.
- Famco wood-burning fireplace inserts (F2400 and F2600 series) - cracked firebox refractory panels. The F2400 uses a three-piece refractory system with a known stress point at the center panel’s lower corner. When homeowners overfire with seasoned oak - common in Allentown where hardwood is cheap - thermal shock cracks propagate fast. We source Famco-pattern panels from Copperfield’s refractory line when OEM is backordered, and we bed them in high-temp mortar rather than dry-fitting, which is how the factory manual says but isn’t how they last.
- Famco chimney-top dampers (model FCD series) - cable seizure and cap corrosion. The FCD uses a stainless cable in an aluminum housing, and after fifteen Lehigh Valley winters the dissimilar metals gall. The damper hangs open, bleeding heat. We replace the cable assembly with a Gelco stainless-steel equivalent that uses a brass bushing at the turnbuckle, which we’ve found holds up better in Allentown’s freeze-thaw cycles. We document the before and after with photos.
- Famco gas log sets (FGL-18 through FGL-30) - failed thermopile or dirty thermocouple connection. These sets ship with a 750-millivolt thermopile that degrades when the pilot orifice gets spider-webbed in summer shutdown. In Allentown, we see this every September when folks fire up for the first time. We clean the pilot assembly with compressed nitrogen (not shop air - it carries moisture), test millivolt output under load, and replace only the part that’s failed, not the whole valve train.
- Famco fireplace conversion kits (FCG-K series) - improper manifold pressure after LP-to-natural-gas switch. The conversion orifice is stamped steel and can deform if the installer overtorques. We find this on Allentown homes where a handyman did the swap. We gauge the manifold with a digital manometer, replace the orifice if it’s out of spec by more than 0.3 inches WC, and clock the meter to confirm BTU input matches the Famco nameplate. No guessing.
Our Famco Fireplace Services Process
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Call intake. A live person answers, notes your Famco model if you know it, and books a window. No app, no callback queue.
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Arrival and inspection. Our technician arrives uniformed and background-checked. For gas units, we test for CO and gas leaks before touching anything. For wood units, we camera the flue if there’s any performance complaint. The chimney doesn’t care what it looks like from the street. We check what’s inside.
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Diagnosis and plain-English verdict. We show you the photos, name the failed part, and explain whether OEM or quality aftermarket makes sense. Some Famco parts are on factory backorder six weeks; we stock Copperfield and Gelco equivalents that meet the same spec and won’t void your remaining warranty on the chassis.
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Upfront pricing and repair. You get a written number. That’s the number on the invoice. Most Famco repairs - damper cables, thermopiles, refractory panels - we complete in that same visit.
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Testing and documentation. We run the unit through a full cycle, check clearances to combustibles, and email you the photo report with the verdict summary.
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The 90-Day Done Right Promise. In writing. If it’s not right, we come back. No paperwork, no arguing.
What Famco Fireplace Services Costs in Allentown
| Service | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Famco gas fireplace tune-up and safety check | $180 - $250 |
| Thermopile or thermocouple replacement | $220 - $320 |
| Famco FCD damper cable repair | $280 - $420 |
| Refractory panel replacement (F2400/F2600) | $450 - $680 |
| LP-to-natural conversion with manometer testing | $380 - $550 |
What moves the price: accessibility of the unit, whether the firebox needs full cleaning before we can work, and parts availability. We don’t mark up Famco OEM parts when we can source equivalent-grade Copperfield or Gelco faster. Estimates are free - call (610) 632-1394.
Why Allentown Homeowners Call Hearthstone Chimney Co. for Famco Work
We’ve worked chimneys across Allentown for over 42 years, including the older brick homes near West Park where Famco inserts were popular in the 1990s. Russell Haines and our crew know the regional brick and mortar, and we know which Famco parts fail predictably and which suppliers actually stock them. Our Level-2 camera inspections end with photos you can see and a plain-English verdict - documented like an engineer, explained like a craftsman. The 90-Day Done Right Promise is in writing, no arguing. And when you call (610) 632-1394, a live person answers, 24 hours a day.
FAQs
No. As an independent Famco service provider, we use OEM-spec or equivalent professional-grade parts - DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, Copperfield - and follow manufacturer clearances and pressure specs. Your remaining chassis warranty stays intact. If you’re unsure what’s left on your warranty, we’ll check the serial plate and tell you straight.
Common thermopiles, gaskets, and cables we stock on the truck. Refractory panels for the F2400 or F2600 series typically ship in three to five business days from Copperfield or Olympia Chimney. We don’t make you wait six weeks for Famco-branded packaging when the same spec part is available now.
We recommend replacement when the heat exchanger is cracked, the firebox is compromised beyond panel replacement, or repair costs exceed 60% of a new unit installed. For anything less, repair with quality parts is the square deal. We’ll show you the camera footage and give you both numbers so you decide.
Annually, before the first fire of the season. Allentown’s hard water and summer humidity corrode pilot assemblies and attract spiders to the orifice. A $180 tune-up catches what a $600 valve replacement fixes later. Call (610) 632-1394 to book - estimates are free.
creosote accumulates in the flue, increasing chimney fire risk. The F2600 runs efficient enough that homeowners think it’s clean-burning, but Allentown’s cold starts (fire lit at 5 p.m. after a 40-degree day) produce more condensate than sustained burns. We find glazed creosote in these units more often than people expect. Camera inspection tells the real story.
Written by Russell Haines, Owner, Hearthstone Chimney Co. at Hearthstone Chimney Co., serving Allentown and nearby areas.