Chimney sweep in Milwaukee, WI

Chimney care in the 414 area

Winters around Milwaukee, Franklin and South Milwaukee mean long, heavy heating seasons and deep freeze-thaw cycles. Wood stoves, inserts and fireplaces that run for months build creosote quickly, and ice and snow load test crowns, caps and flashing. Plan an inspection and sweep in late summer or early fall, before the busy season starts.

The Census Bureau counts about 411,400 homes and apartments in the 414 territory. 82.2% were built before 1980 and 29.7% before 1940, higher than the Wisconsin figure of 58.4% built before 1980. The median home here dates from the 1950s, and 45.3% of homes are single-family detached houses.

79.1% of occupied homes heat mainly with utility gas and 17.1% with electricity. Wood is the main heating fuel in 0.2% of homes, lower than the national rate of 1.5%.

With 29.7% of homes built before 1940, many chimneys here are older masonry. Older flues can be unlined or have clay tile liners that have cracked over the years, which a camera inspection of the flue will show.

Under the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code, the territory is in climate zone 5A (cool, humid).

The 414 territory is home to roughly 898,000 people across 49 ZIP codes in Milwaukee County, Waukesha County.

Services in Milwaukee

• Chimney inspection in Milwaukee: Level 1, 2 and 3 to NFPA 211
• Chimney cleaning in Milwaukee: creosote and soot removal
• Dryer vent cleaning in Milwaukee: full vent run to the outside hood
• Chimney repairs, chimney relining and wood stove installs: ask your local company whether they offer them

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates (tables B25034, B25040, B25024) for the ZIP codes in this territory; climate zones from PNNL, Guide to Determining Climate Zone by County (2022). Population from our ZIP code data.