Chimney inspection in Northville

Buying an older house near downtown

The Hunter House, a Greek Revival house built in 1851, stood on Main Street at Griswold until it was moved to Mill Race Village in 1972. Plenty of houses from that era are still standing on their original lots in the historic district near downtown. A chimney that old has usually been patched, partly rebuilt or relined somewhere along the way, and nobody selling the house may know when.

For a purchase, book the Level 2. It's $149 and covers the chimney in the attic and basement, plus a camera through the flue. On a house built in the 1800s, the camera is the only way to see whether the flue is lined, what with, and whether the lining is in one piece. Our inspection levels guide lays out what each level covers.

Newer township houses

Northville Hills Golf Club, north of Six Mile and west of Sheldon, has about 650 houses built from 2001 to 2015. Crestwood Manor's 172 houses went up through the 1990s. The Golf Club houses were built mostly by Toll Brothers, with several other builders in the mix, so two houses on the same street can have different fireplace units. A house from those years may have a masonry fireplace, a factory-built one in a framed chase, or one of each. Factory-built units have their own parts to check: the firebox panels, the venting, the chase cover and the cap. If you're buying, a Level 2 looks at every one.

Other reasons people call

A water heater or furnace still venting into an older chimney is worth a look. So is a chimney after a hard storm, or after a chimney fire. Our guide to a water heater in an old chimney explains why the flue matters for gas appliances.

Prices

A Level 1 inspection is $49, and that $49 comes off any repair or service we do afterward. We check the fireplace, the flue we can see, and the outside of the chimney, then walk you through it. A camera through the flue adds $75. A Level 2 is $149. If the fireplace burns wood and is due for cleaning, a sweep with the inspection included covers both.