Chimney sweep in Sioux City, IA

Chimney care in the 712 area

Winters around Sioux City, Council Bluffs and Storm Lake 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 247,800 homes and apartments in the 712 territory. 73% were built before 1980 and 31.3% before 1940, higher than the Iowa figure of 63.2% built before 1980. The median home here dates from the 1960s, and 79.6% of homes are single-family detached houses.

55.3% of occupied homes heat mainly with utility gas and 27.5% with electricity. Wood is the main heating fuel in 0.7% of homes, lower than the national rate of 1.5%.

With 31.3% 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, 78% of residents live in climate zone 5A (cool, humid), and the rest mostly in 6A (cold, humid).

The 712 territory is home to roughly 552,000 people across 265 ZIP codes in Woodbury County, Pottawattamie County, Sioux County, Plymouth County and 28 more counties.

Services in Sioux City

• Chimney inspection in Sioux City: Level 1, 2 and 3 to NFPA 211
• Chimney cleaning in Sioux City: creosote and soot removal
• Dryer vent cleaning in Sioux City: 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.