Is a cracked crown urgent?

Treat it as a repair to book soon, not something to leave for years. Water keeps getting in, and each freeze makes the damage worse. If brick is already falling, keep people away from the base until it is fixed.

Do I need a permit for chimney crown work in Bolingbrook?

Permits in Illinois are issued locally. One is commonly required to rebuild or substantially alter a chimney above the roofline, while routine sweeping and basic inspection generally are not permitted work. Confirm with the local building department before work begins.

When is the best time to have masonry repair done in Bolingbrook?

Warmer months are best, because mortar needs to cure without freezing. Booking before the heating season starts in about October gives the work the best chance to be done and dry before cold weather.

Does my homeowners association need to know?

Many newer Bolingbrook subdivisions have homeowners associations. It is worth checking whether yours has anything to say about exterior work before the job is booked.

Is One Call Chimney the contractor?

No. We are a referral and scheduling service that arranges the work with independent sweeps and masons. They do the work. Ask the technician what local registration or insurance applies to your address, and confirm requirements with your building department.

Cracked crown or crumbling brick, booked with one call, in Bolingbrook, IL

Most Bolingbrook homes are suburban houses and townhomes built from the 1970s through the 2000s, so many chimneys here have already been through decades of Illinois winters. If the top of yours is cracked and brick is coming off, water has almost certainly been getting into the crown, and freezing has done the rest. The job usually means repairing or recasting the crown, replacing damaged brick, and repointing the joints. Plan around the weather, because masonry work is best done when mortar can cure without freezing, and around any local permit that applies.

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Illinois has a long heating season, from about October into April, and exposed masonry takes a beating the whole time. Bolingbrook sees repeated freeze-thaw cycles, and wind-driven rain and snow find their way in at the crown, flashing and cap. Water gets into a hairline crack, freezes, and pushes it wider. Over a few winters that becomes loose mortar, flaking brick and a crown that no longer sheds water.

While you wait — please don't

Stay out from under the stack. Falling brick is a hazard at ground level, so keep people, pets and parked cars away from the base of the chimney.
Don't climb up to look. A wet or icy roof and a loose chimney top are a bad mix, and the technician can inspect it safely.
Don't light fires if the stack is leaning or has open gaps. A leaning stack or one with open gaps is a structural problem, not a cosmetic one, and it should be checked before anything burns in it.
Get outside if you feel unwell by the fireplace. If smoke is coming into the room, stop using the fireplace, and if anyone has a headache, dizziness or nausea, get outside and call 911.

What the technician does

You call and the job is bookedCall (866) 576-7943 and say the top of the chimney is cracked and brick is coming off. We arrange an independent sweep or mason for this exact problem.
The technician inspects and gives the priceThe estimate is free. The technician looks at the crown, the brick and the mortar joints, then gives you the price before any work starts. You approve it first.
The crown is repaired or recastA sound crown is repaired. One that has failed is recast with an overhang and a drip edge so water runs off the stack instead of into it.
Brick and mortar are put rightSpalled brick is cut out and replaced. Joints are repointed to match the existing work, and a cap is fitted.
Rebuild above the roofline if neededWhere the stack has lost its structure, the part above the roofline is rebuilt. The technician explains why before you decide.

Why this happens in Bolingbrook, IL

Bolingbrook is a Chicago-area suburb in Will County, and some homes sit close to DuPage County. Winters are cold and snowy, and the freeze-thaw cycles that wear down driveways and door hardware work on chimney tops too. Freeze and thaw is what turns a hairline crack into a rebuild, so a crown that looks minor in fall can be a bigger job after one more winter. Many Bolingbrook homes were built in the 1970s through the 2000s, so plenty of chimneys have had decades of that weather.

Timing matters here. Illinois masonry rebuilding, tuckpointing and crown repair are concentrated in the warmer months, when mortar can cure without freezing. Booking early lets you get ahead of the heating season. Spring and summer storms with hail and high winds can also add damage to a chimney top that is already weak. Permits in Illinois are issued locally, so ask the building department that covers your address whether your job needs one.

Questions people ask

Is a cracked crown urgent?: Treat it as a repair to book soon, not something to leave for years. Water keeps getting in, and each freeze makes the damage worse. If brick is already falling, keep people away from the base until it is fixed.
Do I need a permit for chimney crown work in Bolingbrook?: Permits in Illinois are issued locally. One is commonly required to rebuild or substantially alter a chimney above the roofline, while routine sweeping and basic inspection generally are not permitted work. Confirm with the local building department before work begins.
When is the best time to have masonry repair done in Bolingbrook?: Warmer months are best, because mortar needs to cure without freezing. Booking before the heating season starts in about October gives the work the best chance to be done and dry before cold weather.
Does my homeowners association need to know?: Many newer Bolingbrook subdivisions have homeowners associations. It is worth checking whether yours has anything to say about exterior work before the job is booked.
Is One Call Chimney the contractor?: No. We are a referral and scheduling service that arranges the work with independent sweeps and masons. They do the work. Ask the technician what local registration or insurance applies to your address, and confirm requirements with your building department.

One call

Call (866) 576-7943 and one call books the right technician for a cracked crown or crumbling brick in Bolingbrook. The estimate is free, and the price is agreed with you before any work starts.

Call now · (866) 576-7943

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One Call Chimney arranges the visit; the technician does the work and gives you the price.