Stop using the fireplace
Who to call for chimney relining in Aurora, IL
Aurora has a dense stock of century-old brick and frame homes in and around downtown, and many of them still have the masonry chimney they were built with. If someone has told you your liner is cracked, the work is done by an independent chimney sweep or mason, and One Call Chimney arranges that visit. We are a referral and scheduling service, not the contractor. Look for a technician who starts with a camera inspection, shows you the footage, sizes the liner to your appliance, and explains the reasoning in writing.
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What has almost certainly happened is simple. The inside lining of the flue, often clay tile in older homes, has cracked or worn through. That lining is what keeps heat, smoke and carbon monoxide away from the wood and walls around the chimney. Aurora's long heating season, hard freezes and swings between wet and dry all take a toll on it. A crack is not something to wait on.
While you wait — please don't
- Stop using the fireplace or stove. A damaged liner can let heat and carbon monoxide reach the structure of the house, so the appliance should stay off until the flue is verified.
- Get outside and call 911 if you feel unwell. Headache, dizziness, nausea or a carbon monoxide alarm going off means leave the house first and call 911 from outside.
- Do not relight after a chimney fire. After any chimney fire the flue must be inspected before it is used again, because clay tiles crack in a fire.
- Do not switch to gas without checking the liner. Converting to gas without relining leaves acidic condensate attacking the masonry, and a furnace or water heater venting into an old chimney needs a liner sized for it.
What the technician does
- Camera inspection firstThe technician runs a camera through the flue to see the damage. Ask to see the footage so you can see what they see.
- The free estimateAfter the inspection the technician gives you the price. Nothing starts until you approve it.
- A liner matched to the applianceAppliance and flue are matched for size, material and termination. That usually means a stainless steel liner sized to the appliance and insulated where required.
- Cast-in-place lining where it fitsWhere it is appropriate for your chimney, the technician may recommend a cast-in-place liner instead. Ask for the reasoning in writing.
- Cap and crown handled togetherThe cap and crown are addressed at the same time, so water does not get in at the top of the new liner.
- Permit questionsIn Illinois a permit is commonly required for relining, and permits are issued locally. Confirm with the building department before work begins.
Why this happens in Aurora, IL
The Fox River runs through the center of Aurora, and the older neighborhoods and historic districts around it hold a lot of century-old brick and frame homes. Chimneys in these houses often have full-height masonry and clay tile liners. Many have also had a gas furnace or water heater connected to them over the decades. Illinois housing in general has plenty of these older masonry chimneys, and a gas appliance venting through one needs a properly sized liner.
Weather adds to it. Aurora has cold, snowy winters with freeze-thaw cycles and deep frost, and across Illinois the heating season runs from about October into April. That means months of continuous use, then repeated freezing on exposed masonry. Demand picks up in late fall before the first hard freeze and again in spring after storm and hail season. If you have been told your liner is cracked, getting the camera inspection done before the cold sets in is a practical step.
Questions people ask
- Do I need a permit to reline a chimney in Aurora?
- In Illinois, permits are issued locally. Relining a chimney commonly requires one, but rules vary between jurisdictions. Ask the local building department before work begins.
- Is chimney work licensed in Illinois?
- Chimney sweeping, inspection and masonry repair are not separately licensed at the state level. Requirements are handled locally, and many places ask contractors to register or hold a local licence. You can verify current rules with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and the local building department.
- Why do liners crack in older Aurora homes?
- Clay tiles crack in a chimney fire. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles in Aurora's winters are also hard on masonry. The camera inspection shows which one applies to your flue.
- We are converting to gas. Do we need a liner?
- Converting to gas without relining leaves acidic condensate attacking the masonry. The appliance and flue need to be matched for size, material and termination. The technician will check this during the inspection.
- Can I keep using the fireplace until the relining is done?
- No. A damaged liner can let heat and carbon monoxide reach the structure of the house. Leave the appliance off until the flue has been verified.
One call
Call (866) 576-7943 and One Call Chimney will arrange an independent technician to look at your liner. The estimate is free, and you approve the price before any work starts.
More from One Call Chimney
Something else in this area
- Never been swept
- Smoke comes back into the room
- Water coming in
- Something living up there
- Smells of smoke or damp
- Cracked crown or crumbling brick
- Damper stuck or broken
- Rebuild or new chimney
One Call Chimney arranges the visit; the technician does the work and gives you the price.