How do I know if my chimney needs a rebuild and not just a repair?

The technician decides that after looking at the chimney up close. You get photographs of what is failing, and a rebuild above the roofline is the usual answer when the brick and mortar there have broken down.

Can I use my fireplace until the rebuild is done?

No, not if the stack is leaning or shedding brick. Leave the fireplace unused until a technician has inspected it. If smoke comes into the room, stop using it and get outside if anyone feels unwell.

Why do Evanston chimneys fail above the roof so often?

Evanston has cold winters with repeated freeze-thaw cycles and heavy road salt, and many homes are a century old or more. Water works into old brick and mortar and the top of the stack breaks down first.

Will a rebuild in Evanston have to wait for warm weather?

Often, yes. Masonry needs temperatures above freezing to cure, so rebuilds are warm-month work in cold regions. A temporary cover can protect the stack until the weather allows the work.

Do I need a permit for a chimney rebuild in Evanston?

In Illinois, permits are issued locally, and one is commonly required to rebuild a chimney above the roofline. Confirm with the local building department before work begins.

Rebuild in Evanston, IL

Many Evanston homes are a century old or more, and a lot of them still stand on their original brick chimneys. If you are searching for a rebuild, the stack on your house has most likely worn out above the roofline. The brick is loose, the mortar has crumbled, or the top has started to lean. That is the part of a chimney that takes the most weather, and it is usually the part that needs rebuilding.

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Illinois winters are hard on exposed masonry. Water gets into brick and mortar, freezes, thaws and freezes again. Over decades that breaks down the joints, spalls the faces of the bricks and cracks the crown. Wind-driven rain and snow off the lake add more water at the crown, flashing and cap. Evanston gets repeated freeze-thaw cycles and heavy road salt, so an old stack here has been through a lot.

While you wait — please don't

Do not light the fireplace. A fireplace should not be used under a stack that is leaning or shedding brick.
Do not stand or park under the stack. Loose brick can fall without warning, so keep people and pets away from the area below it.
Do not ignore symptoms of carbon monoxide. If anyone has a headache, dizziness or nausea, or smoke is coming into the room, get everyone outside and call 911.
Do not climb up to patch it yourself. A damaged stack and a steep roof are a bad mix, and a technician can see the full extent of the damage safely.

What the technician does

You call, we arrange the visitOne Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service. We arrange the job with an independent sweep or mason. We are not the contractor and we do not do the work.
Inspection with photographsThe technician inspects the chimney and photographs what is failing. You see the same pictures they do.
The scope is explainedMost often the answer is a rebuild above the roofline. Where the structure has gone further, the answer is a full rebuild with a proper footing and flashing.
You get the price firstThe estimate is free. The technician gives you the price before any work starts, and you approve it first.
The rebuildA new crown cap and liner are part of the work. Brick and mortar are matched as closely as the house allows.

Why this happens in Evanston, IL

Much of Evanston's housing dates from the late 1800s through the mid-1900s. That includes brick and frame houses in Northeast Evanston, South Evanston, Ridgeville and West Evanston, many with masonry chimneys and fireplaces. Illinois also has many older brick homes with full-height masonry chimneys and clay tile liners. In many Illinois homes, a gas furnace or water heater vents through an older masonry chimney. If your stack is failing, tell the technician what is connected to it.

Timing matters in Evanston. Masonry needs temperatures above freezing to cure, so cold-region rebuilds are warm-month work. If you find the damage in winter, ask the technician about a temporary cover to protect the stack until then. Permits are issued locally in Illinois, and a permit is commonly required to rebuild a chimney above the roofline. Ask the building department which code edition is in force and whether your job needs a permit.

Questions people ask

How do I know if my chimney needs a rebuild and not just a repair?: The technician decides that after looking at the chimney up close. You get photographs of what is failing, and a rebuild above the roofline is the usual answer when the brick and mortar there have broken down.
Can I use my fireplace until the rebuild is done?: No, not if the stack is leaning or shedding brick. Leave the fireplace unused until a technician has inspected it. If smoke comes into the room, stop using it and get outside if anyone feels unwell.
Why do Evanston chimneys fail above the roof so often?: Evanston has cold winters with repeated freeze-thaw cycles and heavy road salt, and many homes are a century old or more. Water works into old brick and mortar and the top of the stack breaks down first.
Will a rebuild in Evanston have to wait for warm weather?: Often, yes. Masonry needs temperatures above freezing to cure, so rebuilds are warm-month work in cold regions. A temporary cover can protect the stack until the weather allows the work.
Do I need a permit for a chimney rebuild in Evanston?: In Illinois, permits are issued locally, and one is commonly required to rebuild a chimney above the roofline. Confirm with the local building department before work begins.

One call

Call (866) 576-7943 and we will arrange an independent technician to look at your Evanston chimney. The estimate is free, and the price is agreed with you before any work starts.

Call now · (866) 576-7943