Chimney sweep and cleaning in Ann Arbor Township

Thornoaks and the river

We cover most of Ann Arbor Township. If you live near its outer edges, call before you book and we'll tell you whether we can get there.

Off Huron River Drive, Thornoaks is a group of about thirty mid-century houses built from 1957 into the early 1960s. Its lots were laid out to look over the Huron River, South Pond or the woods. Several of those houses have big brick fireplaces in the main room. Houses like that, and the newer ones on wooded lots off Pontiac Trail, have trees right over the roof. Leaves and twigs fall into any flue without a cap, and so do the squirrels and raccoons that come off the branches.

What builds up

Every wood fire leaves soot and creosote on the flue walls. An open fireplace burns fast and sends a lot of heat up the chimney, and a stove or insert runs slower and cooler in the flue, which leaves more creosote behind. Turning a stove down low overnight makes it worse. So does wood that was split this fall, because it's still wet when it goes in.

We cover the floor, brush the flue top to bottom, and clean up before we leave. The inspection happens on the same visit, so you hear what shape the chimney is in. If the sweep turns up a cracked crown or a rusted cover, we'll quote the repair in writing.

Nests and birds

Chimney swifts nest in open masonry flues from about May through August, and they're protected by federal law. Once they're in, we leave the flue alone until they've migrated. Our chimney swifts guide explains what to expect. A cap like the one in the photo keeps birds and animals out the rest of the year.

Price and timing

A sweep is $349 and includes the inspection. A camera through the flue adds $75. The price is per flue, so if you have a fireplace and a stove on separate flues, set the number when you book. Book before the first cold weekend of the fall, before everyone else remembers their chimney. Our guide on how often to clean a chimney helps you decide how often yours needs it.