Ypsilanti Township, Washtenaw County
Chimney repair in Ypsilanti Township
Most of the chimneys we repair in northern Ypsilanti Township are on brick houses from the 1950s and 1960s, and after sixty-plus winters the crown on top is usually the first thing to go.
Sixty-year-old crowns
We cover the northern part of the township, around the city and along I-94 and Michigan Avenue. If you're down toward the south shore of Ford Lake, call before you book.
The post-war streets off Holmes Road and Ford Boulevard were built for families working at the Willow Run plant, which made B-24 bombers in the war and then cars and parts for decades after. Most of those houses have one brick chimney, and on a lot of them it carries two flues, one for the fireplace and one for the furnace or water heater.
The crown on top of those chimneys was usually poured or troweled from mortar, often too thin and with no overhang. After sixty years, it has cracked through. Water gets into the crack, freezes and spreads it, and the top courses of brick start losing mortar. The crown in the photo is at that stage, with its edges crumbling and a rust stain running across it from the cap.
What it costs
These are starting prices. Your written quote has the exact number.
- Crown repair from $1,000 plus $1 per square inch of crown, or a crown rebuild from $1,500 plus $1 per square inch.
- Tuckpointing: $595 to $4,995, depending on how many joints need new mortar.
- A single-flue cap is $375. If your cap only needs repairing and re-seating, it's $195.
- Flashing repair or replacement: $595 to $3,495.
Two flues, two caps
On a chimney with a fireplace flue and a furnace flue, each one needs its own cap. A missing cap on the furnace flue lets rain run straight down to the furnace or water heater connection in the basement. When we're up there, we check both caps along with the crown, and we look at whether the furnace flue has a liner.
How we quote
We look at the whole chimney first, along with whatever made you call. You get photos of what we found and a written price. We'll tell you if a smaller fix would hold for now and what it leaves undone. Nothing starts until you approve it. If you'd like a look before deciding, start with a chimney inspection for $49.
Questions
There's a rust stain running across my chimney crown. What causes that?
Usually a steel cap or its fasteners rusting and washing down onto the crown with every rain. The stain itself does no harm, but it tells you the cap is wearing out. Look at the crown edges too. If they're cracked or crumbling, like the one in the photo, water is getting into the brick below. We can replace the cap and price the crown work on the same visit.
Do I need a permit for chimney repair in Ypsilanti Township?
It depends on the job. We check with the township for your repair before we start. The written quote says whether a permit is needed, and when it is, the cost is included in the price you approve. You won't get a separate bill for it after the work is done.
Chimney repair near Ypsilanti Township
Chimney repair in Ypsilanti Township
Pick a day and a 3-hour arrival window online. If you'd rather talk it through, call (248) 266-9991.