Get in Touch Oak Park!
Book a chimney sweep or inspection in Oak Park by calling 847-994-4388, emailing [email protected], or sending the form below. If you know roughly when the house was built, include it — most Oak Park chimneys are old enough that it matters.
Oak Park is one of the region’s great collections of early twentieth-century houses — Prairie School homes, Queen Annes, Victorians, bungalows and brick two-flats, many of them more than a century old. Frank Lloyd Wright built his home and studio here, and large parts of the village are historic districts. Old houses mean old chimneys, and that shapes almost every visit we make here.
Contact Info
We’re here to assist you during our office hours from Monday to Friday, 8am – 5pm. Feel free to call us at 847-994-4388 for any chimney-related inquiries or assistance you may need. Your safety and satisfaction are important to us!
Chimney Sweep in Oak Park: Old Houses, Old Flues
Our job-photo records hold 65 documented Oak Park projects, and the work is dominated by the age of the housing: tall brick chimneys, flues that were built without a liner or with clay tile that has done a century of service, and masonry that has been through many roofs and many winters. We sweep and inspect wood-burning fireplaces, install liners and repair masonry here. Call 847-994-4388 or book online.
Unlined and Deteriorated Flues
Many Oak Park chimneys predate modern liner requirements. Some flues were built without a liner at all; others have clay tile that has cracked, shifted or fallen in. We start these with a Level 2 inspection, because the condition inside the flue decides everything else. An unlined or badly deteriorated flue should not be used until it is corrected, and relining with a stainless chimney liner is the usual fix. On a tall chimney that work sometimes needs scaffolding, which we plan for in the quote.
The Utility Flue After a Furnace Change
In older buildings the furnace and water heater usually shared one clay-lined flue. When the furnace is replaced with a high-efficiency unit that vents out the side wall, the water heater is left alone in a flue far larger than it needs. The exhaust cools and condenses on the way up, and the joints and tiles break down from the inside, usually first at the top of the chimney. NFPA 211, the national standard for chimneys, fireplaces and vents, calls for a Level 2 inspection, with video of the inside of the flue, whenever an appliance connected to a chimney is changed. When the tiles are cracked, offset or shedding, a liner sized to the water heater is the correction.
Historic Masonry
Old brick and old mortar need matching care. Hard modern mortar in a soft old wall can crack the brick around it, so we match the repair to the masonry we find. In the historic districts, exterior work may also need village review; we document the existing condition carefully so the paperwork is straightforward. Inside, we often find chimneys running through attics and closets with mortar that has turned to sand — worth seeing before it becomes a problem.
Crowns, Caps and Flashing
Whatever the age of the building, water does most of the damage. A cracked crown lets water into the top of the chimney, and each freeze pushes more of the brick face off. A missing cap lets in rain and animals. Flashing that was patched with sealant during a re-roof fails again within a few seasons. We photograph the crown, the top joints, the flashing and the cap on every visit and treat them as one water system, because fixing one while the others leak only moves the problem.
What We Do Most Often in Oak Park
- Chimney sweep with a Level 1 inspection for masonry fireplaces, factory-built wood-burning fireplaces and stoves.
- Level 2 camera inspections on older homes, before a sale and after an appliance change.
- Stainless chimney liners for fireplaces, furnaces and water heaters.
- Tuckpointing, crowns and chimney rebuilds matched to the original masonry.
- Firebox and smoke chamber repair.
- Gas fireplace, gas log and direct-vent service by NFI-certified technicians.
Our Work in Oak Park
Chimney Monkey has served Oak Park since 2017. The photos below come straight from our own job records — 65 documented Oak Park projects, and more we didn't photograph. Each caption lists the work and the street. We don't publish house numbers.
Chimney Caps & Chase Covers
Stainless caps, chase covers and cap-and-crown work on Oak Park chimneys of every age.
Masonry Repair & Chimney Rebuilds
Brick and stone chimneys across Oak Park — rebuilds above the roofline, tuckpointing and masonry repairs.
Flashing
Many "roof leaks" near a chimney are flashing failures. New step and counter flashing where the old work had failed.
Factory-Built Chimneys & Direct-Vent Terminations
Metal chimney pipe, chases, caps and vent terminations for factory-built and direct-vent fireplaces in Oak Park.
Chimney Liners
Stainless liners for fireplaces, furnaces and water heaters — the part of the chimney you never see, and the one that matters most for safety.
Fireplaces, Inserts & Gas Logs
Gas fireplaces, inserts, gas log sets and fireplace sweeps in Oak Park living rooms and family rooms.
Before the Repair: What We Find in Oak Park
Cracked crowns, spalling brick, rusted chase covers, nests and failing flue tiles. These are the conditions our inspections catch — usually before they become a leak or a safety problem inside the house.
Areas We Cover
All of Oak Park, from the historic districts north of Chicago Avenue to the blocks south of the Eisenhower. We also work in neighboring River Forest and on Chicago’s West and Northwest Sides — see our Chicago page.
Why Our Inspections Are Paid
We charge for inspections because the inspection is the service: we document what is actually happening with photographs and, where conditions allow, video of the inside of the flue, then explain what is urgent, what is maintenance and what can reasonably wait. A quote prices a job you already know you need. A diagnostic inspection determines what the job actually is. The report is yours whether or not we do the repair.
Who You Are Hiring
Chimney Monkey has been in business since 2017 and works out of Buffalo Grove. We are members and sponsors of the National Chimney Sweep Guild — our partner Brett Conklin serves on the NCSG board as an at-large director through 2027 — and we belong to the regional North Central Chimney Guild. Our technicians are NFI certified across wood-burning, gas and pellet appliances, we have SPRAT-certified technicians for rope-access work, and our crew trains through the year. One of our three partners is a U.S. military veteran. More than 1,100 Google reviews.
Our repairs and installations carry the Chimney Monkey Workmanship Warranty: 2 years on workmanship and materials, 3 years on venting and appliance systems, 12 years on structural masonry and liner installations — one step past the 1-2-10 residential standard, kept in force by an annual inspection.
Oak Park Chimney Questions
How much does a chimney sweep cost in Oak Park?
As of November 2026, a chimney sweep in Oak Park is $335 to $350 and includes the Level 1 inspection, for masonry and factory-built wood-burning fireplaces alike. An inspection on its own is $205 to $300, and the same rate covers a utility chimney serving a furnace or water heater. A Level 2 inspection with video of the flue is around $300.
Our house is over a hundred years old. Is the chimney safe to use?
Not until it has been inspected. Chimneys that old may have no liner or a liner past its life. A Level 2 inspection shows what is inside the flue, and an unlined or badly deteriorated flue should not be used until it is relined.
We replaced our furnace and the chimney is now too big. Is that real?
Yes. A flue built for a furnace and a water heater together is oversized once the furnace vents out the side wall. The water heater exhaust condenses in the extra space and damages the flue from the inside. The correction is a stainless liner sized to the water heater.
Do you charge for the inspection?
Yes. You are paying for a documented answer: photographs, video of the flue where conditions allow, and a written explanation of what needs correcting now and what can wait. The report is yours whether or not we do the repair.
Our Prices
Typical rates as of November 2026. A chimney sweep in Oak Park is $335 to $350 with the Level 1 inspection included, for masonry and factory-built wood-burning fireplaces alike. An inspection on its own is $205 to $300, and the same rate covers a utility chimney serving a furnace or water heater. A Level 2 inspection with video of the flue is around $300. Crown replacement on a masonry chimney typically runs $850 to $2,600, depending on its size. Liners, chase covers, refractory panels and masonry are quoted in writing after the inspection, because pricing an unknown condition is guessing. The full list is on our chimney service costs page. Call 847-994-4388 to book or to confirm current pricing.