Can I keep using my fireplace until the liner is replaced?

No. A damaged liner lets heat and carbon monoxide reach the structure of the house. Do not use the appliance until the flue has been verified. If anyone feels dizzy or sick, get outside and call 911.

My Bolingbrook house switched to a gas furnace. Does the old chimney need a liner?

Often it does. Converting to gas without relining leaves acidic condensate attacking the masonry. Many Illinois homes vent a gas furnace or water heater through an older masonry chimney that needs a properly sized liner. A camera inspection will show what your flue needs.

Do I need a permit to reline a chimney in Bolingbrook?

A permit is commonly required for relining a chimney in Illinois. Permits are issued locally, and rules vary between jurisdictions. Confirm with your local building department before work begins.

Who actually does the work?

One Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service. We arrange the job with independent sweeps and masons, and they perform the work. We are not the contractor.

What does the estimate cost, and when do I agree to anything?

The estimate is free on every job. The technician inspects the chimney and gives you the price before any work starts. You approve it first.

Stop using the fireplace

Liner damaged in Bolingbrook, IL

Bolingbrook is a Chicago-area suburb in Will County, and most of its homes were built between the 1970s and the 2000s. If someone told you the liner is cracked, it almost certainly means the flue inside your chimney has a break or gap in it. That lets heat and carbon monoxide reach the structure of the house. Until the flue is verified, do not use the fireplace, stove or appliance that vents into it.

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Winters here are cold and snowy, and Illinois has a long heating season that runs from about October into April. That means months of continuous use, then repeated freeze-thaw cycles on the masonry. Liners take that punishment from the inside and the outside. A cracked liner is common, and it can be fixed. The first step is a proper look inside the flue.

While you wait — please don't

Stop using the fireplace or stove. A damaged liner lets heat and carbon monoxide reach the house structure, so the appliance should not be used until the flue is verified.
Get outside and call 911 if you feel unwell. Headache, dizziness, nausea or confusion while an appliance is running can point to carbon monoxide, and fresh air and 911 come first.
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.
Ask to see the camera footage. Seeing the inside of your own flue is the clearest way to understand what needs to be done, and you can ask for the reasoning in writing.

What the technician does

Camera inspection firstThe technician runs a camera through the flue to see the cracks and gaps. You can look at what they see.
Liner sized to the applianceIf a stainless steel liner is the answer, it is sized to the appliance it serves and insulated where required.
Cast-in-place lining where appropriateSome flues suit a cast-in-place lining better. The technician will tell you which option fits yours and why.
Appliance and flue matchedSize, material and termination are matched between the appliance and the flue, so the whole system works together.
Cap and crown addressed tooThe cap and crown are dealt with at the same time, since water getting in from the top is hard on a new liner.
Price first, then your approvalThe technician inspects the chimney and gives you the price before any work starts. Nothing begins until you approve it.

Why this happens in Bolingbrook, IL

Many Bolingbrook homes are suburban single-family houses and townhomes with wood-frame construction and brick-accented exteriors. Across Illinois, homes from the postwar and late-century suburban era often have factory-built metal fireplaces with Class A chimney chases. Many other homes still vent a gas furnace or water heater through an older masonry chimney. That older chimney needs a properly sized liner. Converting to gas without relining leaves acidic condensate attacking the masonry, which is one reason liners fail.

Bolingbrook's freeze-thaw cycles and road salt wear on exterior parts of a home, and the chimney is no exception. Wind-driven rain and snow add water at the crown, flashing and cap. Humid summers can trap moisture in masonry and in rarely used flues, and that speeds up liner corrosion. Relining often involves a permit, since Illinois permits are issued locally. Ask your local building department which code edition is in force, and check what it requires for contractors working in your area. Repair demand tends to peak in late fall and winter, while masonry work is concentrated in the warmer months when mortar can cure without freezing.

Questions people ask

Can I keep using my fireplace until the liner is replaced?: No. A damaged liner lets heat and carbon monoxide reach the structure of the house. Do not use the appliance until the flue has been verified. If anyone feels dizzy or sick, get outside and call 911.
My Bolingbrook house switched to a gas furnace. Does the old chimney need a liner?: Often it does. Converting to gas without relining leaves acidic condensate attacking the masonry. Many Illinois homes vent a gas furnace or water heater through an older masonry chimney that needs a properly sized liner. A camera inspection will show what your flue needs.
Do I need a permit to reline a chimney in Bolingbrook?: A permit is commonly required for relining a chimney in Illinois. Permits are issued locally, and rules vary between jurisdictions. Confirm with your local building department before work begins.
Who actually does the work?: One Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service. We arrange the job with independent sweeps and masons, and they perform the work. We are not the contractor.
What does the estimate cost, and when do I agree to anything?: The estimate is free on every job. The technician inspects the chimney and gives you the price before any work starts. You approve it first.

One call

Call (866) 576-7943 and One Call Chimney will arrange a technician for your Bolingbrook chimney. The estimate is free, and the price is agreed with you before any work starts.

Call now · (866) 576-7943