Meet the Team - Kindling Chimney Brooklyn

Meet the Brooklyn Team Behind Kindling Chimney Brooklyn

Chimney work in Brooklyn is different than anywhere else. The brownstones in Park Slope have flues that were built when Grover Cleveland was president. The six-story walk-ups in Bed-Stuy hide clay tiles behind plaster walls that haven’t been opened in decades. Our crew knows those buildings because we’ve been inside them, with drop cloths down and a camera in hand, for years. Every technician who shows up at your door is background-checked, uniformed, and trained to treat your home like we’d want ours treated. That’s not a slogan. It’s the standard Danny Cortes set when he started this team, and it’s the one we hold every single day.

Our People

Marcus T. – Lead Technician

Marcus has been sweeping chimneys in New York City for over a decade, and there isn’t a flue configuration in Brooklyn he hasn’t seen. He’s certified through the Chimney Safety Institute of America and specializes in diagnosing liner damage in pre-war buildings, the kind where the mortar joints have turned to dust and the tiles have shifted half an inch out of alignment. Marcus is the guy who can tell you, within five minutes of looking at a camera feed, whether you need a HeatShield resurfacing or a full DuraFlex liner. He’s also the one who insists on using the quietest vacuum setting when a client mentions a sleeping baby. Off the clock, he restores old radios, which explains why he’s so patient with finicky dampers.

Elena R. – Senior Installer

Elena runs our repair and liner installation work, and she’s the reason we can offer the 365-Day Done Right Promise without flinching. She’s factory-trained on DuraFlex and Olympia Chimney systems and has installed more HeatShield resurfacing jobs than anyone on the team. Her specialty is stainless steel relining in tight, awkward flues, the kind where the offset is severe and the access point is behind a water heater in a Clinton Hill basement. Elena grew up in Queens and worked in commercial roofing before moving to chimneys, so heights, angles, and tricky flashing don’t faze her. She’s meticulous about sealing every joint and takes photos of her work before the cap goes back on. If you ask, she’ll show you, because she believes you should see exactly what you paid for.

Priya S. – Service Coordinator

Priya is the voice on the phone when you call Kindling Chimney Brooklyn, and she’s probably the reason your appointment got scheduled before the weekend. She’s been with the Cedarwell family of companies since 2019 and knows the Brooklyn service map block by block, from Red Hook to Greenpoint to Canarsie. Priya handles scheduling, price quotes, and the written estimates that go out before any work starts, so you always know the number before the crew arrives. She’s also the one who makes sure technicians have the right equipment loaded for each job, whether that’s a specific ladder height for a third-floor roof access in Windsor Terrace or pet-safe cleaning products for a household with two rescue cats. Priya keeps a printed map of Brooklyn on her desk and a running list of the best coffee spots near every job site. The crew appreciates both.

Danny Cortes – Owner, Kindling Chimney Brooklyn

Danny grew up in Los Angeles, where nobody thinks about chimneys except in December, and moved to New York in his twenties. The irony of a kid from a city of fireplaces you never use becoming Brooklyn’s chimney guy is not lost on him. He’ll mention it once, maybe twice, then get back to talking about your flue. Danny started Kindling Chimney Brooklyn with a simple idea: chimney work should be honest, documented, and priced before the work starts. He’s the one who wrote the 365-Day Done Right Promise into every contract and refused to make it conditional. He’s also the one who insists a live person answers every call, day or night, because nobody should get a voicemail when they’re worried about carbon monoxide. Danny doesn’t spend much time in the office. You’re more likely to find him on a roof in Bay Ridge, checking a crown with the same care he’d give his own house.

One Standard, Every Job

Every Kindling Chimney Brooklyn technician follows the same C.A.R.E. values on every visit, no matter which neighborhood or which type of chimney. C is for Clean, meaning shoe covers go on at the door and drop cloths go down before any equipment comes inside. A is Accountable, which is why you get a written price before work starts and a photo of the clean-up before the crew leaves. R is Respect, so nothing gets moved without asking, kids and pets are treated with care, and quiet tools get used when the situation calls for it. E is Explain, because every recommendation comes with camera evidence you can see for yourself. That standard comes from Danny, is upheld by the crew, and is backed by the 365-Day Done Right Promise on every sweep, inspection, and repair. When Marcus, Elena, Priya, or Danny shows up at your door, you’re getting the same standard across the whole team.

Written by Danny Cortes, Owner at Kindling Chimney Brooklyn, serving Brooklyn since he first set foot in a brownstone flue and decided it deserved better.