Can I use my fireplace again after smoke came into the room?

Not until the cause has been found and fixed. A blockage or draft problem will usually repeat itself. If anyone felt headachy or dizzy, get outside and call 911.

Why would an older Joliet chimney smoke back?

Many older Joliet homes have stone or brick chimneys from the original build. Over the years they can collect debris, develop a worn crown, or have liner problems. Freeze-thaw weather adds to the wear on the masonry.

Does the work need a permit in Joliet?

In Illinois, permits are issued locally. Routine sweeping and basic inspection generally are not permitted work. Relining or rebuilding a chimney above the roofline commonly is, so confirm with the local building department before work begins.

Could my house be causing it and not the chimney?

Yes. A tightly sealed house or a strong extractor fan can pull air down the flue. The draft test is how the technician finds out, and you can ask for the result in writing.

One Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service. We arrange the job with an independent sweep or mason, who does the work. Illinois does not license chimney sweeping as a separate state trade, so requirements are set locally. The building department can tell you what applies.

Stop using the fireplace

Smoke in the room, booked with one call, in Joliet, IL

Joliet's older core and its east and west sides are full of homes built from the late 1800s through the 1940s, and many of them still have the original masonry chimney. If smoke comes into the room when you light a fire, the job usually means a swept and camera-inspected flue, a check of the damper, a draft test, and a look at the cap, crown and smoke chamber. Plan to leave the fireplace unused until that is done.

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What has almost certainly happened is simple. The smoke is not getting up and out, so it comes back into the room. A blocked flue, a damper that is stuck or only partly open, or a flue that is too cold to pull air can each cause it. Joliet winters are long and the flue works hard. Any one of these can build up over a season.

While you wait — please don't

Put the fire out and open a window. Smoke in the room means combustion gases in the room, and carbon monoxide comes with them.
Get outside and call 911 if you feel unwell. Headache or dizziness can be signs of carbon monoxide, and anyone who feels that way should leave the house first.
Do not relight the fire to test it. If the flue is blocked, a second fire only pushes more smoke and gas into the house.
Do not close the room up and wait it out. Fresh air has to come in and the smoke has to clear before anyone goes back to the fireplace.

What the technician does

Sweep and camera inspectionThe technician sweeps the flue and runs a camera up it to find the blockage. You can ask to see the footage.
Damper checkA damper that is stuck or rusted gets freed. If it cannot be freed, it is repaired or replaced.
Draft testThe draft is tested so the cause is identified, not guessed at. Ask for the reasoning in writing.
Cap and crown checkThe cap and crown are checked, because damage there lets water and debris into the flue.
Smoke chamber cleaned and pargedThe smoke chamber just above the firebox is cleaned and parged so it guides smoke up the flue.
Price agreed firstThe technician inspects the chimney and gives you the price before any work starts. You approve it first.

Why this happens in Joliet, IL

Joliet grew up around its limestone quarries and the Illinois & Michigan Canal. A large share of the older housing is stone or brick with original chimneys that need tuckpointing and liner attention. In Illinois, many homes also vent a gas furnace or water heater through an older masonry chimney, and that needs a properly sized liner. Freeze-thaw cycles are hard on exposed masonry and can crack crowns and wear down mortar joints. Spring wind and hail can damage chimney caps and crowns too.

Newer homes on Joliet's outer west and south edges tell a different story. A tightly sealed modern house or a powerful extractor fan can beat the chimney for air. And a cold flue draws badly until it warms. Demand rises in late fall as people prepare for winter, again after the first hard freezes and snow, and in spring after storm damage. If you are planning the work, booking before the cold sets in leaves more room to schedule it. Masonry repairs like crowns and tuckpointing are best done in warmer months, when mortar can cure without freezing.

Questions people ask

Can I use my fireplace again after smoke came into the room?: Not until the cause has been found and fixed. A blockage or draft problem will usually repeat itself. If anyone felt headachy or dizzy, get outside and call 911.
Why would an older Joliet chimney smoke back?: Many older Joliet homes have stone or brick chimneys from the original build. Over the years they can collect debris, develop a worn crown, or have liner problems. Freeze-thaw weather adds to the wear on the masonry.
Does the work need a permit in Joliet?: In Illinois, permits are issued locally. Routine sweeping and basic inspection generally are not permitted work. Relining or rebuilding a chimney above the roofline commonly is, so confirm with the local building department before work begins.
Could my house be causing it and not the chimney?: Yes. A tightly sealed house or a strong extractor fan can pull air down the flue. The draft test is how the technician finds out, and you can ask for the result in writing.
Who does the work?: One Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service. We arrange the job with an independent sweep or mason, who does the work. Illinois does not license chimney sweeping as a separate state trade, so requirements are set locally. The building department can tell you what applies.

One call

Call (866) 576-7943 and one call gets the job arranged with an independent technician for your Joliet chimney. 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.