Grinnell sits along I-80 in Poweshiek County, east of Des Moines, and with Grinnell College in town there are plenty of rental houses and apartments. Many of them have a fireplace, and nearly all of them have a dryer. Top Notch Chimney Sweep & Services has been serving homeowners, property managers and real estate professionals across Central Iowa since 2002. Grinnell is a longer trip for us, so we plan visits in advance and can often cover several properties at once.
Why Rentals Need Extra Attention
Tenants come and go, and they don’t always know how to use a fireplace properly. Some burn cardboard, pizza boxes or wet wood. Others never open the damper. Dryer lint screens get skipped. Meanwhile, the owner may live elsewhere and rarely see the property. All of that makes regular professional checks more important.
Chimney Care for Rental Properties
Annual sweep and inspection
A yearly chimney sweeping removes creosote and debris, and our technicians check the system while they’re there. Our chimney inspection uses camera equipment to look inside the flue. You get a clear picture of the chimney’s condition, which helps with planning repairs and keeping records.
Between tenants
Turnover is a good time for chimney service. The unit is empty, access is easy, and you can fix any problems before the next lease starts.
Gas fireplaces
If your rentals have gas fireplaces, a yearly gas log service keeps the burner, pilot and venting in order.
Dryer Vents: A Big One for Landlords
Rentals with several tenants or a shared laundry put a lot of loads through one dryer. Lint builds up in the vent faster than most owners expect. A clogged vent is a fire risk, wastes energy and wears out the dryer. Gas dryers can push carbon monoxide back into the building if the vent is blocked. Schedule a dryer vent cleaning regularly, especially in buildings with long vent runs.
Ask about
- Servicing several properties on the same trip
- Pairing chimney and dryer vent work on one visit
- Commercial properties; we do both residential and commercial work
What to Tell Tenants About the Fireplace
A short list of house rules, handed over with the keys, prevents a lot of trouble. Many student renters in Grinnell have never used a wood fireplace before. Consider covering:
- Burn only dry, seasoned firewood. No cardboard, pizza boxes, wrapping paper or trash.
- Open the damper before lighting and leave it open until the fire is completely out.
- Keep the screen or doors closed while a fire is burning, and never leave it unattended.
- Put ashes in a metal container with a lid, outside and away from the building.
- Report smoke in the room, strange smells or noises in the chimney right away.
Some owners decide the simplest rule is no wood fires at all. If that’s your policy, put it in writing, and still keep the chimney inspected. An unused flue can collect nests and water damage just as easily.
Leaks Tenants Won’t Mention
A tenant may notice a damp spot near the chimney and assume it’s someone else’s problem. By the time the owner hears about it, the water may have been coming in for a whole season. The usual sources are a cracked crown, a missing cap or flashing that’s lifted where the chimney meets the roof.
During our annual visit we look at all three. If the flashing is the culprit, our flashing repair stops the water where it starts. Catching a leak early keeps it from turning into drywall, insulation and ceiling repairs.
Empty Units Attract Animals
Rentals near a college often sit empty for part of the summer. A quiet house with an uncapped chimney is an inviting place for birds, squirrels and raccoons to move in. The next tenant finds out when the first fire fills the room with smoke. A stainless steel chimney cap keeps animals and rain out, and ours come with a lifetime warranty.
Ductwork at Turnover
A unit that’s housed several tenants, pets or a few years of heavy use will have dust and debris in the ducts. Turnover is the easiest time to deal with it, since there’s no furniture in the way and no one to disturb. An air duct cleaning uses a HEPA vacuum system and specialized brushes, and we check the ducts for holes or loose sections along the way. New tenants move into a cleaner unit, and you’ve removed one more thing that can bring a complaint.
Detectors in Every Unit
Any rental with a fireplace, gas appliance or gas dryer needs working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Check them at every turnover and replace units that have passed their expiration date. Detectors are the backstop if a flue or vent gets blocked between our visits, and they protect your tenants as much as your property.
Winter Break and Vacant Units
When students leave for winter break, a rental can sit empty for weeks in the coldest part of the year. Make sure tenants know not to leave a fire burning or embers in the firebox when they head out. If a unit will be vacant, it’s a good time to close the damper, confirm the detectors work, and check that the dryer vent hood outside isn’t blocked by snow or debris.
Buying a Rental With a Fireplace
If you’re adding a property to your portfolio, the chimney deserves a close look before closing. NFPA 211 calls for a Level 2 inspection when a property is sold or transferred, and it includes a camera look through the full flue. Knowing about a damaged liner or failing crown up front lets you plan the cost into the purchase instead of finding it after your first tenant moves in. Grinnell is a longer drive for us, so call as soon as you have an accepted offer to get the inspection on the calendar.
Older houses converted into apartments deserve a careful look, too. Over the years, fireplaces and chimneys in those buildings may have been closed off, reopened or connected to new appliances, and the paperwork rarely follows them.
A Family Business Serving Property Owners
The Hunkele family has owned and run Top Notch for 24 years. Tom Hunkele is a Past President of the National Chimney Sweep Guild, and the people working on your properties include a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep and a Certified Chimney Professional. We treat tenants’ homes with the same care as an owner’s, with floor protection and a mess-free job.
Good records help too. When we service a property, you’ll know what we found and what we did, which makes it easier to track maintenance across several units and plan repairs before they turn into tenant calls in the middle of winter.
We also serve Newton, on the way from the metro.
Manage rentals in Grinnell? Call (515) 249-6337 to schedule, or request an appointment online.
