Frequently asked questions

Yes -- every quote from MNM Services starts free, as advertised across our booking pages.

MNM Services is a small crew based in Munising, serving the entire Upper Peninsula.

Yes. MNM Services is fully insured, and a certificate of insurance is available on request.

New concrete is solid enough to walk on about 24 hours after it's poured. Plan on waiting 7 to 10 days before driving or parking a vehicle on it, and about 28 days for it to reach full strength.

Yes. A heavy, driving rain can wash out fresh cement before it sets, and extreme heat or cold both interfere with proper curing -- contractors commonly reschedule a pour around the weather.

Too much water in the mix, poor finishing technique, improper curing, and freeze-thaw cycles in cold climates are the most common causes.

It's best to avoid rock salt and other deicing chemicals on new concrete, especially through its first winter -- they speed up the freeze-thaw cycling that damages the surface. Pet- and concrete-safe traction aids are a safer choice.

Most foundation problems trace back to the soil: expansive soil that shrinks and swells with moisture, poor drainage, and freeze-thaw cycles are the most common causes.

Footings have to reach below the frost line for the area -- about 48 inches here in the Upper Peninsula, per the Michigan Residential Code (R403.1.4) and the depth your local building official sets, deeper than the 42-inch statewide floor.

Some disturbance to the yard around the work area is normal for any excavation. Most contractors try to minimize it and can help reseed or restore landscaping afterward, though results vary by site.

Tuckpointing removes deteriorated mortar from between the bricks and replaces it with fresh mortar. Brick repair goes a step further and replaces bricks that are themselves damaged.

Crumbling or missing mortar, joints that scratch away easily, hairline cracks in the joints, white chalky residue (efflorescence), and water staining near the masonry are the usual warning signs.

Well-done tuckpointing is commonly said to last 20 to 30 years, depending on the mortar match and the quality of the work.

Spalling is almost always moisture trapped behind or inside the brick that then freezes -- the ice expands and forces the brick's outer face to pop off, a common problem in cold, wet climates.

The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) recommends a sweep once soot or creosote buildup reaches about 1/8 inch. NFPA 211 calls for an inspection at least once a year regardless.

The EPA notes that creosote is a highly combustible byproduct of wood smoke. Once enough builds up it can ignite inside the chimney, sometimes without the homeowner noticing.

The CDC warns that a blocked or cracked flue can let combustion gases, including carbon monoxide, back up into the living space instead of venting outside.

The CSIA notes that a cracked crown or failed flashing lets water into the brick and mortar instead of shedding it, and freeze-thaw winters widen that damage every year.

A chimney inspection alone typically takes about 20 to 30 minutes. A full sweep usually runs 1 to 1.5 hours, though access and distance from the truck can add time.

Yes. The fire code for chimneys, NFPA 211, calls for an inspection at least once a year no matter the fuel type or how much the system is used.

The CSIA's advice: treat it as an emergency. Get everyone out and call 911 immediately. Even a fire that burns out on its own can damage the chimney, so have it evaluated by a certified sweep before using it again.

The visual inspection is a drone look at the chimney for structural issues (brick, mortar, crown, cap and flashing) plus what we can reach inside, with photos. Level 2 includes the visual inspection, plus a camera down every flue and a written report.

The University of Minnesota Extension lists these warning signs: sagging ceiling tiles or boards, boards falling out of the grid, and sagging sprinkler lines. If you see any of these, get out and call a building authority or structural engineer.

As the University of Minnesota Extension explains, the roof over heated living space warms above freezing while the eaves stay cold. Snow melts higher up, runs down, and refreezes at the edge, building a ridge that traps water behind it.

According to the University of Minnesota Extension, once water backs up under the shingles it can migrate into attic insulation, ceilings and walls, leading to staining, rot and mould.

Under the Michigan building code, Alger County's required ground snow load design is 70 psf, one of the higher values in Michigan. Older camps and outbuildings built before that code carry less of a safety margin.

Done carefully it shouldn't. Done roughly -- including misusing a roof rake -- it can strip granules or tear the shingle surface.

They can, especially if snow is left on part of the roof or the underlying heat-loss cause isn't addressed -- removing an ice dam treats the symptom, not the cause.

Yes -- clearing snow-load from roofs before the ice dams start is one of our winter services.