Chimney sweep in Inver Grove Heights, MN Chimney care for Inver Grove Heights, from the old village to the bluffs

A township, a rail village and a postwar boom

Settlers staked claims here in 1852, and the railroad came through in 1886. The Village of Inver Grove was set up in 1909 as one square mile along the tracks. In the first half of the 1900s, many people who lived here worked at the South St. Paul stockyards and packinghouses. In 1965 the village and the township joined to form the City of Inver Grove Heights.

The big change came after World War II. The population more than doubled in the 1950s and nearly doubled again in the 1960s. A brick or block chimney built in that stretch has now been through a long run of Minnesota winters, and its original parts wear out on their own schedule.

What we look at on a postwar chimney

The crown is the concrete slab on top of the masonry. On older chimneys it often has hairline cracks that let water into the brick. Flashing, where the chimney meets the roof, can pull loose and cause leaks that show up as stains on a ceiling. Inside, the clay flue liner may be cracked or have gaps at the joints.

The liner matters most when the furnace or water heater has been replaced. A new high-efficiency furnace often vents out the side of the house. That can leave an old water heater alone in a flue that is now too big for it, which leads to weak draft and moisture damage. A chimney inspection tells you if the flue still fits what vents into it.

Bluffs, wind and freeze-thaw

The Mississippi runs along the city's east side, and the Pine Bend Bluffs Scientific and Natural Area protects bluff land along the river. Houses on high, open ground take more wind and blowing snow. Water that gets into brick freezes, expands and pops the face off. A sound crown and a good cap keep most of that water out. For loose brick or a failing crown, see our chimney repair page.