Chimney sweep and cleaning in Bloomfield Hills

Several fireplaces, used differently

In a house here, the family room fireplace might burn wood most weekends from October to March. The living room might have a gas insert. The library or primary bedroom fireplace might get lit twice a year. Each flue builds up at its own rate, so we look at each one on its own and tell you which ones need the brush.

Wood leaves soot and creosote on the flue walls, and the more you burn, the faster it builds. A fireplace that's used every week usually needs sweeping every year. A flue that's barely used won't have much creosote, but it can still be blocked by what comes down from the top. Our guide on how often to clean a chimney helps sort out which flues are due.

Wooded lots and what falls in

Most houses here sit on wooded lots, and that includes the big houses from the 1980s and 1990s on the streets off Lone Pine Road and Long Lake Road. Mature trees hang over a lot of those roofs. Leaves, twigs and seed pods land on chimney tops, and an uncapped flue collects them. Squirrels and raccoons use the branches to get onto the roof.

Chimney swifts nest in open flues from about May to August. They're federally protected while they're nesting, so we don't remove an active nest. Our guide to chimney swifts explains what to do and when we can come back.

Timing and price

Book before the first cold weekend, when everyone remembers the fireplace at once. Booking in September or early October gives you more days to choose from.

The price is $349 per flue. That covers the sweep and an inspection on the same visit. When you book, set the number of flues you want done, or call and we'll plan the visit around all of them. A camera through the flue is $75 if you want to see the inside yourself.

If something turns up

Tall chimneys on steep roofs hide their problems up top. If the sweep turns up a cracked crown, a rusted cap or loose stone, you'll get photos and a written quote for the chimney repair before anything is done.