Chimney sweep in Lakeville, MN Lakeville chimney and fireplace care, from Lake Marion to the newest streets

Farm town to fast-growing suburb

Dodd Road came through in 1853, and J. J. Brackett platted a town site on Prairie Lake, now Lake Marion, in 1855. Lakeville was once a milling center, but it stayed mostly farmland after World War II. In 1960 it had 924 people. That rose to 7,556 by 1970, 24,854 by 1990 and 43,128 by 2000. Lakeville became a city in 1967, and rising land costs elsewhere in the metro drove more building here in the early 2000s.

Newer homes still need a fireplace check

Gas fireplaces are easy to live with, which is why they get ignored. Over time the glass clouds, the logs shift and send up soot, and the outside vent can be blocked by nests, leaves or drifted snow. A direct-vent unit pulls its air from outside, so a blocked cap affects it right away. On a service visit we clean and check the burner area, glass, gasket and vent.

Test the ignition before the first cold snap. If the unit runs off a remote or wall switch, a dead battery is a common reason it will not light. Swap it before you call for service.

If your new home has a wood-burning factory-built fireplace, it still needs a yearly sweep. Creosote forms in metal flues just as it does in brick ones. Burning dry, seasoned wood and keeping the fire hot cuts down on buildup.

Homes near Lake Marion and Orchard Lake

If your house sits near open water, wind across the lake drives rain and snow at the chimney top. Make sure the cap is fastened tight, and that a metal chase cover sheds water instead of holding it. A quick look from the ground after a big storm can catch a cap that has shifted, or rust streaks running down a wood chase.