Van Buren Township, Wayne County
Chimney sweep and cleaning in Van Buren Township
In northern Van Buren Township, a lot of people have swapped an open fireplace for a wood insert, and inserts need sweeping as much as open fireplaces do, often more.
Fireplaces and inserts
We cover the northern part of the township, north of Belleville Lake. If you're on the lake or south of it, call and ask before you book.
The houses along Tyler and Rawsonville Road and in the subdivisions off Haggerty were built over several decades, so what's in the living room varies. Some have an open masonry fireplace. Some have a factory-built fireplace with a metal flue. Plenty have a wood insert like the one in the photo, set into the old fireplace opening with a stainless liner running up the chimney.
An insert that's choked down for a long, slow burn puts out a lot of smoke, and that smoke leaves creosote in the liner. Gas fireplaces don't build creosote, but their vents still need to be clear.
Trees, nests and the lake shore
The north shore of Belleville Lake has woods and trails, including Van Buren Park on the South I-94 Service Drive between Belleville and Rawsonville Road. That kind of cover means squirrels, raccoons and birds close to the houses. An uncapped flue gives them a dry place to nest, and leaves blow in and pile up on the damper.
Chimney swifts nest in open masonry flues from May to August. They're federally protected, so if you hear them in summer, we sweep after they've gone and can fit a cap then. Our guide to chimney swifts explains how to tell them from other animals.
When to call
Book before the first cold weekend of fall, so the chimney is clean and checked before you need it. If you burn a lot of wood, you may need it more than once a year. Our guide on how often to clean a chimney goes through it.
Price
A sweep is $349. That covers sweeping the flue and 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. If the inspection turns up a problem, you get photos and a written price, and you can book a chimney inspection with the camera on its own if you want a closer look first.
Questions
We put a wood insert in our fireplace. Does the chimney still need sweeping?
Yes. An insert burns hotter and cleaner than an open fireplace when it's run right, but it still leaves creosote in its liner, and a damped-down insert overnight can leave a lot. Call before you book so we can tell you what to expect for your insert. The $349 visit covers the sweep and an inspection of the liner, the insert's connection and the chimney.
How do I know if animals are in my chimney?
Scratching or chirping from the fireplace, twigs or leaves falling onto the damper, or a musty smell when the weather turns warm are the usual signs. Don't light a fire to smoke them out. Call us, and if it's chimney swifts in summer, we wait until they leave, then sweep and cap the flue.
Chimney sweep near Van Buren Township
Chimney sweep in Van Buren Township
Pick a day and a 3-hour arrival window online. If you'd rather talk it through, call (248) 266-9991.