Redford, Wayne County
Chimney sweep and cleaning in Redford
The Rouge River runs through Lola Valley Park in Redford, and Tarabusi Creek runs through Bell Creek Park. The houses near those parks have the most trees overhead, and their chimneys collect the most leaves and nests.
What Redford fireplaces burn
Most Redford houses from the 1950s have one brick fireplace in the living room, with its own clay-lined flue in the chimney. Some still burn wood every winter. Some have had a gas log set put in. A few owners have put a wood stove or insert in the old firebox, and some fireplaces haven't been lit since the furnace was new.
Wood leaves soot and creosote on the flue walls, and the photo shows what heavy creosote looks like: a rough, bubbly black coating. Wet wood and small, smoky fires leave more of it. Our page on how often to clean a chimney has a simple way to tell when yours is due. If you have a stove or insert rather than an open fireplace, call before you book so we can tell you what to expect.
Leaves, nests and swifts near the parks
Around Lola Valley Park and Bell Creek Park, and on the older streets with big trees, chimneys catch leaves and seeds every fall. A flue with no cap is an easy place for squirrels and raccoons to get in, and for birds to build a nest.
Chimney swifts nest in masonry chimneys from May to August. They're federally protected, so we leave an active nest alone and sweep after they've gone. Our guide to chimney swifts explains what to listen for.
The visit and the price
The cleaning is $349, and it includes an inspection on the same visit. We cover the floor around the fireplace, sweep the flue, check the chimney inside and out, and clean up before we go. A camera through the flue is $75 more. If we find damage, you get photos and a written quote, and nothing gets done until you approve it.
When to call
Book before the first cold weekend of the fall. By the time the furnace kicks on for good in Redford, the schedule fills up. A sweep booked in September leaves time for any repair the inspection turns up. If the inspection turns up anything in the basement flue as well, we'll tell you whether a Level 2 chimney inspection is worth it.
Questions
Our Redford fireplace has gas logs now. Does it still need a sweep?
A gas log set doesn't leave creosote the way wood does, so it doesn't need sweeping on the same schedule. The flue still needs to be open and in good shape, and nests and leaves can block it either way. Our cleaning visit is for wood-burning flues. For the gas logs, burner and controls, ask about our gas fireplace service, which we can often do on the same trip.
Is it safe to sweep a chimney with birds in it?
If they're chimney swifts, we don't disturb them. Swifts nest from May to August and are federally protected. We leave an active nest alone, come back after the birds have left in the fall, and sweep then. If it's a squirrel, raccoon or another animal, call us and we'll tell you what we can do and when.
Chimney sweep in Redford
Pick a day and a 3-hour arrival window online. If you'd rather talk it through, call (248) 266-9991.