Wayne County
Chimney sweep, inspection and repair in Westland
Most of Westland is brick ranches from the 1950s and 1960s, built back when it was still Nankin Township, plus the Norwayne subdivision, put up in 1942 and 1943 as wartime housing.
Norwayne
The National Housing Agency started the Norwayne subdivision in 1942 to house workers from the defense plants, Willow Run among them. It was built fast, with whatever materials the war allowed. The houses had no basements, and things like gutters were left off. Nankin Township took it over in 1948 and the houses were sold to their owners. It's been on the National Register of Historic Places since 2013.
Most Norwayne houses have been re-sided and remodeled since then, and no two have been changed quite the same way. Before we quote anything on one, we look at what's actually venting where, whether that's a small chimney, a metal pipe, or a flue that's no longer in use.
The ranch blocks
Westland grew fast through the 1950s, and Nankin Township voted to become the City of Westland in 1966. The typical house from those years is a brick ranch, often with a brick chimney carrying the fireplace flue and a second flue for the furnace or water heater.
If the furnace was replaced with one that vents out the side of the house, the water heater may be left alone in a flue sized for two appliances. Our guide on a water heater in an old chimney explains why that matters and what the fixes are.
Rust on the crown
Rust streaks across a crown, like the one in the photo, usually mean a steel cap or the top of a metal liner is rusting and rain is carrying it across the concrete. The stain itself is cosmetic. The cap or liner top it's coming from is worth a look, and so is the crown if it's cracked. An inspection covers both.
Houses near Hines Park
In the north end of the city along Hines Park, many houses sit under big trees. Branches over the roof drop leaves on the chimney top and give squirrels and raccoons a way up. A chimney with no cap is an open door for them. A chimney cap with mesh sides keeps them out.
Crown repair
On a sixty-year-old ranch chimney, the crown is usually the first thing to fail. We tell you whether a coating will hold or the crown needs rebuilding, and show you the photos before we quote either one.
Getting to you
We work across Westland on Ford Road, Warren, Wayne Road, Merriman, Cherry Hill and Newburgh, and pair Westland visits with jobs in Garden City and Canton. Book online and pick a 3-hour arrival window, or call for same-day availability when the schedule allows.
Westland and the cities around it
We work across Oakland, Macomb, Wayne and Washtenaw counties.
Every area we serveServices in Westland
Chimney cleaning
We sweep the chimney and inspect it on the same visit, then clean up before we leave.
$349
Chimney inspection
We inspect the chimney inside and out and walk you through what we found, in plain language.
$49
Level 2 chimney inspection
For home sales and system changes: the attic, basement and crawl spaces, and a camera through the flue.
$149
Questions
We live in Norwayne. What should we know about the chimney or vent on our house?
The Norwayne houses went up in 1942 and 1943 with wartime materials, and most have been remodeled since, each in its own way. Some have a small chimney, some a metal vent pipe, and some a flue that's no longer used. An inspection tells you what's venting where and whether it's in shape to keep doing it.
Do you offer same-day service?
Same-Day Availability When Schedule Allows. Call (248) 266-9991 and we'll tell you what we can do today.
Book a chimney visit in Westland
Pick a day and a 3-hour arrival window online. If you'd rather talk it through, call (248) 266-9991.