Chimney sweep in Minnetrista, MN for wood stoves, farmhouse flues and lake-lot fireplaces
Brickstone Chimney Sweep drives out from Chanhassen, about 12 miles, to clean and inspect chimneys, wood stoves and inserts in Minnetrista. We also repair chimney tops and remove animals from flues. Call and tell us what you are hearing, seeing or smelling.
What does a wood stove or fireplace need on a Minnetrista acreage?
A yearly sweep and a look at the top of the chimney. Out here the stove often carries more of the winter than a fireplace in town does, so it earns the attention.
Minnetrista is mostly farmland and woods, with hay fields, horse properties and long driveways. If your home burns wood for heat, the stove works harder than a fireplace lit for the look of it. A stove that runs most evenings builds soot faster than a fireplace lit on holidays.
Our crew cleans the stove, the connector pipe and the flue above it, then checks the firebox, the damper and the cap. If creosote has glazed the inside of the flue, we say so before you light the next fire. Inserts and freestanding stoves get the same careful brushing and a look at the gaskets and door seal.
If you are not sure which job you need, start with chimney sweeping. The sweep tells us what is inside, and a chimney inspection goes further when something looks wrong.
A branch came down on my chimney. What now?
Stay off the roof and call us. A bent cap or cracked top course lets water into the masonry, and winter freezes it.
Where trees stand close to a house, a summer storm can leave a limb across the chimney top. From the ground you may see a tilted cap, a loose rain pan or bricks sitting crooked on the crown.
We look at the cap, the crown, the flashing and the top few courses of brick. Often the fix is a new chimney cap. When the crown has cracked, we repair that too, and for leaks that reach the ceiling we follow the water back to its source with chimney leak repair.
Do not light the fireplace until someone has looked at it. A damaged top can trap smoke or send sparks where they should not go.
Something is moving in my flue. Who removes it?
We do. We remove the animal, clean up behind it and fit a cap so nothing moves back in.
Open land, woodlots and creek corridors mean raccoons, squirrels and birds look for a warm dark shaft. A flue with no cap is an open door. Scratching, chirping or a thump on the damper are the usual clues.
Chimney swifts are protected birds, so when young are in the nest the cap waits until they have left. We will tell you which situation you have. After removal we clean out droppings and nesting material, because that debris is a fire hazard in its own right.
Where in Minnetrista does a chimney sweep reach?
All of it, from the county road farms to the homes near the water.
The city runs along County Roads 15, 44, 92 and 110, and takes in Whaletail Lake, Little Long Lake, Mud Lake, Ox Yoke Lake and Saunders Lake, plus several bays of the big lake. Six Mile Creek winds through the western side. Whether your house sits on a gravel road or a shoreline, the crew drives to you from Chanhassen.
The name comes from the Dakota words for water and crooked. Lake lots here catch wind off open water, so a cap that has been through a few winters deserves a close look.
Next door in Mound, we clean wood stoves and inserts too.
Do you service gas fireplaces in newer Minnetrista homes?
Yes. Gas fireplaces, logs and inserts get a cleaning, a burner check and a look at the venting.
If the flame will not stay lit, the glass is clouded or the unit clicks and does nothing, see gas fireplace repair. A smell of gas is different. Step outside with everyone in the house and phone the gas company or 911.
Minnetrista chimney questions
How often should a wood stove flue be cleaned on acreage?
Once a year at minimum, and sooner if you burn most evenings. A stove burning daily all winter can need a mid-season brushing. If your fire smells sharp or the glass blackens quickly, call before you load the next one.
Can I burn a brush pile or use a fire pit on my Minnetrista lot?
Fire rules belong to the city, so check with Minnetrista before you light anything outdoors. The state baseline keeps recreational fires 25 feet from buildings. Our work covers the chimney and stove, and the city covers the yard.
Do you repair chimneys on older farmhouses?
Yes. Older farm chimneys often have crumbling mortar, no liner and a cap that has seen better years. We inspect first, then explain the repair, whether that is tuckpointing, a new crown or a liner.
What should I do after a storm damages my chimney cap?
Keep the fireplace unlit and keep off the roof. Call us, and we will check the cap, crown and flashing, then replace what is damaged.
Will a raccoon in the chimney damage the damper?
It can. Raccoons push on dampers and leave debris in the smoke shelf. After the animal is out, we check the damper and clear the flue.
Do you take small jobs this far from Chanhassen?
Yes. Minnetrista is about 12 road miles from our base, and a single sweep or a cap replacement is a normal job for us.
Do you clean dryer vents in Minnetrista?
Yes. Country homes often have a long vent run through a crawlspace or wall to reach an outside wall. Our dryer vent cleaning clears the full run.
Map of Minnetrista, MN
We serve homes all across Minnetrista.
Services in Minnetrista
- Chimney sweeping
- Chimney inspection
- Chimney repair
- Gas fireplace repair
- Dryer vent cleaning
- Chimney caps
- Chimney liners
- Chimney leak repair
South Lake Minnetonka
Further reading
Map of Minnetrista, MN
We serve homes all across Minnetrista.
What you can count on
- 10 years in the chimney tradeSweeping, inspection and repair on brick and factory-built chimneys
- Licensed and insuredBrickstone Chimney Sweep is licensed and insured
- Open every day, 8 AM to 8 PMCall any day of the week to set a time
Further reading