Level 1 sweep and inspection to the NFPA 211 annual standard - flue, crown, cap, and flashing checked and photographed
Chimney sweep logs do not sweep chimneys. They loosen some creosote - which then falls where a brush and vacuum still have to collect it.
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterFast, Reliable Chimney Repair Across Arlington Heights
Chimney repair in Arlington Heights typically costs $180 for minor mortar repointing up to $8,500 for a full rebuild, with most masonry repairs falling between $1,200 and $3,800. Our crews are dispatched from the Chicago office and cover the full Arlington Heights grid, from the ranch neighborhoods near Rand Road to the bi-level clusters around Thomas Middle School. We carry DuraFlex liner stock, HeatShield refractory mortar, and Olympia Chimney crown mix on our trucks, so most jobs start the same visit we quote them. Call (331) 200-4445 to book a camera inspection; estimates are free and written before any work begins.
Why Level Two Chimney Hoffman Estates Is Arlington Heights’s Preferred Chimney Repair Company
We’ve inspected and cleaned more than 38,000 chimneys since 2009, and a disproportionate share of our repair work comes from Arlington Heights’s 1950s-1970s housing stock. That concentration matters. When our tech pulls up to a split-level off Euclid Avenue or a Cape Cod near Recreation Park, we already know the likely flue size, the original appliance type, and the conversion history we’re about to find. That local pattern recognition saves time and prevents misdiagnosis.
Our Arlington Heights customers have left us hundreds of verified reviews, and the consistent thread is documentation: photos they can see, prices they got in writing, and a named technician who arrived on schedule. Clause 1 of the Haven Standard requires a written price, written scope, and written warranty before any work starts - no exceptions. Clause 4 requires a documented photo record on every job, a practice we started in 2009 that later became standard language in the industry. Our 365-Day Done Right Promise backs every repair: if it’s not right, we make it right.
Calls are answered live, 24 hours a day, by a person who can book your Arlington Heights appointment or connect you directly with Corrine Halstead. Background-checked, uniformed technicians carry license information on every page and every truck. You’ll get a text when your tech is en route, with a name and photo.
Our Chimney Repair Services in Arlington Heights
Mortar Repointing
Arlington Heights’s 30-plus annual freeze-thaw cycles grind away at mortar joints faster than almost any climate factor. On north- and west-facing exposures, water lingers in the joints, expands when it freezes, and opens gaps that let more water in. We grind out failed joints to proper depth, match the original mortar compressive strength, and tool the new joints to shed water. A typical ranch chimney repointing in Arlington Heights runs $1,800-$3,200 depending on accessibility and how many courses need work. We photograph every joint before and after, under Haven Standard Clause 4.
Spalling Brick Repair
Spalling - the flaking and crumbling of brick faces - is epidemic on Arlington Heights chimneys because of that freeze-thaw cycle combined with single-wythe construction that has no backup layer. Homeowners often first notice brick crumbs on the roof or in the yard, not a visible crack. We remove spalled units, source matching brick through our Haven buying network, and rebuild the affected courses. Where the damage is isolated, partial rebuilds start around $2,400. When spalling indicates systemic water intrusion, we pair brick repair with crown rebuilding and waterproofing.
Chimney Waterproofing
Arlington Heights sits in the Lake Michigan moisture corridor, and masonry that would last decades in drier climates needs active protection here. We apply vapor-permeable siloxane sealers that let the chimney breathe while blocking liquid water. This is not the thick coating that traps moisture and accelerates spalling; it’s a penetrating treatment we back with a written warranty. Waterproofing a full-height Arlington Heights ranch chimney typically costs $650-$1,100 and should be refreshed every 5-7 years. We always pair it with crown repair or replacement, since a cracked crown will defeat any waterproofing in two seasons.
Flashing Repair
Step flashing and counterflashing on Arlington Heights’s older homes often consists of original galvanized steel that’s rusted through or was never properly integrated with the roof membrane. We fabricate custom copper or lead-coated copper flashing on site, integrate it with the roofing underlayment, and seal with high-temperature sealant. Flashing repair alone runs $450-$950; when we find deck rot or rafter tails compromised by long-term leakage, we document it with photos and quote the full scope in writing before touching a shingle.
Chimney Rebuilding
When a chimney has lost structural integrity from years of freeze-thaw damage, failed liner acid erosion, or a combination of both, partial or full rebuilding is the only sound option. We dismantle to sound masonry, pour a new concrete crown with proper drip edges and slope, and rebuild with matching brick and proper bond. A full rebuild of a standard Arlington Heights ranch chimney runs $6,500-$8,500. Every rebuild includes a new flue liner sized correctly for the appliance actually connected - correcting the oil-to-gas mismatch that probably caused the original failure.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
- 4
You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Before
AfterTrusted Brands We Service in Arlington Heights
We source materials through the Haven buying network to keep customer prices honest: DuraFlex stainless steel liners for relining oversized oil-era flues, HeatShield refractory mortar for smoke chamber parging and liner resurfacing, and Olympia Chimney crown and cap components fabricated to Illinois wind-load specs. These aren’t catalog special orders - we stock them on Arlington Heights trucks so your repair doesn’t wait on freight. Gelco cap inventory covers the common 8×13 and 13×13 flue sizes we see in local 1960s construction. When a bi-level off Dunton needs a liner tomorrow, we don’t order it next week.
Common Chimney Repair Problems We See in Arlington Heights Homes
- Oversized oil-era flues under-drafting modern gas equipment. The 150,000-BTU oil furnace needed an 8×12 flue; the 40,000-BTU replacement gas unit needs a 6-inch liner. That mismatch produces condensation and flue-gas acid that eats terra cotta tile from the inside while the chimney looks fine from the street. We find this on camera, show the homeowner the glazed liner and corrosion patterns, then quote a correctly sized stainless liner.
- Freeze-thaw spalling on north and west exposures. Arlington Heights’s 30-plus annual freeze-thaw cycles fracture mortar and spall brick faces faster than drier inland climates. The damage starts invisible and ends with structural compromise. Annual crown-and-mortar inspection catches it before rebuild territory.
- Orphaned furnace liners in shared 1960s chases. When a high-efficiency conversion abandons the masonry flue for PVC venting, the old liner is often left open, pulling cold air and wildlife toward the living space. On a bi-level off Dunton Avenue near downtown, our tech pulled the firebox damper and found exactly this: a 1960s side-by-side chase with the fireplace flue plus an orphaned furnace liner left open and unlined. We ran a camera, showed the homeowner the open clay tile pulling cold air and wildlife toward the living space, then lined the fireplace flue with a DuraFlex stainless liner and set a new chimney cap. Nothing was recommended that wasn’t on the monitor first.
- Failed crowns letting water into the chimney core. The concrete crown is the chimney’s umbrella. When it cracks - and Arlington Heights freeze-thaw ensures it will - water enters the core, saturates the masonry, and accelerates everything else. Crown rebuild or pour is standard on most of our repair jobs here, and we warranty it.
Pricing for Chimney Repair in Arlington Heights, IL
| Service | Typical Range in Arlington Heights |
|---|---|
| Minor mortar repointing (localized) | $180-$650 |
| Full chimney repointing | $1,800-$3,200 |
| Spalled brick repair / partial rebuild | $2,400-$4,800 |
| Crown repair or rebuild | $850-$1,900 |
| Chimney waterproofing (with surface prep) | $650-$1,100 |
| Flashing repair / replacement | $450-$950 |
| Stainless flue liner (typical gas insert) | $2,200-$3,800 |
| Full chimney rebuild | $6,500-$8,500 |
These ranges reflect Arlington Heights’s typical ranch and split-level chimney configurations, standard roof access, and the material costs we control through the Haven buying network. Steep pitches, multiple flues, or extensive deck repair add scope we quote in writing before starting. Every estimate is free, includes a full camera inspection, and comes with a documented photo record under Haven Standard Clause 4. We also offer a Free Second Opinion on any competitor’s written estimate - bring us their quote and we’ll review it against what our camera shows.
We Also Serve Cities Near Arlington Heights
Our Chimney Repair in Arlington Heights crews also cover Palatine, Hoffman Estates, Bloomingdale, and Elmhurst from the same Chicago dispatch office. If you’re in one of these nearby communities and found this page while researching, the same pricing structure, same Haven Standard clauses, and same live-phone booking apply. Call (331) 200-4445 and we’ll confirm your service area before scheduling.
Serving Arlington Heights, IL - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Arlington Heights area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs - Chimney Repair in Arlington Heights
It needs a camera inspection to know for certain. Terra cotta tile in Arlington Heights’s oil-to-gas converted chimneys often shows acid corrosion, vertical cracking, or missing mortar between tile sections that a sweep brush will miss entirely. We run the camera, show you the liner condition on the monitor, and explain whether the damage is cosmetic, repairable with HeatShield resurfacing, or requires a full stainless liner. A sweep alone cannot fix a failed liner, and sweeping a deteriorated tile liner can actually dislodge fragments that block the flue. Call (331) 200-4445 to book the inspection; estimates are free.
It’s a common construction shortcut from that era: one flue for the fireplace, one for the furnace or water heater, both inside a single masonry chase with a single crown and cap. The problem arises when the furnace is upgraded to high-efficiency and vents through PVC, abandoning the masonry flue. That orphaned liner is often left open, unlined, and pulling cold outside air and wildlife toward your living space. We inspect these shared chases with a camera in both flues, document what we find, and quote only what the images support - typically capping the abandoned flue or lining the active one correctly.
No. Spalling brick is structural damage that accelerates rapidly in Arlington Heights’s freeze-thaw corridor. The north face stays wet longest, so it freezes most often, and each cycle pops more of the brick face off. What starts as cosmetic flaking becomes compromised structural courses in two to three winters. We photograph the spall pattern, probe the mortar joints, and quote repair before the chimney needs partial or full rebuilding. Waterproofing after repair is essential on north exposures here.
Yes, especially in this housing stock. The oil-to-gas flue mismatch and orphaned liner problems we find in Arlington Heights have nothing to do with whether you burned wood. An oversized, corroded, or open flue creates carbon monoxide risk and energy loss year-round. NFPA 211 recommends annual inspection regardless of use, and in this climate with this construction vintage, that standard is not conservative - it’s necessary. We include the camera scan and photo record on every inspection, so you see exactly what we see.
Third-degree or glazed creosote often requires chemical treatment and mechanical removal, and in Arlington Heights’s older chimneys we frequently find it’s bonded to a deteriorating smoke chamber surface that needs parging with HeatShield refractory mortar. We camera the smoke chamber first, show you the creosote class and the surface condition beneath it, and quote the full scope: removal, surface repair if needed, and a liner assessment to prevent re-accumulation. No work starts without a written price. Call (331) 200-4445 for a free estimate.
Ready to see what your chimney actually needs? Call (331) 200-4445 for a free camera inspection and written estimate. Our Chimney Repair team serves Arlington Heights with background-checked, uniformed technicians, live phone answering 24 hours a day, and the full Haven Standard: written price before work, documented photo record after, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise on every job.
Written by Corrine Halstead, Owner at Level Two Chimney Co., serving Arlington Heights and the northwest suburban corridor since 2009.