Sweep & inspection
Caps & crowns
Flue relining
Masonry repair
Gas fireplace serviceLevel 1 sweep and inspection to the NFPA 211 annual standard - flue, crown, cap, and flashing checked and photographed
Chimney sweep logs do not sweep chimneys. They loosen some creosote - which then falls where a brush and vacuum still have to collect it.
Chimney Company in Chicago, IL
Chimney repair in Chicago means working on brick structures that have survived a century of freeze-thaw winters. We’re Wexford Chimney Sweep, and we’ve served Chicago since 2013, handling everything from cracked crown wash on a two-flat in McKinley Park to liner replacement in a pre-war walk-up near the South Loop. The work here isn’t just sweeping a fireplace. It’s camera inspection, masonry repair, and flue restoration on homes built before modern venting codes existed. Call (866) 361-2607 when you need a chimney specialist who knows Chicago’s housing stock.
Why Chicago Homes Are Different
Chicago’s pre-1900 masonry two- and three-flats, the backbone of the 60608, 60609, and 60607 ZIP codes, were built with interior brick chimneys that originally served coal stoves and later gas furnaces and water heaters. After 100-plus years of freeze-thaw cycling, clay flue tiles crack and mortar joints crumble. The real work here, what separates a Chicago chimney specialist from a generic sweep, is annual camera inspection and masonry repair, not just brushing soot from a fireplace.
Hard winters do damage faster than most homeowners expect. Snowmelt soaks into chimney crowns and brick, refreezes overnight, and spalls mortar joints and crown wash. That cycle repeats dozens of times each winter. By spring, a chimney that looked fine in October can have spalled brick faces, widened mortar joints, and a crown wash that holds standing water. We recommend spring inspections after a hard Chicago winter, because that’s when damage is most visible and most affordable to address.
The near-south and near-west ZIP codes, 60607 through 60609, are dominated by 1880s-1920s brick two- and three-flats with unlined or clay-tile flues. Many of those flues were relined or capped decades ago and haven’t been inspected since. A Century of Progress-era two-flat in Brighton Park or McKinley Park will often have its original furnace flue shared with a now-disconnected water heater vent. Technicians routinely find the flue tile offset or missing at a joint hidden behind a first-floor wall. On any pre-war Chicago chimney, a camera is non-negotiable.
Styles & brands we work with
Our Main Chicago Services
Chicago homeowners call us for two things more than anything else: keeping the chimney they already have working safely, and clearing the dryer vent that runs through their wall or floor. Each has its own page with full detail.
Chimney Sweep in Chicago
Every Chicago chimney, whether it vents a gas furnace, a wood-burning fireplace, or a pellet stove, needs periodic sweeping and inspection. In a brick two-flat with a shared flue, creosote and mortar debris can narrow the passage enough to affect draft. We sweep, we camera-inspect, and we document everything. The full detail is on our Chimney Sweep in Chicago page.
Dryer Vent Cleaning in Chicago
Lint builds up in dryer vents faster in older buildings where the vent run is long, bends through a wall, or exhausts through a roof. The lint is combustible, and restricted airflow also shortens dryer life. We clean the entire run and check the termination. Full detail is on our Dryer Vent Cleaning in Chicago page.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees — you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
- 4
You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Chimney Repair in Chicago
Chimney repair in Chicago is usually structural, not cosmetic. Freeze-thaw cycles crack crown wash, spall brick, and offset flue tile joints on the 1880s-1920s masonry buildings that define the near-south and near-west ZIP codes. Most of our repair calls in Chicago start with a camera inspection that finds a crack or a failed joint the homeowner couldn’t see from the ground. We stock professional-grade repair materials, including Olympia Chimney and Famco components, and we fix what the camera shows. That’s the Chimney Repair work we do, and the full detail is on our hub page.
Chimney Cap Replacement
Signs you need it
You can see rust, missing mesh, or a cap that’s shifted off the flue tile, or water is getting in and the cap is more than 10 years old.
What it costs in Chicago
Chimney cap replacement in Chicago typically runs $190 to $480 depending on flue size and roof access, installed.
How we do it
We measure the flue, match the cap to the correct size and material, remove the old cap and any failed mounting hardware, and secure the new cap to the flue tile with mechanical fasteners and a weatherproof seal.
Chimney Crown Repair
Signs you need it
Hairline cracks, spalled concrete, or standing water on the crown after rain, especially after a hard Chicago winter.
What it costs in Chicago
Chimney crown repair in Chicago typically costs $250 to $600 depending on crown size, crack severity, and whether we apply a full overlay or spot repair.
How we do it
We clean the crown surface, chase and fill cracks, and apply a weather-resistant crown coat with a proper overhang and drip edge so water sheds away from the flue and brick.
Chimney Flashing Repair
Signs you need it
Water staining on the ceiling near the chimney chase inside, or lifting, rusted, or missing flashing at the roof penetration.
What it costs in Chicago
Chimney flashing repair in Chicago typically costs $250 to $600 depending on access, roof pitch, and whether we reseal or replace the flashing.
How we do it
We remove the failed flashing material, install new step and counter flashing with a proper overlap and seal, and tie it into the existing roof plane without disturbing adjacent shingles.
Chimney Liner Installation
Signs you need it
Camera inspection shows cracked clay tile, missing sections, or spalling that can’t be sealed, or you’re installing a new appliance that requires a correctly sized flue.
What it costs in Chicago
Chimney liner installation in Chicago typically runs $2,000 to $4,200 depending on flue length, diameter, and roof access.
How we do it
We spec the correct liner based on the appliance, the existing flue dimensions, and local code requirements, then install the liner with proper top and bottom termination using professional-grade materials.
What Chimney Repair Costs in Chicago
| Item | Typical range in Chicago |
|---|---|
| Chimney cap replacement | $190 – $480 installed |
| Chimney crown repair | $250 – $600 installed |
| Chimney flashing repair | $250 – $600 installed |
| Chimney liner installation | $2,000 – $4,200 installed |
Can you fix a cracked chimney without rebuilding it in Chicago?
Often, yes. Small crown cracks and minor mortar spalling can be sealed and repaired without rebuilding. If the clay flue tile is cracked or missing, the chimney usually needs a liner or a HeatShield restoration, not a full rebuild.
How long does chimney repair take in Chicago?
Cap replacement and crown repair are one-visit jobs. Liner installation usually takes one full day. Weather matters in Chicago; hard rain, ice, or high wind can push roof work back a day or two.
Brands We Service in Chicago
We stock and install Olympia Chimney and Famco components, and we work with DuraFlex liner systems for relining jobs. Parts for most cap and crown repairs are in the truck, so we finish most Chicago repair visits in a single trip. More on our our brands page.
See the difference
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AfterPricing for Chimney Company in Chicago, IL
| Service | Typical range in Chicago |
|---|---|
| Chimney sweep | $160 – $275 flat |
| Dryer vent cleaning | $90 – $160 flat |
| Video camera inspection | $90 – $290 (often folded into a sweep) |
| Chimney cap replacement | $190 – $480 installed |
| Chimney crown repair | $250 – $600 installed |
| Chimney flashing repair | $250 – $600 installed |
| Chimney liner installation | $2,000 – $4,200 installed |
Prices in Chicago push toward the upper end of those ranges when roof access is steep, the flue runs three stories through a two-flat, or the crown needs a full overlay instead of a spot repair. You get a flat price before we book, not an hourly estimate that drifts.
Neighborhoods We Serve in Chicago
We work throughout Chicago’s residential neighborhoods, with the most repair and inspection work coming from the older masonry housing stock on the near south and near west sides.
- McKinley Park
- Brighton Park
- Pilsen
- Bridgeport
- East Garfield Park
Most Chicago jobs are scheduled within a few business days, and camera inspections can often be combined with a sweep on the same visit.
Service Area – Cities Near Chicago
When we’re working in Chicago, we also cover the surrounding neighborhoods that share the same pre-war housing stock and climate patterns. That includes Lower West Side, IL, East Garfield Park, IL, McKinley Park, IL, and Near South Side, IL. We schedule service across the area without a separate trip fee for these neighborhoods.
Serving Chicago, IL — Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Chicago area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage — if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs About Chimney Company in Chicago
We cover residential Chicago, with regular work in 60612, 60613, 60614, and 60615, plus the older brick two- and three-flat ZIP codes across the near south and west sides. If you’re inside the city limits, call us and we’ll tell you straight whether we can schedule you.
Most chimney cap, crown, flashing, and liner work falls under routine maintenance and repair, which doesn’t require a separate city permit in Chicago. If a job ever does require one, we’ll let you know before work starts and will handle the conversation with the city.
Yes, and we plan around it. Heavy snow, ice, or high wind can delay roof work, but that’s also exactly why we book spring inspections after Chicago’s hard freeze-thaw cycle has done its damage. Call (866) 361-2607 and we’ll find the next reliable window.
What happens when you call
- 1A real person answersNo phone trees — talk to a local chimney cleaning pro.
- 2You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched. No surprises.
- 3We come out and measureLicensed & insured, at a time that suits you — the visit and the quote are both free.
- 4You get the price in writingLine-itemed, yours to keep, and nothing starts until you say go.
What Chicago Customers Say
"Swept it, capped it, and installed a proper damper. The downdraft smell in the summer that we'd lived with for years is gone."
— Jason Miller"Drop cloths everywhere, HEPA vac, and not a speck of soot on the carpet. I'd been dreading the mess for nothing."
— Scott Walsh"Crown was cracked and taking water. Repaired it rather than quoting a rebuild, which the previous company had pushed hard for."
— Gilbert Rodriguez