Allen Park, Wayne County
Chimney sweep and cleaning in Allen Park
Allen Park doesn't have much tree cover, so the houses near Champaign Park, and any house with a big tree over the roof, are the ones that get leaves and nests in the chimney.
We sweep chimneys on the west side of Allen Park, out to Pelham Road. If you live east of the Southfield Freeway, call and ask before you book.
Fireplaces on the west side
Most west-side houses are brick ranches and Cape Cods from the 1940s and 1950s, and a lot of them have a fireplace in the living room. Some still burn wood all winter. Some have a wood insert or gas logs now, and some haven't been lit in years. Wood fires leave soot and creosote on the flue walls. A fireplace that's been cold for a long time can hold a nest, leaves or fallen mortar on the smoke shelf.
Trees, leaves and swifts
The city's own land-cover survey puts trees at about 15 percent of Allen Park. Most streets don't have a big canopy. Champaign Park, at 38 acres the city's largest park, runs along Pelham Road next to Allen Park High School and holds one of the few real stands of woods. Houses near it, and any house with a big tree over the roof, get leaves and twigs on the chimney top every fall and squirrels using the branches as a ladder. An uncapped flue lets all of it in.
Chimney swifts nest in chimneys from May to August and are federally protected, so if they're in your flue, the sweep waits until they've left. Our chimney swifts guide explains what to listen for.
When to book
Book in late summer or early fall, before the first cold weekend, so the flue is clean before you want the first fire. Our guide on how often to clean a chimney can help if you're not sure yours needs it this year.
What's in the $349
The price covers one flue. We put drop cloths down, sweep the flue, and inspect the chimney inside and out on the same visit. Then we clean up and walk you through what we found. A camera through the flue is $75 more. If the inspection turns up a cracked crown or loose brick, we'll show you photos, and you can see our starting prices for chimney repair in Allen Park.
Questions
Does a cap over the whole chimney make sense on a two-flue chimney?
It can. A single cap that covers the whole top, like the one in the photo, keeps animals and leaves out of both flues and takes rain off the crown too. On a smaller chimney, a separate cap on each flue often costs less. We'll tell you which fits yours and give you the price before we install anything.
How long does a sweep take?
About two hours for one flue, including the inspection and cleanup. If the chimney has a second flue to sweep, or the flue is heavily coated, it takes longer, and we'll tell you before we start. You don't need to move furniture. We cover the floor and the area around the fireplace ourselves.
Chimney sweep near Allen Park
Chimney sweep in Allen Park
Pick a day and a 3-hour arrival window online. If you'd rather talk it through, call (248) 266-9991.