Ypsilanti, Washtenaw County
Chimney inspection in Ypsilanti
Old Ypsilanti houses often have more than one chimney and more than one flue, and over the years some were rerouted, capped over or forgotten. An inspection sorts out which flue does what before you use any of them.
Why people book one here
Ypsilanti is old. The town was founded in 1823, and the railroad came through in 1838, so the houses near downtown and Depot Town go back a long way. If you're buying one of those houses, you want to know what's inside the chimney before you close. If you've owned one for years without lighting the fireplace, you want to know whether it's usable before the first fire.
The west side and the rentals
When the historic district was expanded in 1989, it took in about 300 buildings on the west side near the Eastern Michigan campus. A lot of those houses have been cut up into apartments or used as student housing. A house that has been converted like that has often had its heating changed more than once, and the chimney may be venting a boiler, a furnace and two water heaters, or nothing at all. Our guide to a water heater in an old chimney covers one common problem.
Level 1 and Level 2
A Level 1 inspection is $49. We look at the parts we can reach without special tools: the firebox, the flue, the outside of the chimney and the connection to any appliance. The $49 is credited toward any repair or service we do after it.
A Level 2 is $149. It adds the chimney where it passes through the attic, basement and crawl space, and a camera through the flue. It's used for home sales, changes to the heating system, and after a chimney fire or a storm. On an old house with two or three flues, that camera run is often the only way to see which tiles are cracked or missing. You can add the camera to a Level 1 for $75. Our guide to chimney inspection levels explains when each one fits.
What happens after
You get photos and a plain report of what we found. If the flue only needs cleaning, we can sweep it the same day when there's time. If it needs repair, you get a written price, and nothing starts until you approve it.
Questions
We bought an old house near Eastern Michigan with two chimneys. Which ones can we use?
We can't say without looking, and that's the point of the inspection. On older Ypsilanti houses, one chimney may serve the furnace or water heater, one may be an old stove chimney closed off inside a wall, and a fireplace flue may be in fine shape or missing tiles. A Level 2 at $149 checks each flue with a camera and tells you what each one is connected to.
I rent out a house near campus. How often should the chimney be inspected?
Once a year is a sensible habit, and between tenants is a good time, since nobody is using the fireplace and you can get any repair done before the next lease starts. A $49 Level 1 covers what can be seen from the firebox, the roof and the appliance connections, and the $49 is credited toward any work we do after it.
Chimney inspection near Ypsilanti
Chimney inspection in Ypsilanti
Pick a day and a 3-hour arrival window online. If you'd rather talk it through, call (248) 266-9991.