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

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.

Do I need a permit for relining in Decatur?

In Illinois, permits are issued locally, and relining a chimney commonly requires one. Rules vary between jurisdictions, so confirm with the local building department before work begins. Ask the technician how permits are handled for your job.

I'm switching my Decatur home to gas. Do I still need a liner?

Often, yes. Converting to gas without relining leaves acidic condensate attacking the masonry. The liner has to be sized to the appliance, which is why the camera inspection and the appliance details matter.

Why do older Decatur chimneys have liner trouble?

Many older homes here have masonry chimneys, and many Illinois chimneys have clay tile liners. Clay tiles crack in a chimney fire, and long heating seasons, freeze-thaw cycles and moisture all add wear over the decades.

Who does the work, and how do I check their credentials?

One Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service. We arrange the work with independent sweeps and masons, and we do not perform it. Illinois does not license chimney work separately at the state level, so ask the technician what your city, village or county requires, and check with the local building department.

Stop using the fireplace

Liner damaged in Decatur, IL

Decatur sits on the flat central Illinois prairie beside Lake Decatur, and much of the town is older brick and wood-frame housing with masonry chimneys. If someone has told you the liner in your chimney is cracked, that is a real finding. It means the flue no longer does its full job of keeping heat, smoke and gas inside the chimney and away from the house.

Call now · (866) 576-7943

Phones answered around the clock · free estimate

Liners in Decatur-area homes work hard. Illinois has a long heating season, roughly October into April, so a flue can see months of steady use. Hard freezes and freeze-thaw cycles from late fall to early spring add stress to exposed masonry. Many older Illinois chimneys have clay tile liners, and clay tiles crack in a chimney fire. Gas furnaces and water heaters are often vented through those same old chimneys, and that is a second way liners fail.

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 anyone feels unwell. If anyone has a headache, dizziness or nausea while an appliance is running, treat it as possible carbon monoxide: leave the house first and call 911.
Do not light it after a chimney fire. After any chimney fire the flue must be inspected before it is used again, even if everything looks fine from the room.
Do not patch the flue yourself. Sealant or a quick fix inside the chimney cannot confirm that the whole flue is sound, and the liner has to be sized to the appliance.

What the technician does

Camera inspection firstThe technician runs a camera through the flue to see the cracks for themselves. Ask to see the footage so you know what is actually there.
Free estimate, then your approvalThe technician inspects the chimney and gives you the price before any work starts. Nothing begins until you approve it.
Liner matched to the applianceA stainless steel liner is sized to the appliance and insulated where required. Where it suits the chimney, a cast-in-place lining may be used instead. The appliance and flue are matched for size, material and termination.
Cap and crown looked at tooThe cap and crown are addressed at the same time, because water getting in at the top can undo good work below.
Reasoning in writingAsk for the findings and the reasoning in writing. It is a fair request, and it leaves you with a record of what was found and done.

Why this happens in Decatur, IL

Decatur's housing leans older: brick and wood-frame homes, bungalows and mid-century ranches, with newer subdivisions on the edges of town and in nearby suburbs. Many of the older homes have masonry chimneys and fireplaces. Across Illinois, a gas furnace or water heater is often still vented through an older masonry chimney, and that chimney needs a properly sized liner. Converting to gas without relining leaves acidic condensate attacking the masonry, so a liner problem can be quietly getting worse even when no fire has been lit.

Weather adds to it. Central Illinois gets severe thunderstorms, hail and damaging straight-line winds, mostly in spring and early summer, and those storms can damage chimney caps. Winter freeze-thaw cycles are hard on exposed masonry and can crack crowns and break down mortar joints. Humid summers can also trap moisture in rarely used flues and speed up liner corrosion. Repair demand in Decatur typically rises after spring storms and again with the first hard freezes of late fall, so if you are planning ahead for the heating season, it helps to get the flue checked early.

Questions people ask

Can I keep using my fireplace until the liner is replaced?: 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.
Do I need a permit for relining in Decatur?: In Illinois, permits are issued locally, and relining a chimney commonly requires one. Rules vary between jurisdictions, so confirm with the local building department before work begins. Ask the technician how permits are handled for your job.
I'm switching my Decatur home to gas. Do I still need a liner?: Often, yes. Converting to gas without relining leaves acidic condensate attacking the masonry. The liner has to be sized to the appliance, which is why the camera inspection and the appliance details matter.
Why do older Decatur chimneys have liner trouble?: Many older homes here have masonry chimneys, and many Illinois chimneys have clay tile liners. Clay tiles crack in a chimney fire, and long heating seasons, freeze-thaw cycles and moisture all add wear over the decades.
Who does the work, and how do I check their credentials?: One Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service. We arrange the work with independent sweeps and masons, and we do not perform it. Illinois does not license chimney work separately at the state level, so ask the technician what your city, village or county requires, and check with the local building department.

One call

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

Call now · (866) 576-7943