Chimney Sweep in East Grand Rapids, MI

Types of Chimney Work We Do in East Grand Rapids

Flashing on Tall Chimneys

A tall chimney catches a lot of wind-driven rain, and the metal collar where it meets the roof takes the beating. Flashing in step form, with each piece lapped into the brick, lasts for decades. Flashing smeared with caulk lasts a season or two. We replace caulk jobs with proper metal. Typical cost is $350 to $1,200. See chimney leak repair.

Tuckpointing on Old Brick

Houses from the 1920s through the 1950s often have good brick and tired mortar. We grind out the loose joints about half an inch to three quarters deep and repack them with a mortar that suits the age of the brick. Done on time, it saves the chimney. See tuckpointing.

Inspections for Older Homes

Old houses change hands carefully, and buyers want the fireplace checked. A Level 2 inspection includes a camera scan of the full flue plus the attic and crawl space sides, and it is the level used on a property sale. We email the report with photos. See chimney inspection for all three levels.

Sweeping Around Plaster and Woodwork

Older homes have plaster walls, built-ins and old mantels, and soot on those is a pain. We lay tarps and runners, seal the firebox, run a HEPA vacuum with the brushes and sweep from inside the house. The camera finishes the job. One fireplace takes 45 minutes to an hour.

Crowns Under Big Trees

Mature maples and oaks drop leaves and shade a crown, and shaded crowns stay wet and crack sooner. We clean it, coat it if it is sound, and rebuild it if it is not. Typical coating costs $350 to $700. See chimney crown repair.

Leaks and Waterproofing

We trace water to flashing, crown or brick, and fix that first. A breathable water repellent then helps the brick dry out, but it cannot close an open joint. See chimney leak repair.

What Chimney Work Costs in East Grand Rapids

Typical 2026 ranges for East Grand Rapids homes. Tall chimneys cost a little more because the work is higher off the ground.

East Grand Rapids Chimneys, Lake to Lawn

The Reeds Lake Effect

Reeds Lake keeps the air near the shore damp, and brick near the water holds moisture. When freezing comes, the water inside expands and pushes the face of the brick off. Brick that peels this way is spalling. On a lake-side job last winter, the lower courses were fine and the top two feet were flaking.

A Small City Surrounded by a Big One

East Grand Rapids runs its own city government, but it sits inside Grand Rapids, with the same weather: about 75 inches of snow a year and sudden lake-effect bursts off Lake Michigan. The older the chimney, the more of those winters it has been through, and the more we check the top.

What I Tell Owners of Old Homes

Take the chimney seriously, but do not panic. A tall brick chimney on a 1930s house is built like a tank. Most need mortar, flashing and a crown, not a rebuild. If the camera or a roof-level look says a rebuild is the honest answer, I will say so, see chimney rebuild.

A Lake-Side Example

Last winter we looked at a 1930s brick colonial a block from the lake where the owner had a stain on the dining room ceiling every spring. The flashing on the back of the chimney had been caulked three times. We replaced it with lapped step metal, coated the crown and the stain never came back. That is the usual pattern here: the chimney is fine and the collar is not.

Sweeping Before the Holidays

Fall is the busy season, and East Grand Rapids owners tend to light the first fire around the holidays. Searches for chimney sweeps in Grand Rapids hit about 480 a month in November and December, so booking in September means you pick the day. We work Monday to Friday from 8 to 4.

On to Caledonia

We also work in Caledonia, about 15 miles southeast of downtown Grand Rapids, where the lots get bigger and the chimneys get younger.