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 runs $850-$4,200 depending on scope, with mortar repointing and crown rebuilds making up the majority of calls we field here. Most Arlington Heights homeowners book within a week, and our crews are dispatched from our Chicago office with dedicated routing for the northwest suburbs. If you’re seeing spalled brick, crown cracks, or water stains on the ceiling near your fireplace in Arlington Heights, call us at (815) 923-3185. We’ll send a written estimate before any work starts, and every job includes a camera-scan inspection with a documented photo record.
We know Arlington Heights chimneys. The post-war ranches off Arlington Heights Road, the split-levels near Rand and Dundee, the older colonials in Scarsdale and Ivy Hill - we’ve worked on hundreds of them. These homes share a construction pattern that creates specific repair needs you won’t find in downtown Chicago or lakefront suburbs. Our Chimney Repair team treats Arlington Heights as a distinct service zone, not a zip code on a spreadsheet.
Why Level Two Chimney Crystal Lake Is Arlington Heights’s Preferred Chimney Repair Company
We’ve completed more than 38,000 chimney inspections and cleanings since 2009, and a significant share of those have been in Arlington Heights and the northwest corridor. Arlington Heights homeowners tend to research before they call - they read the three-star reviews, they want to see documentation, they ask about the warranty in the first conversation. That matches how we work. Clause 1 of the Haven Standard requires a written price, written scope, and written warranty before any work begins. No exceptions.
Our technicians are background-checked, uniformed, and assigned by name. You get a text when they’re en route. License information is displayed on every page and on every truck. The 365-Day Done Right Promise applies to every Arlington Heights job - if it’s not done right, we make it right. And our Free Second Opinion on any written estimate means you can bring us a competitor’s quote and we’ll tell you exactly what we see, with camera evidence.
Calls are answered by a live person, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Not a voicemail. Not a web form that disappears into a queue.
Our Chimney Repair Services in Arlington Heights
Mortar Repointing
Arlington Heights chimneys built in the 1950s through 1970s are hitting 50 to 70 years of freeze-thaw cycles, and the original lime-based mortar is often powdering out of the joints. In neighborhoods like Scarsdale and Ivy Hill, where northwest winds drive rain directly into the brickwork, we see joints recessed a half-inch or more. Repointing in Arlington Heights runs $1,200-$2,800 for a typical two-story colonial or ranch chimney, depending on accessibility and how many courses need work. We grind out the failed mortar to a uniform depth, match the new mortar to the original compressive strength, and tool the joints to shed water. Every repointing job gets a camera inspection of the flue interior before we close out - Clause 4 of the Haven Standard requires a documented photo record on every visit.
Spalling Brick Repair
Spalling - when the face of a brick pops off due to water freezing inside the pore structure - is epidemic on Arlington Heights chimneys. The combination of abandoned furnace flues left uncapped after high-efficiency conversions, plus the full force of continental cold without Lake Michigan’s buffering, creates conditions we don’t see in Evanston or Wilmette. Spall repair ranges from $650 for localized patching to $3,500+ when multiple courses need replacement and the chimney requires partial rebuild. We source matching brick through our Haven buying network when possible, and we always identify the water source before we patch. Fixing brick without fixing the leak is a waste of your money.
Chimney Waterproofing
Waterproofing is not a cosmetic service in Arlington Heights. It’s a structural defense. The flat, open terrain of the northwest suburbs channels prevailing winds that drive rain and melting snow directly into crown gaps and mortar joints. We apply a vapor-permeable silane/siloxane treatment that lets the masonry breathe while blocking liquid water intrusion. A typical Arlington Heights waterproofing job runs $450-$950 depending on chimney size and whether we need to perform minor tuckpointing prep first. We specify products from Olympia Chimney and Famco, sourced through our buying network to keep pricing honest. Waterproofing buys time on a sound chimney. It does not fix structural failure - we tell you which category you’re in before we quote.
Flashing Repair
Chimney flashing in Arlington Heights takes abuse from thermal expansion cycles that are sharper here than in lakefront neighborhoods. The aluminum or galvanized steel where the chimney meets the roof plane loosens, caulking cracks, and water follows the path of least resistance into your attic or ceiling. Flashing repair typically runs $400-$1,100 in Arlington Heights, with full replacement at the higher end when step flashing and counterflashing both need to come out. We inspect the surrounding roof decking and rafter tails with a camera before we quote - water damage hidden behind the chimney breast is common in 1960s ranches with minimal attic ventilation.
Chimney Rebuilding
When spalling, mortar failure, and flue damage converge, partial or full rebuild becomes the only sound option. In Arlington Heights, this most often follows years of neglected maintenance on an orphaned furnace flue that was never capped after a high-efficiency conversion. Rebuilds start around $3,500 for a partial teardown to the roofline and can exceed $8,500 for a full rebuild with new clay flue liners and a poured crown. We document every course as it comes down, photograph the flue condition at each stage, and provide a written warranty on the completed structure. Materials come from DuraFlex, HeatShield, and Olympia Chimney through our Haven network.
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 don’t guess at materials. For Arlington Heights repairs, we stock and specify products from HeatShield, Gelco, and Olympia Chimney - brands we’ve vetted through 15 years of field installation and warranty tracking. HeatShield’s cerfractory flue liner resurfacing system is our standard for cracked clay flue tiles in Arlington Heights’s older chimneys, where full liner replacement would require demolition work that exceeds the budget. Gelco caps and Olympia Chimney’s stainless steel components hold up to the northwest suburban wind and freeze-thaw cycle better than economy-grade alternatives. Because we procure through the Haven buying network, we’re not marking up retail parts - the price we quote reflects actual material cost plus labor, documented in writing before we start.
Common Chimney Repair Problems We See in Arlington Heights Homes
- Orphaned furnace flues left uncapped after high-efficiency conversions. Homeowners swap to a 90% furnace venting through PVC, and the original 8-inch masonry flue sits open to rain, ice, and squirrels. We find this constantly in Scarsdale and off Arlington Heights Road. The abandoned flue deteriorates silently, spalling brick and cracking tiles, while the family burns in the adjacent fireplace flue with no idea.
- Crown cracks accelerated by northwest wind exposure. Arlington Heights sits far enough from Lake Michigan to get the full continental cold, and the flat terrain channels wind directly into crown gaps. A hairline crack in a Glenview chimney might take five years to propagate; here, two or three winters often does the same damage.
- Freeze-thaw mortar failure on 50-to-100-year-old clay-tile flues. The temperature swings in Arlington Heights cross the freezing threshold more frequently per winter than coastal neighborhoods. Each cycle pumps water into mortar joints, expanding and contracting until the bond fails. By the time you see a leak inside, the exterior damage is usually extensive.
- Dual-flue chimneys with one neglected side. The 1950s-1970s building boom here produced thousands of two-flue masonry structures - one for fireplace, one for furnace. When one flue is abandoned and the other maintained, the differential deterioration creates structural stress and water pathways that a simple sweep won’t catch. Only a Level 2 camera inspection reveals the full picture.
Pricing for Chimney Repair in Arlington Heights, IL
Here’s what chimney repair costs in Arlington Heights based on the jobs we’ve completed here:
| Service | Typical Range in Arlington Heights |
|---|---|
| Mortar repointing (standard chimney) | $1,200 - $2,800 |
| Spalling brick repair (localized) | $650 - $1,400 |
| Spalling brick repair (extensive / partial rebuild) | $2,200 - $3,500 |
| Chimney waterproofing | $450 - $950 |
| Flashing repair | $400 - $1,100 |
| Crown rebuild or pour | $850 - $2,100 |
| Partial chimney rebuild | $3,500 - $6,500 |
| Full chimney rebuild with liners | $6,500 - $8,500+ |
| Level 2 camera inspection (included with repair) | $0 - $295 |
Three factors move the needle on Arlington Heights pricing: chimney height and roof access, the extent of hidden damage we find during camera inspection, and whether we’re matching existing brick or working with standard stock. We never recommend work without camera evidence you can see yourself, and we’ll tell you plainly when something can safely wait. Every quote is written, itemized, and delivered before we start - Clause 1 of the Haven Standard. Call (815) 923-3185 for a free estimate.
We Also Serve Cities Near Arlington Heights
Our crews route daily through Palatine, Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, and Lake Zurich from our Chicago office, with dedicated Arlington Heights runs every week. If you’re in one of these neighboring communities and found this page, the same pricing structure and Haven Standard protections apply. Chimney Repair in Arlington Heights is our core northwest-suburban zone, and we know the housing stock block by block.
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
Arlington Heights sits far enough inland to miss Lake Michigan’s temperature-moderating effect, so your chimney endures more freeze-thaw cycles per winter than a comparable structure in Rogers Park or Hyde Park. The flat northwest-suburban terrain also channels prevailing winds that drive rain and ice directly into crown gaps and mortar joints. Chicago chimneys fail too, but the pattern here is faster mortar degradation and more severe spalling from wind-driven moisture. Call (815) 923-3185 and we’ll show you exactly what your chimney faces with a camera inspection.
Yes, and urgently if it’s still open. In the Scarsdale neighborhood off Arlington Heights Road, we opened a 1962 split-level where the furnace had been swapped to high-efficiency gas a decade earlier and the original 8-inch furnace flue was still wide open to the weather. Rain and ice had been driving straight into the crown gap, and the flue tiles had cracked from freeze-thaw cycles, so we installed a stainless steel DuraFlex liner on the furnace side, rebuilt the crown, and capped both flues to stop the cycle. The fireplace flue got a HeatShield liner repair and a fresh damper, and the family was back to burning within the week. An uncapped orphaned flue is not a minor maintenance item - it’s a structural liability that damages the active flue beside it. Call (815) 923-3185 for a free inspection.
NFPA 211 recommends annual Level 1 or Level 2 inspection for all chimneys, but in Arlington Heights we suggest every fireplace flue be camera-inspected every year and any abandoned furnace flue be evaluated at least every two years for crown integrity and cap condition. The dual-flue construction here means you have twice the masonry exposure and, often, twice the neglect. Our Level 2 camera inspection includes a documented photo record under Haven Standard Clause 4. Call (815) 923-3185 to schedule - estimates are free.
Repointing is the standard term for removing failed mortar and replacing it with new material matched to the original. Tuckpointing is a specific decorative technique where two contrasting mortar colors are used to create the illusion of fine, uniform joints - it’s aesthetic, not structural, and rare on suburban ranch chimneys. Your Arlington Heights chimney almost certainly needs repointing, not tuckpointing. We grind joints to a uniform depth, match compressive strength, and tool for water shedding. If someone quotes you “tuckpointing” for a standard repair, ask them to define it - the terms get mixed up constantly. Call (815) 923-3185 and we’ll show you what your joints actually look like on camera.
Yes, if your chimney is structurally sound and the water source is primarily wind-driven rain absorbing through the brick face. Waterproofing with a vapor-permeable silane/siloxane treatment blocks liquid water while letting trapped moisture escape - critical in Arlington Heights, where freeze-thaw cycles would otherwise pop spalled brick from the inside out. It will not fix active leaks from crown cracks, failed flashing, or missing caps. We always inspect first and tell you which category you’re in. A typical Arlington Heights waterproofing job runs $450-$950. Call (815) 923-3185 for a camera inspection and honest assessment.
Ready to see what your chimney actually needs? Call Level Two Chimney Crystal Lake at (815) 923-3185 for a free, written estimate. Every inspection includes a camera scan and documented photo record. Every job carries the 365-Day Done Right Promise. And every price is delivered in writing before any work starts - Haven Standard Clause 1, no exceptions.
Written by Corrine Halstead, Owner at Level Two Chimney Co., serving Arlington Heights and the northwest suburbs since 2009.