Inkster, Wayne County
Chimney inspection in Inkster
A lot of Inkster houses were built in the 1950s, and their chimneys have carried furnace and water heater exhaust every day since, which is the part of a chimney nobody looks at.
Who books one in Inkster
Inkster was a village from 1926 and became a city in 1964. Most of its growth came between those years, and much of the city is small ranches and Minimal Traditional houses from the 1940s through the 1960s. People call us when they're buying one, when the furnace has been replaced, or when they want to start using a fireplace that's been cold for years.
East of Inkster Road, Watsonia Park Subdivision No. 2 is a good example. The earliest houses there, from the early 1950s, are mostly one-and-a-half-story Minimal Traditional houses. The later ones are ranches and Contemporary houses. When the chimney runs up an end wall, as on the house in the photo, it takes weather on three sides from the ground to the top.
What each level covers
A Level 1 inspection is $49. We check the fireplace, the damper, the flue as far as we can see it, and the outside of the chimney, including the crown, the cap and the flashing. The $49 is credited toward any repair or service we do afterward.
A Level 2 inspection is $149. It covers everything in a Level 1, plus the chimney areas in the attic, basement and crawl space, and a camera through the flue. It's the one to book for a home sale, after a change to the heating system, or after a chimney fire or a storm. You can also add a camera to a Level 1 for $75. Our guide to chimney inspection levels explains the difference, and our page on what a chimney inspection costs breaks down the prices.
The furnace flue
When a furnace gets replaced with a high-efficiency model, it usually vents out the side wall. The water heater is left alone in a flue built for two, and that can cause condensation and draft problems. We check every flue in the chimney, including the one for the furnace and water heater that nobody thinks about.
After we look
We walk you through what we found, in plain language, with photos. If it needs work, you get a written quote. If the flue only needs cleaning, a chimney sweep in Inkster is $349 and includes an inspection on the same visit.
Questions
We're buying a house in Inkster. Is the home inspection enough for the chimney?
A home inspector usually looks at the fireplace from the room and the chimney from the ground. That's a start. A Level 2 chimney inspection, at $149, covers the chimney sections in the attic and basement and puts a camera through the flue. If something turns up, you'll know before your inspection period ends, while there's still time to negotiate.
Our fireplace hasn't been used in years. Is it safe to light?
We can't say until someone has looked at it. A fireplace that sat unused can have a nest in the flue, cracked tile, or a damper rusted shut. A $49 Level 1 inspection tells you what shape it's in, and if it only needs a sweep, the $49 is credited toward that.
Chimney inspection in Inkster
Pick a day and a 3-hour arrival window online. If you'd rather talk it through, call (248) 266-9991.