Ann Arbor Township, Washtenaw County
Chimney inspection in Ann Arbor Township
Most houses in Ann Arbor Township were built one at a time for one owner, so no two chimneys are set up quite the same way. An inspection tells you what yours actually has.
Houses built one at a time
We cover most of the township. If you're out near its edges, call first and we'll tell you whether we can reach you.
Ayrshire, south of Plymouth Road between the old and new Earhart Roads, has houses on lots of about an acre. Along Plymouth Road itself, the big-lot houses are 50 to 60 years old. A house that age has usually been through two or three furnaces, and maybe a fireplace insert, since it was built. Each change can leave the flue a different size or shape than what's connected to it now. Some owners have had a stainless liner run down the old flue, like the one in the photo. When we find one, we check that it's intact and that it's the right size for what vents into it. Our guide to a water heater in an old chimney covers one of the most common mismatches.
Trees cause the other kind of trouble out here. A limb that came down in a storm can crack a crown or knock a cap crooked, and from the ground you'd never see it. If something hit the roof, mention it when you book.
Why people here book one
Any of these is a good reason to call:
- Buying or selling a house, often with a short inspection period
- Putting in a new furnace, boiler or insert that uses the chimney
- Lighting a fireplace that hasn't been used in years
- After a chimney fire, or after a storm brings a limb down on the roof
Level 1 or Level 2
A Level 1 inspection is $49. We check the fireplace, the flue and the outside of the chimney, then walk you through what we found. The $49 is credited toward any repair or service we do afterward.
A Level 2 is $149. It adds the chimney where it passes through the attic, the basement and any crawl space, and a camera through the flue. It's the one for home sales, for changes to the heating system, and after a fire or storm. Our guide to chimney inspection levels lays out the difference, and our guide to what a chimney inspection costs covers pricing. A camera with a Level 1 is $75 added. If the flue also needs sweeping, the cleaning is $349 with the inspection included.
Questions
We're buying a house in Ayrshire. Which inspection should we book?
A Level 2, at $149. It covers the chimney where it runs through the attic and basement, plus a camera through the flue. On a chimney that's 50 or 60 years old, the inside of the flue is where most of the problems are. Call early in your inspection period with the address and your deadline, so there's time to price any repair before you negotiate.
We just replaced our furnace. Does the chimney need to be checked?
It's a good time to do it. A new furnace may vent differently from the old one. If it now vents out the side of the house, the water heater may be left alone in a flue sized for two. If it still uses the chimney, the flue has to suit it. A Level 2 inspection is the one for a change like that.
Chimney inspection near Ann Arbor Township
Chimney inspection in Ann Arbor Township
Pick a day and a 3-hour arrival window online. If you'd rather talk it through, call (248) 266-9991.