Pittsfield Township, Washtenaw County
Chimney sweep and cleaning in Pittsfield Township
Many northern Pittsfield Township houses have a factory-built fireplace with a round metal flue, and those need sweeping just like a brick chimney when you burn wood in them.
Round metal flues
We cover the northern part of the township, near Ann Arbor and the I-94 corridor. If you're farther south, toward Saline, call first.
University Palisades, off Ellsworth near Carpenter, went up from about 1989 to 2000, with ranches, colonials and split-colonials. Houses from those years often have a factory-built fireplace, with a round metal flue inside a framed chase. When you burn wood in one, soot and creosote stick to the inside of that flue the same way they do on clay tile. The photo shows a metal flue crusted with flaky deposits on its walls.
A sweep takes the buildup off with brushes sized to the flue. Then we inspect the fireplace and flue on the same visit.
Trees, parks and wildlife
The older neighborhoods in the northeast corner, around Washtenaw and Carpenter, have had time to grow big trees. Parks like Lillie Park, around Haven Lake at Platt and Ellsworth, keep plenty of squirrels and birds in the area. Where trees hang over the roof, squirrels and raccoons climb up, and an uncapped flue or a chase with a rusted cap is an easy way in. Birds nest in open flues, and leaves pile up on the damper or the smoke shelf.
Chimney swifts nest in open masonry flues from May to August. They're federally protected, so if you hear them, we sweep after they leave. Our guide to chimney swifts explains what to listen for.
When to book
Book before the first cold weekend of fall, when the schedule is still open. How often you need it depends on how much wood you burn and what kind. Our guide on how often to clean a chimney covers it.
Price
A sweep is $349, and it includes an inspection on the same visit, so you find out what condition the chimney is in while we're there. A camera run through the flue is $75 extra. We cover the floor around the fireplace before we start and clean up before we leave. If the inspection turns up a rusted chase cover or other damage, you get photos and a written price for the repair, and nothing starts until you approve it.
Questions
Can a factory-built fireplace be swept the same way as a brick chimney?
Yes, with brushes sized to the round metal flue. We sweep it from the bottom or the top, then check the firebox panels, the flue sections and the chase cover and cap on the roof. The $349 visit covers the sweep and the inspection together. If panels are cracked or the flue is damaged, you get photos and a written price.
We burn gas in our fireplace. Does it ever need a sweep?
Gas doesn't leave creosote, but the vent and cap can still collect debris, nests and rust, and some gas fireplaces leave deposits inside the flue over time. If the flame looks different, the glass fogs up fast or you smell exhaust, call us. Otherwise, a look every year or two is reasonable.
Chimney sweep near Pittsfield Township
Chimney sweep in Pittsfield Township
Pick a day and a 3-hour arrival window online. If you'd rather talk it through, call (248) 266-9991.