Get in touch Village of Buffalo Grove!
Get ready, Village of Buffalo Grove! As winter approaches, make sure you’re prepared for cozy fires by scheduling your chimney cleaning and inspection. Safety is our priority. Call us at 847-994-4388 or email us to secure your appointment and enjoy a warm and worry-free burning season ahead!
Thank you!
Rebecca D
The team of 3 finished replacing our chimney crown in a day and a half. The office was easy to work with & responsive to phone calls.
We are mostly happy with the work they did. There were a few things that could have been done in a tidier manner (some concrete smears were left behind on our red brick & the metal flashing underneath the concrete is slightly uneven on 2 of the corners). This is our first chimney crown replacement, so I have no idea if these are normal things or not.
Update: I originally rated them 4/5 stars but changed the rating to 5/5. They were very quick to follow up about the bits we weren’t totally happy with. Brad came today to visually inspect the work & called me to explain what I was seeing. I’m satisfied with the service we received & would definitely use them again.
Update: Work was done by Rufino and his crew. They were quick, detailed, and service-focused. Very clean during and after the job (exterior work is messy). They did great.
The Northwest suburb of Buffalo Grove has been included as one of “Fifty Fabulous Places to Raise Your Family” in a nationally published book by the same name, and there’s good reason why. The Village of Buffalo Grove has been one of the fastest growing communities in Chicago’s Northwest suburbs. With its tree-lined streets, well maintained lawns and homes, award-winning school districts, business centers, churches, synagogues, libraries, museums, friendly residents and delicious restaurants, it truly is one of the best places to live.
Winters in Buffalo Grove can be quite chilly, but there’s nothing like a warm and inviting fireplace to keep you cozy during the colder months. Located in both Lake and Cook Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, Buffalo Grove is a vibrant village that offers the perfect blend of suburban charm and easy access to the bustling city of Chicago. Situated about 30 miles northwest of Downtown Chicago, Buffalo Grove provides residents with a convenient escape from the urban hustle while still being within reach of city amenities.
As of the 2020 Census, Buffalo Grove is home to a population of 43,212, making it a thriving community with diverse neighborhoods and a welcoming atmosphere. With its well-maintained parks, local events, and proximity to shopping and dining options, Buffalo Grove is a place where residents can enjoy both the tranquility of suburban living and the vibrancy of city life.
During the winter months, when the cold winds blow and snow covers the ground, having a functional and well-maintained fireplace becomes a true asset. At Chimney Monkey, we understand the importance of a safe and efficient chimney, especially during the colder seasons. Our team is dedicated to providing top-notch chimney services in Buffalo Grove and the surrounding areas. From chimney cleaning and inspection to repairs and rebuilds, we’re here to ensure that your fireplace remains a source of comfort and warmth throughout the winter. Zip codes serviced: 60069, 60089
Buffalo Grove is conveniently located 35 miles northwest of downtown Chicago and overlaps Cook and Lake Counties. In Cook County, the neighboring communities include the Village of Arlington Heights and the Village of Wheeling, while in Lake County, the neighboring communities include Long Grove, Vernon Hills, Lincolnshire, and Riverwoods. With the total population of over 41,000 the population only keeps growing, with eventual population predicted to be 48.000 in the near future.
Unlike many other suburban communities which often display problems and characteristics of rapid urbanization and development, Buffalo Grove has retained the characteristics which attracted its earliest residents, all the way back in 1834. To learn more about the history of Buffalo Grove, one can visit the Raupp Museum, which is operated by the Buffalo Grove Park District. The beautiful Saint Mary’s Church, which was completed 1899, is the oldest building in Buffalo Grove. Lou Malnatis Pizzeria which is a very popular destination, not only for Buffalo Grove residents, but for residents from surrounding communities, is housed in the second oldest building in the village, also built in 1899. Besides the cozy views and delicious food of Lou Malnatis Pizzeria, Buffalo Grove has many other restaurants to offer, from sushi restaurants, to Indian restaurants to Georgian Cuisine. There’s definitely something for everyone!
Contact Chimney Monkey
Winter is on its way to Buffalo Grove! Ensure your safety and comfort during this burning season by scheduling a chimney cleaning and inspection. Give us a call at 847-994-4388 or email us today to book your appointment and get ready for cozy fires ahead!
If you’re a Buffalo Grove resident looking for reliable chimney services, look no further. Contact Chimney Monkey today to schedule your chimney cleaning, inspection, or any other chimney-related needs. Stay warm, stay cozy, and enjoy the beauty of a crackling fire during the winter months in Buffalo Grove!
Factory-Built Fireplaces Reaching End of Life
Most Buffalo Grove fireplaces were installed with the house, which puts a lot of them in the 25-to-50-year range. Factory-built systems are listed assemblies: the firebox, the pipe and the cap are engineered to work together, and the manufacturer’s clearances are what keep the assembly safe. When panels crack, when a section is disengaged, or when a previous repair mixed parts from different systems, the assembly no longer performs the way it was listed to. What we find most often here is cracked or spalling refractory panels, gaps at the pipe couplers in the chase, a rusted chase cover letting water into the framing, and dampers that no longer close. Some of those are straightforward parts replacements. Some mean the system has reached the end of its service life and the honest recommendation is replacement rather than another repair. We will tell you which one you are looking at, and we will show you the photographs that say so.
Chase Covers, Caps and Water
The metal lid on top of a framed chase is the part nobody thinks about until the ceiling stains, and replacing one is among the most common repairs we make on factory-built systems here. Builder-grade chase covers were usually galvanized steel, and galvanized steel in this climate rusts from the seams outward. Once it perforates, water runs straight down the outside of the chimney pipe into the chase framing, where it rots plywood and soaks insulation for years before anything shows up inside the house. If your chimney chase has rust streaks down the siding, that is the diagnosis showing itself from the driveway. A stainless chase cover with a cross break and proper overhang solves it permanently. It is not an emergency the day you notice it, but it is not a repair worth putting off for another two winters either.
Utility Flues, Furnaces and Water Heaters
A lot of Buffalo Grove houses vent the furnace and the water heater into a shared masonry utility flue. When a high-efficiency furnace gets installed and taken off that flue, the water heater is often left venting alone into a chimney that is now badly oversized for it. Exhaust cools before it reaches the top, condenses, and the moisture goes to work on the liner and the mortar. We inspect the utility flue at the same rate as a fireplace inspection. When a chimney is oversized for the appliance, the correction is usually a properly sized stainless liner. This is the condition homeowners are least likely to know about and the one with the most direct safety consequence, because what comes out of an appliance flue includes carbon monoxide.
Townhomes and Association Buildings
Buffalo Grove has a great deal of attached housing, and shared or adjacent flues raise questions a single-family inspection does not: which unit owns which flue, whether the chase is a common element, and how repairs get coordinated across an association. We work with property managers and boards on multi-unit inspections, and we can schedule a building in one visit with individual reports per unit rather than sending residents to book one at a time.
Buffalo Grove Chimney Questions
How do I know whether my fireplace is masonry or factory-built?
Look at the firebox. Masonry fireboxes are laid brick with mortar joints. Factory-built units have smooth refractory panels, usually with a metal frame around the opening and a rating label inside the unit or behind the screen. If you are not sure, send a photo and we will tell you before we come out.
My fireplace is from the 1980s. Is it too old to use?
Not automatically. Age matters less than condition. We have inspected plenty of original units that are still sound and plenty that are not. The inspection determines which, and if a system is at the end of its life we will say so rather than sell another patch.
There are rust streaks on the siding below my chimney chase. What does that mean?
The chase cover is failing and water is getting into the chase. It is not an emergency the day you notice it, but it damages framing and insulation you cannot see. A stainless cover with a proper overhang solves it permanently.
Do I need an inspection if I never use the fireplace?
Yes, and the reason changes. Unused flues are not a creosote problem, they are a water, nesting and liner problem. The furnace and water heater flue also keeps venting whether the fireplace does or not.
Do you charge for the inspection?
Yes. 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 wait. You keep that report whether or not you hire us for the repair.
Our Prices
Typical rates as of September 2026: a chimney sweep runs $300–$350 and includes the Level 1 inspection. An inspection on its own is $200–$300, and the same range covers a utility chimney serving a furnace or water heater. A Level 2 inspection with a camera survey of the flue is around $300. Fireplace liners are sized per flue, and most complete jobs land between $3,000 and $4,000; a utility flue liner for a furnace or water heater typically runs $3,000–$3,800. Masonry repairs, chase covers and factory-built system work are quoted in writing after inspection. Call 847-994-4388 to book or to confirm current pricing.