No monkey business — just honest chimney and fireplace care.
A safe, well-kept chimney is more than a checkbox — it’s the difference between a cozy fire on a cold night and a costly surprise down the road. That’s why North Shore homeowners have trusted Chimney Monkey to keep their fireplaces clean, safe, and running beautifully.
We show up on time, explain what we find in plain language, and back every recommendation with photos and video — so you always know exactly what your chimney needs and why.
About Our Company
Chimney Monkey is a local chimney and fireplace company serving Chicago’s North Shore since 2017. We help homeowners with chimney inspections, sweeping, repairs, liners, leak troubleshooting, masonry, caps, and fireplace safety. Our technicians focus on clear explanations, photo and video documentation, and practical recommendations without pressure.
With a local shop, real service trucks, and 1,100+ Google reviews, we are proud to be the chimney company North Shore homeowners call when they want the job done right.
Chimney Services We Offer
At Chimney Monkey, we’re your go-to full-service fireplace and chimney company. Whether it’s interior or exterior, we’ve got you covered. From repairs to enhancements, we’re here to ensure your fireplace and chimney are functioning flawlessly and looking their best.
Who Owns Chimney Monkey
Chimney Monkey is owned by three partners and has been in business since 2017, working out of our own shop at 741 Hastings Dr in Buffalo Grove.
- Brett Conklin — partner, and a U.S. Army veteran. Brett serves on the board of the National Chimney Sweep Guild as an At-Large director through 2027. He is an NFI Master Hearth Professional, certified as a Gas, Pellet and Woodburning Specialist — NFI’s designation for someone who holds all three.
- Art Kalina — founding partner. NFI Certified Woodburning Specialist (NFI #179583, valid through August 2029) and a SPRAT Certified Level 1 Rope Access Technician (#2602623). His certifications are listed on an independent registry record at Chimney.Services, checked against the NFI and SPRAT public rosters.
- Brad A. — partner.
Our Credentials, and How to Check Them
Credentials are worth something only if you can verify them, so here is where ours live.
We are members and sponsors of the National Chimney Sweep Guild. We are the only chimney sweep company that sponsors the NCSG without selling anything to sweeps — most sponsors are suppliers. We do it because we believe in the guild’s education mission. Our partner Brett Conklin’s seat on the NCSG board is listed publicly on ncsg.org.
We also belong to the regional North Central Chimney Guild, formerly the Wisconsin Chimney Sweep Guild.
Our technicians are NFI certified through the National Fireplace Institute across wood-burning, gas and pellet appliances, and certifications appear on NFI’s own public roster. Brett holds NFI’s Master Hearth Professional designation, which requires certification in all three fuels. Some of our technicians hold SPRAT rope-access certification, which lets us work safely on tall stacks, slate and steep roofs without loading the roof or bringing in staging.
We run our own safety training through the year, including a roof mock-up in our warehouse for hands-on practice.
How We Work
We charge for inspections, and that is deliberate. The inspection is the service: we document what is actually happening with photographs and, where conditions allow, a camera survey of the flue, then explain what is urgent, what is maintenance, and what can reasonably wait. A free estimate prices a job someone already decided you need. A diagnostic inspection determines what the job actually is.
That report is yours whether or not you hire us for the repair. You are welcome to shop it. We are comfortable being one of the bids, because the people who inspected your chimney are the people who have rebuilt hundreds of them.
We employ masons, inspectors and researchers on staff, so the diagnosis and the repair both happen in-house. And when a chimney does not need work, we say so.
Safety and Rope Access Training
Chimney work happens on roofs, many of them steep, tall or both. Our team includes SPRAT-certified rope access technicians, and Art Kalina runs a safety meeting for the crew every month. Part of that training is hands-on, on a roof mock-up built inside our warehouse.
The Basics
- In business since 2017
- 741 Hastings Dr, Buffalo Grove, IL 60089 — a real shop, not a mailbox
- 847-994-4388 · [email protected]
- Serving Cook and Lake Counties across Chicago’s North Shore
- More than 1,100 Google reviews
Call 847-994-4388 or book online.