Is the water coming from the chimney or the roof?

The two meet at the flashing, so it can be hard to tell from inside. The technician traces the entry point first, so you pay to fix the right thing. You agree the price before work starts.

Why do chimneys in Champaign leak after storms?

Hail and straight-line winds can damage crowns and flashing here. Wind-driven rain then gets into gaps that ordinary rain would pass by. Freeze and thaw widens those gaps over the winter.

Do I need a permit for chimney repairs in Champaign?

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

Does the estimate cost anything?

No. Every job has a free estimate. The technician inspects the chimney and gives you the price before any work starts, and you approve it first.

Does Illinois license chimney repair?

Chimney sweeping, inspection and masonry repair are not separately licensed at the state level. Requirements are set locally, and some towns ask contractors to register or hold a local licence. Ask the technician what applies, and check with the building department for the city or village where the work will be done.

Water coming in in Champaign, IL

Many homes in Old Town Champaign and near Downtown are early-1900s bungalows, foursquares and Victorians, and masonry chimneys are common on them. If there is a damp patch on the ceiling next to the chimney, water is almost certainly getting in at the flashing, the crown or the mortar joints and running down inside. It will not stop on its own. It usually gets worse with each storm.

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Champaign has cold winters, and freeze and thaw widens every crack it finds. Wind-driven rain gets in where ordinary rain runs past. Central Illinois also sees hail, tornadoes and straight-line winds, which can damage chimney crowns and flashing. A small gap in the spring can be a wet ceiling by summer.

While you wait — please don't

Stop using the fireplace until it is checked. Water can damage the masonry and the liner, and a fire in a chimney that is not sound is a risk.
Get outside and call 911 if anyone feels unwell. If there is a headache, dizziness or nausea while a fireplace, stove or furnace is running, it may be carbon monoxide, and a furnace or water heater may also vent through this chimney.
Keep clear of the base of the chimney. A chimney that has been wet for a long time can become structurally unsound, and falling brick is a hazard at the base.
Do not seal over the leak yourself. Caulk or roof tar can hide the real entry point and hold water inside the brick, so the damage carries on out of sight.

What the technician does

You call and we arrange a technicianOne Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service. We arrange the visit with an independent sweep or mason who works on leaks like this. We are not the contractor and we do not do the work.
The entry point is tracedThe technician inspects the chimney to find where the water is actually getting in. The aim is to trace it, not to seal over it.
You get the price before any work startsThe estimate is free. The technician gives you the price after inspecting, and you approve it first.
Flashing and crown are put rightWhere needed, flashing is replaced and counter-flashed into the mortar joint. The crown is repaired or recast, and a cap is fitted.
Brick and mortar are repairedRepointing and replacement of spalled brick close the paths water has been using. Where it suits the chimney, a breathable water repellent can be applied.

Why this happens in in Champaign, IL

Older Champaign homes near Downtown, Old Town and Garden Hills often have masonry chimneys that have been through many winters. Illinois freeze-thaw cycles are hard on exposed brick. They cause spalled brick, cracked crowns and worn mortar joints. Wind and rain off the open prairie add water at the crown, flashing and cap. Newer brick-and-vinyl homes on the south and west sides can have the same trouble at the flashing, especially after a hard storm.

Demand in Champaign picks up in spring after severe-storm and hail season, and again in October and November as people get chimneys ready before the first hard freeze. Masonry work such as tuckpointing and crown repair is mostly done in warmer months, when mortar can cure without freezing. If you notice a stain now, call now. Do not wait for the next storm to show you how far it has spread.

Questions people ask

Is the water coming from the chimney or the roof?: The two meet at the flashing, so it can be hard to tell from inside. The technician traces the entry point first, so you pay to fix the right thing. You agree the price before work starts.
Why do chimneys in Champaign leak after storms?: Hail and straight-line winds can damage crowns and flashing here. Wind-driven rain then gets into gaps that ordinary rain would pass by. Freeze and thaw widens those gaps over the winter.
Do I need a permit for chimney repairs in Champaign?: In Illinois, permits are issued locally. One is commonly needed for relining or for rebuilding a chimney above the roofline, but routine sweeping and basic inspection usually are not permitted work. Confirm with the local building department before work begins.
Does the estimate cost anything?: No. Every job has a free estimate. The technician inspects the chimney and gives you the price before any work starts, and you approve it first.
Does Illinois license chimney repair?: Chimney sweeping, inspection and masonry repair are not separately licensed at the state level. Requirements are set locally, and some towns ask contractors to register or hold a local licence. Ask the technician what applies, and check with the building department for the city or village where the work will be done.

One call

Call (866) 576-7943 and One Call Chimney will arrange a technician for your leak in Champaign. 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.