Chimney sweep and cleaning in Ypsilanti Township

Ranches, tri-levels and wood fires

We cover the northern part of the township, around the city and along I-94. South toward the Ford Lake shore, call and ask before booking.

West Willow, east of Harris Road between Ecorse and Grove, is the largest neighborhood in the township, with about 1,050 houses, mostly ranches and tri-levels. Where one of these houses has a fireplace, it's usually masonry with a clay-tiled flue. Some still burn wood, and some have been fitted with a wood insert or gas logs.

Each wood fire leaves soot and creosote on the flue walls. A sweep takes it off with brushes on rods from the bottom or the top, and we inspect the chimney on the same visit.

Animals and caps

Wherever a tree hangs over the roof, squirrels and raccoons use it to get up there, and a chimney with no cap is a dry place to nest. Birds build in open flues too, and leaves blow in all fall.

The photo shows the fix: a stainless cap with mesh sides, fastened over the flue tile. If your chimney doesn't have one, we can fit a cap sized to your flue on the same visit as the sweep. A cap also keeps rain out of the flue, which slows rust on the damper below.

Chimney swifts are the exception. They nest in open masonry flues from May to August and are federally protected, so we leave them until they've gone. Our guide to chimney swifts explains more.

Before the cold

Book before the first cold weekend in fall, before the schedule fills. If you burn a lot, you may need sweeping more than once a year. Our guide on how often to clean a chimney has the signs.

Price

A sweep is $349, and it includes an inspection on the same visit, so you learn what condition the chimney is in while we're there. A camera run through the flue is $75 extra. We cover the floor around the fireplace before we start and clean up before we leave. If we find damage, you get photos and a written price for the repair.