Troy, Oakland County
Chimney inspection in Troy
On a Troy inspection, the first thing we often settle is what kind of fireplace the house has, because a 1970s masonry chimney and a 1990s factory-built unit wear out in different places.
Figuring out what you have
Troy incorporated in 1955, mostly so neighboring cities couldn't annex pieces of it, and then filled in over the next four decades. So a Troy inspection often starts with a basic question. A late-1960s or 1970s colonial typically has a masonry fireplace with a clay-lined brick chimney. A house from the 1990s may have a factory-built firebox with a metal flue inside a framed chase. Those units come from a manufacturer, and we check each part against how that manufacturer built and listed it.
The photo shows the second kind from the top: a stainless flue with soot and flaking on the inside walls. From the yard, all you see is siding and a cap.
When it's a sale
Houses sell all over Troy, from the Somerset neighborhoods near Big Beaver and Coolidge up to the subdivisions along Square Lake Road. A general home inspector usually looks at the fireplace from the room and the chimney from the ground. A Level 2 inspection, $149, adds the chimney where it passes through the attic, basement and any crawl space, and runs a camera through the flue. Buyers use it before the inspection period ends. Sellers use it before listing. Our guide to chimney inspection levels explains which level fits which situation.
Other reasons Troy owners call
A furnace or water heater still venting into the old brick chimney is a common one, especially after the furnace was replaced and the water heater was left alone in a big flue. So is a fireplace the previous owner never used. Wind storms bend chase covers and pull off caps, and after a storm or a chimney fire a Level 2 is the place to start.
What it costs
A Level 1 inspection is $49. It covers the fireplace or appliance, the flue as far as we can see it, and the outside of the chimney, and the $49 is credited toward any repair or service we do after it. Adding a camera to a Level 1 is $75. If the flue also needs sweeping, a chimney sweep in Troy includes an inspection on the same visit for $349. The chimney inspection cost guide goes through what each price covers.
Questions
My Troy house has a gas fireplace. Does it still need an inspection?
Yes. A gas fireplace doesn't leave creosote the way wood does, but it still sends exhaust up a flue, and that flue can rust, come apart at a joint or fill with a nest. We check the vent, the cap and the termination outside, and tell you if anything has shifted. Gas logs and controls are a separate service.
We're buying a 1970s colonial in Troy. Is a Level 1 inspection enough?
For a sale, most buyers go with a Level 2. It's $149 and covers the chimney where it runs through the attic and basement, plus a camera through the flue. On a house that age, a cracked clay tile or an open joint doesn't show from the roof or the firebox. Call early in your inspection period so there's time to price any repair before you negotiate.
Chimney inspection in Troy
Pick a day and a 3-hour arrival window online. If you'd rather talk it through, call (248) 266-9991.