A Lake Elmo, MN chimney sweep for open lots, big trees and wood heat
A chimney sweep in Lake Elmo, MN works on lots where leaves, seed and small animals find an open flue. We sweep wood stove and fireplace flues, fit caps and screens, and deal with whatever has moved in. Call, tell us about your lot, and we book it this week.
Open 7 days, 8am-8pm
Heard scratching in the flue? Call before anyone lights a fire.
Prefer to write? Send us the details
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- Open 7 days, 8am-8pm
- 10+ years
- Licensed, bonded & insured
- Same-week, evenings & weekends
- RoadsMN 36 runs along the north edge and I-94 along the south, with County Roads 14 and 17 as the main routes between.
- Open landMuch of the city is still farmland, which gives it a rural look.
- First farmThe first farm dates to 1852 at Manning Avenue and 30th Street.
What finds its way into a chimney on a lot with trees or fields?
It depends on what surrounds the house. If your lot has trees or fields, an open flue invites more than weather. Here is what tends to find it.
| If your lot has | What finds the flue | What stops it |
|---|---|---|
| Mature trees close to the house | Leaves, twigs and seed pods | A cap with a mesh screen |
| Open field or farmland edges | Mice and squirrels looking for shelter | A screened cap and a sound crown |
| Wood piled near the house | Small animals looking for a way up | A screened cap, plus a flue checked each fall |
| A wood stove or insert | Soot and creosote in the pipe | Regular sweeping |
Which cap or screen keeps the flue clear?
A cap is a lid over the flue with mesh on its sides. It keeps rain, leaves and animals out while letting smoke escape. Stainless steel is the common choice, and copper is available for people who want one that ages well. A flue with no cap at all is the easiest one for animals to enter, and fitting a cap is usually the first step.
If something is already inside, do not light a fire and do not reach in. Raccoons and squirrels can be dangerous when cornered. Call us and we deal with it, then fit a cap over the flue. Some wildlife that uses chimneys is protected by law, so tell us what you hear before anything is disturbed.
Chimney sweep in Lake Elmo for wood stoves and inserts
Wood stoves and fireplace inserts run hot and burn long, and the pipe carries more soot than an occasional fireplace. We sweep stove pipe and insert flues and check the joints, the cap and the connection at the wall. How often a wood stove chimney should be cleaned depends on how much and how long you burn. You can check the cap from the yard and watch how the stove draws. Leave the roof and the pipe to us, since cleaning your own chimney is safe only up to a point.
Starting prices for caps, sweeps and repairs are listed on the services page.
Animals, wood heat and rural roads
Questions from homes with room around them.
Something scratches in the flue every spring. What is it, and who do I call?
Soft fluttering or chirping points to wildlife that the law protects, so call before anyone reaches in. Scratching, scrabbling and thumps lean toward a squirrel or raccoon. Do not light a fire. Call us, and we tell you what to do next and what cap to fit.
We heat with a wood stove on a few acres. How often should the flue be swept?
Often enough to keep soot from building up, and the answer depends on how much wood you burn. Heavy daily use means more sweeping than occasional burning. Tell us your habits and we suggest a rhythm, then check the pipe joints and cap.
Do you come out to rural Lake Elmo roads?
Yes. We serve the whole city, from the roads near MN 36 in the north to those near I-94 in the south. Give us the address when you call and we put you on the schedule for this week.
Is a screened cap enough to keep animals out?
A well-fitted screened cap keeps out most animals, because they cannot get past the mesh or the lid. A cracked crown or loose flashing can still give them a way in, so we check those at the same time.
My chimney has no cap and I have never used the fireplace. Is that a problem?
An unused flue with no cap is open to rain, leaves and animals, so yes, it is worth fixing. We add a cap and check the inside before the first fire, so nothing is waiting for you.
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Something living in your flue, or a stove to sweep?
Tell us which, and we plan the visit around it.