Utica, Macomb County
Chimney repair in Utica
Utica's ranches and Cape Cods went up after the auto plants came in the 1950s, and at seventy years old their chimneys are due for crown and flashing work.
What seventy winters do
In the 1940s, the land around Utica was mostly dairy farms and truck gardens. That changed in the 1950s when the auto companies built plants nearby, and the streets of ranches and small Cape Cods went up to house the people who worked in them. Most of those chimneys are brick with clay flue tiles, and they've now been through about seventy Michigan winters.
The crown on top goes first. It's the flattest part of the chimney, so snow sits on it, melts in the afternoon and refreezes overnight in whatever cracks it can find. The crown in the photo has gone soft and grown lichen, which only grows where water stays. Below it, the flashing has rusted where the chimney meets the roof, and that's where a lot of ceiling stains next to a chimney start.
Leaves against the flashing
Utica runs from M-59 on its south edge up to the Shelby Township line, and plenty of the lots in between have tall pines and oaks. Needles and leaves land on the roof and pile up against the uphill side of the chimney, where they hold water against the flashing for days. On a chimney with no cap, the same debris and rain go straight down the flue.
Starting prices
These are starting points. Your written quote gives the exact price.
- Crown sealing for a crown that is still sound is $249 to $875. Crown repair starts at $1,000 plus $1 per square inch.
- Flashing repair or replacement runs $595 to $3,495.
- A single-flue cap is $375. Re-seating a loose cap is $195.
- Waterproofing sound brick after a repair runs $795 to $2,725.
On a Cape Cod with the chimney running up the outside wall, a ladder usually reaches. If yours needs a lift or scaffolding, that adds $1,249, and we tell you before quoting.
How a repair gets started
We look at the whole chimney first and photograph it, along with the spot that made you call. Then you get the photos, our recommendation, what a smaller repair would and wouldn't fix, and the price in writing. Nothing starts until you approve it. If you'd like us to look before you decide anything, a chimney inspection in Utica is $49, and it's credited toward the repair.
Questions
My Utica chimney has moss and lichen growing on the crown. Does that mean it's failing?
Not on its own, but it tells you the crown stays wet. Lichen grows where water sits, and water sitting on a crown gets into any crack, freezes and widens it. If the crown is still solid, sealing it for $249 to $875 may be all it needs. If it's cracked through, it needs a repair or a rebuild. We'll show you which with photos.
Do I need a permit for chimney work in Utica?
Some jobs need one. We check with the City of Utica for the repair on your quote, say on the quote whether a permit is needed, and include the permit cost when it is. The price you approve already has it in.
Chimney repair near Utica
Chimney repair in Utica
Pick a day and a 3-hour arrival window online. If you'd rather talk it through, call (248) 266-9991.