Chimney sweep and cleaning in Milford

Wood fires and what they leave

The village houses from the late 1800s and early 1900s that still have their fireplaces mostly have open masonry ones, and some have since had gas logs or a wood insert put in. The post-war ranches and 1970s tri-levels usually have a masonry fireplace too. Newer houses in Milford Township, in developments like Heritage Hills and Milford Bluffs, sometimes have big stone fireplaces, and a few have clay or terra cotta pots on the chimney.

Every wood fire coats the inside of the flue with soot and creosote. In an old clay-lined flue like the one in the photo, it builds up on the walls and in the joints between tiles. The sweep brushes it off, and the inspection on the same visit tells you whether the tiles underneath are still sound.

Trees, the river and nests

Milford grew up around mill ponds on the Huron River and Pettibone Creek, and the village is still full of big trees. Just outside the village, Kensington Metropark, open since 1947, wraps its woods around Kent Lake. Houses near the river and the park get leaves and twigs dropped straight down uncapped flues, and raccoons and squirrels get onto roofs from overhanging limbs.

Tall, open masonry flues like the ones on the village houses are the kind chimney swifts look for. They nest from May to August and are federally protected, so we can't sweep a flue they're using. Our guide to chimney swifts explains what to do until they go.

What the $349 visit covers

We sweep one flue and inspect the chimney on the same visit. Drop cloths go down first, brushes go up the flue, and then we check the firebox, damper, crown, cap and flashing and clean up before we leave. A camera through the flue adds $75. If something needs work, you'll see photos and get a written quote for chimney repair in Milford.

When to call

Book before the first cold weekend in fall, before the schedule fills. Our guide on how often to clean a chimney covers how often your kind of burning needs it.