Most chimney damage in the Southwest Suburbs comes down to one thing: water. Freeze-thaw cycles get into brick and mortar, expand, and break the chimney apart from the inside. Chimney Sweep Bros repairs the masonry, the crown and the flue — and, more usefully, works out where the water is getting in so the repair actually lasts. We are insured, we have been doing this locally for over five years, and you can call (708) 432-3430.
The damage we are usually called out for
- Spalling brick — faces of the brick flaking, popping or crumbling away. This is water that soaked into the brick and then froze. Once the face is gone, the brick soaks up water faster, and it accelerates.
- Failed mortar joints — mortar that has receded, cracked or turned sandy. Mortar is sacrificial and it is meant to fail before the brick does. Repointing (tuckpointing) puts it back.
- A cracked or missing crown — the concrete slab at the top. A cracked crown funnels water straight down into the chimney core. It is the single most common root cause we find.
- Cracked or displaced flue tiles — usually the aftermath of a chimney fire, and a genuine safety problem rather than a cosmetic one.
- A leaning or bowing stack — the serious end. Usually years of saturation and freeze-thaw, sometimes a failed footing.
- Water stains on the ceiling or wall beside the chimney breast — the chimney is leaking and the damage inside is further along than the stain suggests.
Why the Chicago freeze-thaw cycle is so hard on chimneys
A chimney is the most exposed masonry on a house. It is unprotected on all four sides and on top, and it takes weather that the walls never see. In our climate the temperature crosses freezing repeatedly through winter, and each crossing is another cycle of water expanding roughly nine percent inside the pores of the brick. That is why a chimney that looked fine three winters ago can suddenly start shedding brick faces.
It is also why a repair that does not address water entry is a waste of money. Repointing a stack while leaving a cracked crown above it means you will be repointing it again.
Chimney flashing and leaks
When a chimney leaks in Orland Park, the flashing is the first thing we suspect — not the brick. Flashing is the metal that seals the joint where the chimney passes through the roof: step flashing woven into the shingle courses and counter-flashing locked into a cut in the mortar joint. Most of the leaks we open up were never flashed properly in the first place — someone sealed the seam with a bead of caulk or a smear of roof tar, which the Chicago freeze-thaw cycle splits apart within a couple of winters. If you have water stains on the ceiling near the chimney or a damp attic after a storm, we strip the failed material and reflash it the right way, stepped and counter-flashed, in aluminum, copper, or lead so it holds for decades.
How we approach a repair
- Find the water. Crown, cap, flashing, the mortar joints, the brick itself. There is almost always a specific route.
- Assess the flue. If the liner is compromised, masonry work alone will not make the chimney safe to use. That is a relining conversation.
- Repair the structure. Repointing, rebuilding the top courses, or a full rebuild down to the roofline, depending on how far the damage runs.
- Close the entry point. A sound crown and a proper cap, so the repair is not just a countdown to the next one.
What we will tell you honestly
Not every crack needs a rebuild. Hairline cracking in mortar with no water ingress and no movement can often be watched rather than fixed. Equally, we will not repoint a stack that needs rebuilding just because repointing is cheaper and easier to sell — you would be paying twice. We show you the photographs, tell you what happens if you wait, and let you decide.
If you are not sure whether what you are seeing is serious, book a chimney inspection first. It is the cheapest way to find out.
Why a cold, uninsulated chimney will not draw
Some chimneys heat up beautifully once a fire is roaring but refuse to start, filling the room with smoke for the first ten minutes. A common cause is an exposed, uninsulated chimney that sits cold. An exterior masonry chimney running up the outside wall of the house, or a flue with a cracked or missing liner and air gaps around it, bleeds heat into the cold brick and the winter air outside. Until that mass warms up, the gases cool on the way out and the draft never establishes.
You feel it as a fire that smoulders, backs up, and throws no heat into the room while the chimney itself stays stone cold to the touch halfway up. The colder the weather, the worse it gets, which is exactly when you want the fireplace most. Internal chimneys running up through the warm centre of the house rarely suffer from this; it is the cold exterior stacks around Orland Park that do.
- An insulated stainless liner, which keeps the flue gases hot so they rise instead of stalling.
- Sealing the air gaps and deteriorated mortar that let cold air wash around the flue.
- Repairing a cracked crown or open joints that pull cold outside air into the chimney cavity.
We assess the chimney structure and the flue together, because insulating the liner is wasted if cold air is still pouring in through failed masonry. If your fire only ever works once it has been burning for a while, a cold uninsulated chimney is the first thing we look at.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my chimney needs repair or replacement?
If the damage is confined to mortar joints and the brick faces are sound, repointing is usually enough. If the brick itself is spalling and crumbling through multiple courses, or the stack is leaning, the top section normally needs rebuilding. We photograph it and show you which one you are looking at rather than asking you to take it on trust.
What is tuckpointing and do I need it?
Tuckpointing (repointing) means grinding out failed mortar and replacing it with fresh mortar. You need it when the mortar has receded, cracked, or gone soft enough to scratch out with a key. Mortar is designed to be the weak point so the brick survives — replacing it on schedule is normal maintenance, not a disaster.
Why does my chimney leak when it rains?
Almost always one of four things: a cracked or undersized crown, a missing or damaged cap, failed flashing where the chimney meets the roof, or brick and mortar that have become porous enough to absorb water directly. Finding which one is the whole job — patching the wrong one changes nothing.
Can a damaged chimney be dangerous, or is it just cosmetic?
It can be genuinely dangerous. Cracked flue tiles let heat and carbon monoxide into the wall cavity. Falling masonry is a hazard on its own. And a chimney that is taking on water is deteriorating faster every season. Some cracks are cosmetic — but that is a determination to make after looking, not before.
How long does chimney repair take?
Repointing a small area or replacing a crown is usually a one-day job. Rebuilding the section above the roofline typically takes two to three days. Weather matters — masonry work needs temperatures that let mortar cure properly, so a hard freeze will push the schedule.
Can you repair a chimney in winter?
Some of it. Interior work, relining, and caps can be done year-round. Mortar-based masonry needs the temperature to stay high enough for the mortar to cure, so a rebuild in a deep freeze is a bad idea and we will tell you to wait rather than sell you work that will fail.
Will a new crown stop my chimney leaking?
It will if the crown is where the water is getting in — and it very often is. But if the flashing has also failed, or the brick has become saturated and porous, the crown alone will not solve it. That is exactly why we look for the route the water is taking instead of defaulting to one repair.
Do I need to stop using the fireplace until it is repaired?
It depends entirely on what is wrong. Deteriorating mortar on the exterior stack is not an immediate reason to stop burning. A cracked flue liner absolutely is. We will give you a clear answer on whether it is safe to light a fire in the meantime.
Book chimney repair in Orland Park
We cover Orland Park, Tinley Park, Palos Heights, Homer Glen, Mokena and the rest of the Southwest Suburbs, seven days a week from 7:00am to 7:00pm. Call (708) 432-3430 or book online and we will call you back to confirm. The price is agreed before any work begins — see pricing.