Warren, Macomb County
Chimney repair in Warren
Most northwest Warren chimneys went up during the 1950s boom, and after seventy-odd winters the crown and the mortar near the top are usually where the repair starts.
A city built in ten years
We cover the northwest part of Warren, west of Van Dyke and north of 10 Mile, so call first if you're outside that area. Warren grew from about 42,600 people in 1950 to about 89,400 in 1960, and the streets of ranches between Ryan and Dequindre went up fast during those years. That means a lot of chimneys here are close to the same age and are wearing out in the same order.
On a 1950s ranch, the chimney usually comes through the roof near the middle and stands only a few feet above it. It's short, but the top still takes the weather. The crown cracks first. Water gets into the cracks and the joints under it, freezes and works them open. After that the top courses start to lose mortar, and on some chimneys the corner bricks move.
Old flues and old crowns
Many of these chimneys were built with more than one flue, for the fireplace, the furnace and sometimes an incinerator. When an appliance was retired, the flue was often filled in or capped with mortar, like the two outside flues in the photo. The crown around them in that photo is cracked across its whole width. A crown like that is past sealing. It needs a repair, or a rebuild if the cracks go all the way through.
Starting prices
These are where the common repairs start. You get the exact number in writing.
- Crown sealing for a crown that is still sound is $249 to $875.
- Crown repair starts at $1,000 plus $1 per square inch. A crown rebuild starts at $1,500 plus $1 per square inch.
- Tuckpointing runs $595 to $4,995, depending on how much of the chimney needs new mortar.
- Replacing 1 to 15 damaged bricks is $850 plus $75 a brick.
On a single-story ranch, a ladder is almost always enough. If yours needs a lift or scaffolding, that adds $1,249, and we tell you before quoting.
How it works
We look at the whole chimney first and take photos of the crown, the brick, the flashing and the spot that made you call. You get the photos, what we'd recommend and a written price. Nothing starts until you approve it. If you want us to look before deciding anything, book a chimney inspection in Warren for $49, credited toward the repair.
Questions
Two of the flues on my Warren chimney are filled with concrete. Is that a problem?
Not by itself. Flues get closed off when an old furnace or incinerator is taken out of service. What we check is how it was done and whether the crown around them is still shedding water. A filled flue with a cracked crown around it can still let water into the chimney. We'll show you what we see on top and tell you if it needs work.
Do I need a permit for chimney work in Warren?
It depends on the repair. We check with the City of Warren for the job on your quote, say on the quote whether it needs a permit, and include the permit cost when it does. You won't find out about it halfway through the work.
Chimney repair in Warren
Pick a day and a 3-hour arrival window online. If you'd rather talk it through, call (248) 266-9991.