Keego Harbor, Oakland County
Chimney sweep and cleaning in Keego Harbor
A lot of Keego Harbor chimneys sit under old trees near Cass Lake and Dollar Lake, so a fall sweep here is often about what fell in or moved in over the summer as well as what the fires left behind.
How Keego Harbor fireplaces get used
Many houses here still have the open wood fireplace the cottage was built with. Some get a fire most weekends from October on, and some get lit once a year. Others have had gas logs set into the old masonry firebox, or a wood insert added when the house was made year-round.
Wood fires leave soot and creosote on the flue walls, and the photo shows what heavy creosote looks like when it builds up. A cold, oversized flue on a small cottage chimney makes it worse, because the smoke cools before it gets out.
If you switched to gas logs, the flue stops collecting creosote, but it still gets leaves and nests from above. We sweep and check it the same way. Service on the logs, burner and gas controls is a separate visit, and we'll tell you if they look like they need it.
Leaves, nests and lake trees
Lots along Willow Beach Street and the other streets near the water are shaded by tall trees. Leaves and twigs drop straight into an uncapped flue, and squirrels and raccoons use the branches to get onto the roof. Birds nest in the flue too. Chimney swifts nest from May to August, and they're federally protected, so if you hear them, leave them alone until they go. Our guide to chimney swifts covers what to do.
What the $349 covers
We sweep one flue and inspect the chimney on the same visit, then clean up before we leave. Drop cloths go down first. Brushes go up the flue and take the buildup off the walls. Then we check the firebox, damper, crown, cap and flashing and tell you what we saw. A camera through the flue is $75 more.
If the inspection turns up damage, you'll see photos, and any chimney repair in Keego Harbor gets quoted in writing before anything starts.
When to book
Book before the first cold weekend in fall. After that, a lot of people call at once. How often you need a sweep depends on how much you burn, and our guide on how often to clean a chimney gives a straight answer for each kind of use.
Questions
We only burn a few fires a year at the lake house. Do we still need a sweep?
Light use builds up slowly, but a flue that sits unused all summer collects leaves, twigs and sometimes a nest. On a lot near the water, the damp also makes old soot smell. We'd check it before the first fire of the season. If there's very little buildup, we'll tell you and suggest how long you can wait before the next sweep.
I hear birds chattering in the chimney. Can you clean it now?
If it's between May and August, those are likely chimney swifts, and they're federally protected. We can't remove them or the nest while they're using it. Keep the damper closed and don't light a fire. Once they've left in late summer or fall, book the sweep, which takes the old nest out. After that you can decide whether you want a cap.
Chimney sweep in Keego Harbor
Pick a day and a 3-hour arrival window online. If you'd rather talk it through, call (248) 266-9991.