Chimney Sweep Bros sweeps, inspects, relines and repairs chimneys across Crestwood. We are insured, open seven days a week from 7:00am to 7:00pm. Call (708) 432-3430.
Village services and permit information are available from the Village of Crestwood.
A small village that grew after the war
Crestwood incorporated in 1928 with a population of about 400 people. It sits roughly 23 miles southwest of downtown Chicago, and the overwhelming majority of its housing went up long after incorporation — in the post-war decades, when the population grew into the village it is now. That is what we see on the roofs: a dense, consistent stock of mid-century masonry chimneys, all much the same age.
The older masonry chimneys have the opposite problem: the mortar joints between the clay flue tiles wash out over the decades until there are gaps in the liner. A gap is a direct route for heat and carbon monoxide into the wall cavity, and it is invisible from the firebox — only a camera finds it. See chimney inspection.
Why “it has been fine for sixty years” is not reassurance
It is the most natural thing in the world to assume that a chimney which has never given trouble is not going to. But a chimney does not fail gradually in a way you can feel from the sofa. The mortar joints between the flue tiles wash out silently. A chimney fire — often brief enough to be mistaken for a noisy fire — cracks the tiles in one go. Neither announces itself. The first real symptom of a failed liner is frequently carbon monoxide, and carbon monoxide has no smell.
That is the whole argument for an annual look, and it is the same argument whether the chimney is sixty years old or six.
Water at the top, as ever
The route in is nearly always a cracked crown or a missing cap. Water gets into the core, freezes, expands, and takes the chimney apart from the inside — which is where spalling brick and failed mortar come from. Stopping the water is cheap; rebuilding a stack is not. See caps and crowns and chimney repair.
Chimney services we provide in Crestwood
- Chimney sweeping — under a sealed HEPA vacuum, Level 1 inspection included.
- Chimney inspection — Level 1 and Level 2 with a camera up the flue.
- Chimney repair and masonry — spalling brick, failed mortar, tuckpointing, rebuilds.
- Chimney relining — stainless liners sized to the appliance.
- Caps and crowns — stopping water before it does the damage.
- Gas fireplace service — the flue still matters, because carbon monoxide does.
- Dryer vent cleaning — the full duct run.
Frequently asked questions
My chimney has been fine for sixty years. Why would it need anything now?
Because chimneys do not fail in a way you can notice from the room. The mortar joints between the flue tiles wash out silently, and a chimney fire — often brief enough to be mistaken for a noisy fire — can crack the tiles in one go. The first real symptom of a failed liner is often carbon monoxide, which has no smell.
My house is post-war. What is likely wrong with the chimney?
The mortar joints between the clay flue tiles. After decades they wash out and leave gaps in the liner, which lets heat and carbon monoxide into the wall cavity. It is invisible from the firebox — only a camera will show it.
How much does a chimney sweep cost in Crestwood?
A sweep with a Level 1 inspection starts at $179, confirmed before we start. Prices are all published on our pricing page.
Do you charge travel to Crestwood?
No. There is no travel surcharge.
Why is my brickwork crumbling?
Water and freeze-thaw. Water gets in at the top through a cracked crown or missing cap, soaks into the masonry, freezes and expands, and breaks it apart from the inside. Fixing the top is cheap; rebuilding the stack is not.
Do I need to stop using the fireplace if the chimney is damaged?
It depends what is damaged. Crumbling mortar on the outside is not an immediate reason to stop burning. A cracked flue liner is. We will tell you clearly which one you are dealing with.
Can you inspect a chimney I have never used?
Yes, and it is worth doing before you light it. An unused chimney is not a safe chimney, it is an unknown one — disused flues are where we most often find nests and collapsed liners.
Do you work weekends in Crestwood?
Yes. Seven days a week, 7:00am to 7:00pm, at the same rate as a weekday.
Book a chimney sweep in Crestwood
Call (708) 432-3430 — open seven days, 7:00am to 7:00pm — or book online. Prices are on our pricing page and confirmed before work begins.
From our blog: How Much Does Chimney Repair Cost? Tuckpointing to Rebuilds
Also from our blog: whether creosote sweeping logs actually work, and why Crestwood’s post-war flues still need a camera.