Can a chimney be rebuilt in a Springfield winter?

Usually it waits. Mortar has to cure above freezing, so rebuilds in this part of Illinois are warm-month work. A temporary cover can protect the stack in the meantime.

My house is near the Lincoln Home site. Will the new brick match?

Brick and mortar are matched as closely as the house allows. Older Springfield homes often need historically sympathetic solutions, so ask the technician how they will match yours.

Do I need a permit to rebuild a chimney in Illinois?

Permits are issued locally. One is commonly required to rebuild or substantially alter a chimney above the roofline or to reline one. Confirm with the building department that covers your address before work begins.

Does Illinois license chimney work?

Not as a separate trade at the state level. Requirements are set locally, and many places ask contractors to register or hold a local licence. You can check with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and your local building department.

Does it always need a full rebuild?

No. Rebuilding above the roofline is the usual answer. A full rebuild with new footing and flashing is for when the structure itself has gone, and the photographs from the inspection will show which applies.

Rebuild in Springfield, IL

Around the Lincoln Home National Historic Site and Enos Park, Springfield has century-old homes with their original masonry chimneys. If yours is leaning, shedding brick or open to the weather, the stack has most likely worn out above the roofline. The brick, mortar and crown have taken years of weather, and now they are letting go.

Call now · (866) 576-7943

Phones answered around the clock · free estimate

Freeze and thaw is the main cause here. Springfield gets long sub-freezing spells and ice storms, and water that gets into the mortar joints widens the gaps every time it freezes. Illinois heating seasons run from about October into April, so the flue works hard all winter. Severe spring storms in central Illinois can also tear flashing loose and let in more water.

While you wait — please don't

Stop using the fireplace. A fireplace should not be used under a stack that is leaning or shedding brick.
Keep people and pets away from the base. Loose brick can fall from the stack, so keep the area under it clear until it has been looked at.
Do not climb up to fix it yourself. Wet, icy roofs and loose masonry are a bad mix, and a patch will not hold a failing stack.
Get outside if you feel unwell. If a gas furnace or water heater vents through this chimney and anyone has a headache, dizziness or nausea, leave the house and call 911.

What the technician does

You call, we arrange the visitOne Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service. We set up an independent sweep or mason to come and look at your chimney. We are not the contractor and we do not do the work.
Inspection with photographsThe technician looks at what is failing and photographs it. You can see the cracked crown, loose brick or bad mortar for yourself.
The scope is explainedRebuilding above the roofline is the usual answer. If the structure below has gone, the job is a full rebuild with a proper footing and flashing.
Free estimate, price firstThe estimate is free. The technician gives you the price before any work starts, and nothing begins until you approve it.
Crown, liner and matching brickA 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 Springfield, IL

Springfield's older districts, including Enos Park and the Lincoln Home Historic District, have original masonry chimneys that have been through a century of winters. Replacement work on homes like these often needs size-specific or historically sympathetic solutions. Tell the technician how old the house is and ask how they plan to match the brick and mortar.

Masonry needs temperatures above freezing to cure. In a cold region like central Illinois, rebuilds are warm-month work. If you find the damage in winter, a temporary cover can protect the stack until the weather allows the rebuild. Demand also rises after storm season, from March to June, and again in late fall before the first hard freeze. Calling when you first notice the damage gives you time to plan.

Questions people ask

Can a chimney be rebuilt in a Springfield winter?: Usually it waits. Mortar has to cure above freezing, so rebuilds in this part of Illinois are warm-month work. A temporary cover can protect the stack in the meantime.
My house is near the Lincoln Home site. Will the new brick match?: Brick and mortar are matched as closely as the house allows. Older Springfield homes often need historically sympathetic solutions, so ask the technician how they will match yours.
Do I need a permit to rebuild a chimney in Illinois?: Permits are issued locally. One is commonly required to rebuild or substantially alter a chimney above the roofline or to reline one. Confirm with the building department that covers your address before work begins.
Does Illinois license chimney work?: Not as a separate trade at the state level. Requirements are set locally, and many places ask contractors to register or hold a local licence. You can check with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and your local building department.
Does it always need a full rebuild?: No. Rebuilding above the roofline is the usual answer. A full rebuild with new footing and flashing is for when the structure itself has gone, and the photographs from the inspection will show which applies.

One call

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

Call now · (866) 576-7943