Is it safe to keep using the fireplace if the smoke only comes in at the start?

No. Stop using it until the flue has been inspected. A cold flue can cause that, but so can a blockage, and you cannot tell which from inside the room.

Does Illinois license chimney sweeps?

Not at the state level. Sweeping, inspection and chimney masonry repair are not separately licensed trades in Illinois. Requirements are handled locally, so check with the building department where the work will be done and with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

Will the work need a permit in Cicero?

Routine sweeping and basic inspection generally do not. Relining a chimney or installing new venting commonly does. Permits in Illinois are issued locally, so confirm with the local building department before work begins.

Could my older Cicero brick chimney be the cause?

It can be. Many Cicero homes date from the 1910s through the 1940s and have masonry chimneys. Years of freeze-thaw can leave crumbling mortar, brick debris or a damaged crown. A camera inspection shows what is going on inside the flue.

Are you the company that does the work?

No. One Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service. We arrange the job with an independent sweep or mason, and they inspect the chimney and give you the price before any work starts.

Stop using the fireplace

Who to call for smoke in the room in Cicero, IL

Cicero's homes are mostly older, built roughly from the 1910s through the 1940s, and many of them are brick bungalows and two-flats with masonry chimneys. If smoke is coming into your room when you light a fire, the flue is not carrying the smoke out. Something is blocking it, the damper is not opening fully, or the chimney cannot get the air it needs. In Cicero, independent sweeps and masons do this work. One Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service that arranges it with them. We are not the contractor. Look for someone who will put a camera in the flue, show you the footage, and explain the cause in writing.

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Illinois has a long heating season, roughly October into April, so flues get months of steady use. Winter freeze-thaw cycles also break down exposed brick, mortar joints and crowns. Over time that can leave debris in the flue and the smoke chamber. A cold flue also draws badly until it warms up. A tightly sealed modern house or a powerful extractor fan can pull air down the chimney instead of up it.

While you wait — please don't

Put the fire out and open a window. Smoke in the room means combustion gases are in the room, and carbon monoxide comes with them.
Get outside if you feel headachy or dizzy. Those can be signs of carbon monoxide, so go outdoors and call 911.
Do not relight the fire to see if it behaves. Until the flue has been inspected, nobody knows whether it is blocked, and every new fire pushes more smoke into the house.
Do not run a strong extractor fan while a fire burns. A powerful fan can pull air down the chimney and push smoke back into the room.

What the technician does

You call, we arrange the visitCall (866) 576-7943 and we arrange an independent technician for this exact problem. The estimate is free.
The flue is swept and camera-inspectedThe technician sweeps the flue and runs a camera up it to find the blockage. Ask to see the footage.
The damper is checkedA damper that is stuck or damaged can be freed, repaired or replaced, depending on what the technician finds.
Draft is tested and the cause identifiedThe technician tests how the chimney draws and names the cause. Ask for that reasoning in writing.
Cap, crown and smoke chamber are checkedThe cap and crown are inspected, and the smoke chamber is cleaned and parged where needed.
You approve the price firstThe technician inspects the chimney and gives you the price before any work starts. Nothing begins until you say yes.

Why this happens in Cicero, IL

Cicero is a dense, older inner-ring suburb next to Chicago, with many century-old brick buildings on narrow lots. Aging masonry is a common maintenance issue here. Across Illinois, many older homes still vent a gas furnace or water heater through an old masonry chimney, and that chimney may need a properly sized liner. If an appliance shares your chimney, tell the technician when you book.

Cicero has cold, snowy winters with deep freezes and repeated freeze-thaw cycles, and these are hard on masonry chimneys. Spring brings storms and hail, and wind-driven rain and snow can get in at the crown, flashing and cap. Demand tends to peak in late fall and winter during cold snaps, and again in spring after storms and freeze-thaw damage. If you are in Cicero, Berwyn, Oak Park, Forest Park, Stickney, Lyons or Riverside and the smoke has started, stop using the fireplace and call.

Questions people ask

Is it safe to keep using the fireplace if the smoke only comes in at the start?: No. Stop using it until the flue has been inspected. A cold flue can cause that, but so can a blockage, and you cannot tell which from inside the room.
Does Illinois license chimney sweeps?: Not at the state level. Sweeping, inspection and chimney masonry repair are not separately licensed trades in Illinois. Requirements are handled locally, so check with the building department where the work will be done and with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
Will the work need a permit in Cicero?: Routine sweeping and basic inspection generally do not. Relining a chimney or installing new venting commonly does. Permits in Illinois are issued locally, so confirm with the local building department before work begins.
Could my older Cicero brick chimney be the cause?: It can be. Many Cicero homes date from the 1910s through the 1940s and have masonry chimneys. Years of freeze-thaw can leave crumbling mortar, brick debris or a damaged crown. A camera inspection shows what is going on inside the flue.
Are you the company that does the work?: No. One Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service. We arrange the job with an independent sweep or mason, and they inspect the chimney and give you the price before any work starts.

One call

Call (866) 576-7943 and One Call Chimney will arrange the right technician for smoke in the room in Cicero. 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.