Chimney sweep, inspection and repair in Northville

City and township

The City of Northville and Northville Township are separate governments. The city is the old village around downtown, and it straddles Eight Mile, so part of it is in Oakland County and part in Wayne. The township lies to the south and west of it, all in Wayne County. We work in both, and the houses are different enough that we'll talk about them separately.

Old houses near downtown

The Northville Historic District runs roughly between Cady, Center, Randolph and Rogers. Most of its houses were built between 1860 and 1880, many of them Greek Revival or Gothic Revival with steep gables and wood trim. These chimneys have been through a century and a half of Michigan winters. We look hardest at the crown, the brick above the roof and the flashing, and we put a camera through the flue before anyone relies on it.

The city has a Historic District Commission that reviews exterior work on houses in the district, including repairs. We'll ask about it before we quote any chimney work that shows from the street.

Repairs that match the house

When a chimney in the historic district needs masonry repair, we match the brick and the mortar color to the original. We show you the damage first and tell you whether a repair will do before we talk about rebuilding.

Township subdivisions

Most of Northville Township was built out from the 1970s on. Highland Lakes, between Seven and Eight Mile east of Novi Road, went up from 1971 to 1990, and Lakes of Northville, between Six and Seven Mile near Haggerty, from 1979 to 1986. Houses from those years can have a brick chimney or a factory-built fireplace inside a framed chase, and the bigger ones often have more than one fireplace. An inspection tells you which you have and checks every flue.

The framed chases on township houses from the 1980s have sheet metal covers on top that are now thirty-some years old or more. Rust stains running down the siding below the cover are the first sign one is failing. Our guide to a rusted chase cover or missing chimney cap shows what to look for from the driveway.

If you're buying, a Level 2 inspection adds the attic, the basement and a camera through each flue. Ask for it when you book.

Getting to you

We work in the city on Main Street and Center Street, and across the township on Six Mile, Seven Mile, Beck and Haggerty. We pair Northville visits with Novi, Plymouth and Livonia. Book online and pick a 3-hour arrival window, or call for same-day availability when the schedule allows.