Utica, Macomb County
Chimney inspection in Utica
Most of the older houses near downtown Utica were built after the fires of 1905 and 1906, so their chimneys are around a hundred and twenty years old and have usually been worked on more than once.
Downtown chimneys, rebuilt and reworked
Fires in 1905 and 1906 took most of Utica's old village, and the houses near Cass and Auburn went up in the years after. After that long, the chimney you see on the roof may not be the one that was built. It may have been taken down and relaid at the top, had a flue filled in when the heating changed, or still have no liner at all. None of that shows from the yard, and the sale paperwork rarely mentions it.
A Level 2 inspection, $149, is how buyers and sellers sort that out. It covers the chimney where it runs through the attic and basement, and puts a camera through the flue. Our guide to chimney inspection levels explains what each level includes.
Cape Cods with an outside chimney
North of the river, a lot of the 1950s and 1960s Cape Cods have the chimney running up the gable end, outside the house, like the one in the photo. That brick takes wind and rain on three sides. Near the top you can often see brick that has been patched, mortar that has washed out, or a crown worn thin. On some, the chimney has started to pull away from the wall. An inspection looks for that gap, along with the crown, the flashing and the inside of the flue.
Other reasons Utica owners call
A furnace or water heater replaced in the last few years. A fireplace that came with the house and has never been lit. A basement that took on water when the river came up. A storm that took off a cap. After a chimney fire, start with a Level 2.
Prices
A Level 1 inspection is $49 and covers the fireplace, the damper, the flue as far as we can see and the outside of the chimney. The $49 is credited toward any repair or service we do after it. A camera through the flue is $75 more. If you burn wood, a chimney sweep in Utica is $349 and includes the inspection on the same visit. The chimney inspection cost guide explains the differences.
Questions
We're buying an older house near downtown Utica. What inspection should we get?
A Level 2. It's $149 and covers everything in a Level 1, plus the chimney in the attic, basement and crawl space and a camera through the flue. On a chimney that has been rebuilt, relined or partly closed off over a century, the camera is how you find out what's actually inside. Call early in your inspection period.
Our basement flooded when the Clinton River came up. Should the chimney be checked?
Yes. If your furnace or water heater vents into the chimney, water at the base can leave silt and debris in the cleanout and soak the bottom of the masonry. Tell us about the flooding when you book, and we'll look at the base and the cleanout along with the flue and the outside of the chimney.
Chimney inspection near Utica
Chimney inspection in Utica
Pick a day and a 3-hour arrival window online. If you'd rather talk it through, call (248) 266-9991.