Why is the ceiling damp only next to the chimney?

Water usually follows the chimney down from the roofline. The flashing, crown, cap or brick is the likely entry point, and the technician traces it to be sure.

Will I need a permit in Arlington Heights?

In Illinois, permits are issued locally. One is commonly needed for relining or for rebuilding a chimney above the roofline, while routine sweeping and basic inspection generally are not permitted work. Confirm with the building department before work begins.

When should masonry repairs be done in Arlington Heights?

Tuckpointing and crown repairs are best done in warmer months, when mortar can cure without freezing. You can still have the chimney inspected and the price agreed in winter.

Does road salt and winter cold matter for a chimney?

The freeze-thaw cycles matter most. Water gets into small cracks, freezes and widens them, which is why spalled brick and cracked crowns are common in this climate.

Does One Call Chimney do the repair?

No. We are a referral and scheduling service that arranges the work with independent sweeps and masons. The estimate is free, and you approve the price before anything starts.

Chimney Leak, booked with one call, in Arlington Heights, IL

Many Arlington Heights homes date from the post-WWII boom through the 1970s, and a lot of them have a masonry or prefabricated chimney that has been through decades of Chicago-area winters. A damp patch on the ceiling next to the chimney almost certainly means water is getting in somewhere along it. That could be the flashing, the crown, the cap or the brick itself. The job is to find the entry point and repair it. Plan on an inspection first, and on masonry work that is best done in the warmer months.

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Arlington Heights has cold, snowy winters and frequent freeze-thaw cycles. Freeze and thaw widens every crack it finds, and wind-driven rain gets in where ordinary rain runs past. Illinois also has a long heating season, roughly October into April, so the chimney is worked hard and then left wet. Over time that shows up as cracked crowns, loose mortar joints and a stain on your ceiling.

While you wait — please don't

Keep clear of the chimney base. A chimney that has been wet for years can become structurally unsound, and falling brick is a hazard at the base.
Hold off on lighting fires. Wait until a technician has inspected the chimney. If smoke ever comes into the room, or anyone feels dizzy, sick or has a headache, stop using the fireplace, get outside and call 911.
Do not seal over the damp patch or the outside joint. Covering the sign does not stop the water, so the entry point needs to be traced and repaired.
Stay off a wet or icy roof. Looking for the leak yourself is not worth a fall, and the technician will check it safely.

What the technician does

Inspection and free estimateAn independent technician inspects the chimney and gives you the price before any work starts. You approve it first.
The entry point is tracedThe water is followed back to where it gets in, rather than sealed over at the stain.
Flashing replacedWhere the flashing has failed, it is replaced and counter-flashed into the mortar joint.
Crown and capA cracked crown is repaired or recast, and a cap is fitted to keep rain and snow out of the flue.
Brick and mortarFailing joints are repointed and spalled brick is replaced. A breathable water repellent is applied where it suits the chimney.

Why this happens in Arlington Heights, IL

Arlington Heights is a Chicago northwest suburb, and many of its mid-century homes have aging chimneys. Brick and frame ranches, split-levels and two-story houses often have either a full masonry chimney or a prefabricated fireplace with a metal chase. Older homes closer to downtown may have been through more winters still. Chicago-area clay soils and big seasonal temperature swings add wear to masonry, so small gaps can open up over time.

Demand for chimney work here peaks in late fall through winter, and again in spring and summer after storm damage. Illinois masonry rebuilding, tuckpointing and crown repairs are concentrated in the warmer months, when mortar can cure without freezing. If you spot the damp patch in winter, get it looked at now and plan the masonry for when the weather allows. Neighbouring towns such as Palatine, Mount Prospect, Buffalo Grove and Wheeling see the same freeze-thaw pattern.

Questions people ask

Why is the ceiling damp only next to the chimney?: Water usually follows the chimney down from the roofline. The flashing, crown, cap or brick is the likely entry point, and the technician traces it to be sure.
Will I need a permit in Arlington Heights?: In Illinois, permits are issued locally. One is commonly needed for relining or for rebuilding a chimney above the roofline, while routine sweeping and basic inspection generally are not permitted work. Confirm with the building department before work begins.
When should masonry repairs be done in Arlington Heights?: Tuckpointing and crown repairs are best done in warmer months, when mortar can cure without freezing. You can still have the chimney inspected and the price agreed in winter.
Does road salt and winter cold matter for a chimney?: The freeze-thaw cycles matter most. Water gets into small cracks, freezes and widens them, which is why spalled brick and cracked crowns are common in this climate.
Does One Call Chimney do the repair?: No. We are a referral and scheduling service that arranges the work with independent sweeps and masons. The estimate is free, and you approve the price before anything starts.

One call

Call (866) 576-7943 and tell us there is a damp patch on the ceiling next to the chimney. The estimate is free, and the price is agreed with you before any work starts.

Call now · (866) 576-7943

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One Call Chimney arranges the visit; the technician does the work and gives you the price.