Chimney sweeping for Richfield's 1950s homes
Most of Richfield's roughly 10,000 single-family homes went up in the 1950s, when returning World War II veterans filled one of the first postwar suburbs. Those original masonry chimneys have now carried smoke and furnace gases for decades. We clean them, inspect them and fix the crowns, flashing and liners that tend to fail first.
A suburb built in one decade
Richfield grew from under 10,000 people in 1940 to 42,500 in 1960. When that many houses are built in a short time, their chimneys age together. Neighbors on the same block often see the same problems in the same seasons.
On a chimney of this age, the crown is usually the first thing to go. It is the concrete or mortar slab at the top, and a small crack lets water soak down into the brick. The flashing where the chimney meets the roof is next. A leak there can look like a roof problem but start at the chimney.
When the furnace changed but the chimney didn't
Many 1950s houses vented the furnace and water heater into one brick flue. If your furnace was replaced with a high-efficiency model that vents through the wall, the old water heater may now be the only thing using the chimney. A small appliance in a big flue drafts poorly, and the moisture in its exhaust eats at the mortar and tile. A liner sized for the water heater solves it. Our inspection will tell you if this is happening in your house.
Apartments from the 1960s and early 1970s
Richfield also has about 5,000 apartments built in the 1960s and early 1970s. Larger buildings from that period may vent several appliances into shared chimneys, and laundry rooms collect lint in long dryer vents. We can sweep and inspect those chimneys and handle dryer vent cleaning for owners and managers.
Common fixes on Richfield chimneys
- Crown repair or sealing on original 1950s masonry
- Flashing reset where the chimney meets the roof
- Liner sized for a water heater left alone in the flue
- Yearly sweep for wood-burning fireplaces
Richfield chimney FAQ
My Richfield house is from the 1950s. What should I have checked first?
Start with the crown, the flashing and the flue liner. Those are the parts that wear out first on masonry chimneys from that decade. A camera inspection shows the liner, and we look at the crown and flashing from the roof.
We put in a new furnace. Does the chimney need a liner now?
Often, yes. If the new furnace vents out the side of the house, the water heater may be alone in a flue built for two appliances. That can cause poor draft and moisture damage, and a properly sized liner is the usual fix.
Do you work on apartment buildings in Richfield?
Yes. We sweep and inspect chimneys and clean dryer vents in multifamily buildings, including the 1960s and early 1970s apartments found across the city. Call us to plan work around tenants.
Get your Richfield chimney checked
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