Fast, Reliable Chimney Repair Across Highwood
Chimney repair in Highwood typically runs $250-$4,500 depending on whether you need mortar repointing, brick replacement, or a full rebuild, and most jobs are completed in a single visit with our background-checked, uniformed technicians. We answer calls with a live person 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (888) 289-6055.
We’ve been driving to Highwood for over 42 years, and we know the chimneys here better than most. The town’s mix of early 20th-century bungalows along Green Bay Road, the two-flats near the Metra station, and the converted Army housing in Fort Sheridan presents repair challenges you won’t find in neighboring Highland Park or Lake Forest. Many of these chimneys were built before modern flue liners existed. They’ve survived a century of Lake Michigan winters, but the east-wind-driven moisture and freeze-thaw cycling take their toll. When mortar crumbles or brick faces start popping off, you need someone who understands old masonry, not a contractor who treats every chimney like a 1990s subdivision install.
Our Chimney Repair team carries the materials to fix what Highwood’s housing stock demands: professional-grade DuraFlex liners for unlined flues, HeatShield resurfacing for deteriorated clay tile, and matching brick for repointing that doesn’t look like a patch job. We’ll be there when we say. Done right - and we stand behind it.
Why Hearthstone Chimney Co. of Chicago Is Highwood’s Preferred Chimney Repair Company
Highwood sits in a unique position on the North Shore - a small, historically working-class enclave surrounded by wealthier suburbs. We’ve earned the trust of homeowners here by treating every chimney like the structural system it is, not a quick sales opportunity. Our technicians have worked on the original brick chimneys of bungalows on Sheridan Road, the shared flues in two-flats near Waukegan Avenue, and the 1880s-era coal chimneys in Fort Sheridan that now vent modern gas appliances. That breadth of experience matters when your home’s chimney predates the building code.
Our 90-Day Done Right Promise is backed in writing with no arguing. If it’s not right, we come back. No paperwork shuffle, no voicemail runaround. Calls are answered by a live person 24/7 - every day, every hour. Most jobs are completed in a single visit, with no-hassle upfront pricing: the number on the estimate is the number on the invoice. A square deal, no surprises on the bill.
We document every inspection with photos you can see and a plain-English verdict. You’ll understand what’s wrong, what it costs, and why we’re recommending the repair we do. That’s how we’ve operated since 2014, and that’s why homeowners in Highwood call us back.
Our Chimney Repair Services in Highwood
Mortar Repointing
Mortar repointing in Highwood typically costs $800-$2,400 for a standard bungalow chimney, depending on how many courses need grinding out and how accessible the scaffold setup is. The original lime-based mortar in 1910s-1940s homes was softer than modern Portland cement mixes, which was appropriate for the brick of the era but wears faster under Lake Michigan’s wet freeze-thaw cycles. We match the original mortar composition so the repair moves with the brick instead of cracking against it. On lake-facing elevations along the eastern edge of town, we’ve seen mortar joints erode to half their original depth in under 15 years. Caught early, repointing preserves the chimney. Wait too long, and water infiltrates the core, leading to a rebuild.
Spalling Brick Repair
Spalling brick repair in Highwood runs $400-$1,800 for localized replacement, or $2,500-$4,500 if the damage has spread through multiple courses and requires partial rebuilding. The east-wind-driven moisture off Lake Michigan saturates brick on lake-facing chimneys, then winter freeze-thaw cycles pop the faces off. We see this most often on homes east of Green Bay Road, where the wind hits directly. We source matching brick when possible and install with proper drainage details so the repair outlasts the original. Photos you can see, a plain-English verdict - you’ll know whether you’re looking at a few bricks or a systemic moisture problem before we start.
Chimney Waterproofing
Chimney waterproofing in Highwood typically costs $350-$950 depending on chimney size and whether we need to address crown cracks or flashing gaps first. Given the persistent moisture exposure here, we treat waterproofing as prevention, not cosmetics. We use breathable silane-siloxane sealers that allow vapor to escape while blocking liquid water - critical for old masonry that has absorbed decades of lake-effect rain. For homes in the Fort Sheridan area with original coal-era chimneys, waterproofing is often paired with liner inspection, since the same moisture that spalls brick can accelerate terra cotta deterioration inside the flue.
Flashing Repair
Flashing repair in Highwood typically runs $300-$850 for standard chimney-to-roof intersections, or $900-$1,600 if we need to reflash after addressing underlying deck rot. The steep roofs and complex intersections common on older homes here - especially the converted Fort Sheridan structures with multiple roof planes - demand precise metalwork. We use copper or professional-grade coated steel, not the thin aluminum strips some crews slap on. Proper flashing is what keeps water out of the attic and wall cavities where it causes the hidden damage that leads to major rebuilds.
Chimney Rebuilding
When repointing and brick replacement won’t suffice, full or partial chimney rebuilding in Highwood ranges from $3,500-$8,500 depending on height, access, and whether the flue needs relining. We’ve rebuilt chimneys on bungalows where the original unlined structure had simply reached the end of its service life, and we’ve done partial rebuilds on Fort Sheridan homes where the upper courses had deteriorated but the lower brickwork remained sound. Every rebuild includes a Level-2 camera inspection to document the condition of what’s staying and what needs addressing inside the flue.
Tuckpointing
Tuckpointing - the cosmetic refinement of repointing joints for appearance - runs $1,200-$3,200 in Highwood when done with historical accuracy on early 20th-century homes. Some homeowners want the repair to disappear; others want the original lime-putty ribbon detail preserved. We discuss the approach before we start, and we match what your home had when it was built.
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.
Trusted Brands We Service in Highwood
We work exclusively with professional-grade materials from DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, Olympia Chimney, Famco, and Copperfield - no builder-grade substitutes. For Highwood’s older chimneys, this matters. A DuraFlex stainless steel liner properly sized for a converted gas furnace in a coal-era chimney will outlast the appliance it serves. HeatShield resurfacing can restore a deteriorated clay tile flue without tearing out the surround masonry, saving Fort Sheridan homeowners thousands on what might otherwise require rebuilds. We stock common liner diameters and flashing configurations for fast turnaround on Chimney Repair in Highwood jobs, so you’re not waiting weeks for parts while water keeps getting in.
Common Chimney Repair Problems We See in Highwood Homes
- East-wind-driven moisture saturation. Chimneys on lake-facing elevations in Highwood absorb persistent moisture off Lake Michigan that inland communities like Deerfield or Northbrook simply don’t experience. The freeze-thaw damage accelerates spalling and mortar erosion beyond normal wear.
- Unlined or original clay tile liner failure. Highwood’s 1910s-1940s bungalows and two-flats often retain original chimneys with no liner or deteriorated terra cotta that has cracked and separated after decades of thermal cycling. Hidden gaps allow flue gases to escape into wall cavities.
- Coal-era chimneys venting gas appliances. In the Fort Sheridan neighborhood, we regularly encounter 1880s-1900s chimneys originally designed for coal that have been venting gas furnaces or water heaters for decades. The flues are often undersized, unlined, and accumulating heavy deposits that create chimney fire risk.
- Crown deterioration from freeze-thaw. Concrete chimney crowns on Highwood’s older homes crack and spall, allowing water straight into the chimney core. By the time staining appears on interior walls, the damage is rarely superficial.
Pricing for Chimney Repair in Highwood, IL
Here’s what chimney repair costs in Highwood’s market, based on the jobs we’ve completed here over 42 years:
| Service | Typical Range in Highwood |
|---|---|
| Level-2 camera inspection with photos | $249-$349 |
| Mortar repointing (standard bungalow chimney) | $800-$2,400 |
| Spalling brick repair (localized) | $400-$1,800 |
| Spalling brick repair with partial rebuild | $2,500-$4,500 |
| Chimney waterproofing | $350-$950 |
| Flashing repair | $300-$850 |
| Flashing repair with deck repair | $900-$1,600 |
| Chimney rebuilding (partial or full) | $3,500-$8,500 |
| Tuckpointing | $1,200-$3,200 |
| Stainless steel liner installation (DuraFlex) | $2,800-$5,500 |
What moves the number: scaffold requirements on tall or tight-lot chimneys, the extent of hidden damage revealed during tear-down, matching brick availability for historical structures, and whether we need to coordinate with a roofer for flashing integration. We provide no-hassle upfront pricing before any work begins - the number on the estimate is the number on the invoice. Call (888) 289-6055 for a free estimate. We also offer $50 off any repair over $250, a free second opinion on any written estimate, and a permanent 5% senior and veteran discount.
We Also Serve Cities Near Highwood
Our technicians cover the full North Shore area from our Chicago base, including Highland Park to the west, Lake Forest to the north, Deerfield and Northbrook inland. Each community has its own housing stock and chimney characteristics - Highland Park’s mid-century ranches present different challenges than Highwood’s century-old masonry - and we adjust our approach accordingly.
Serving Highwood, IL - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Highwood 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 Highwood
Original brick chimneys in Highwood bungalows can be safe with a gas insert only if the flue is properly lined and sized for the appliance’s venting requirements. Many unlined or terra cotta-lined chimneys here were never designed for the cooler, wetter exhaust of gas combustion, and the original flue may be too large, causing condensation that deteriorates mortar and stains walls. We perform a Level-2 camera inspection to check for gaps, deterioration, and proper sizing before any insert installation. Call (888) 289-6055 to schedule - estimates are free.
Many Fort Sheridan chimneys can be repaired rather than rebuilt if the structural brickwork remains sound and the damage is limited to the liner, crown, or upper courses. We evaluate three things: the integrity of the load-bearing masonry, the condition of the flue system, and whether moisture intrusion has compromised the chimney’s core. In the Fort Sheridan neighborhood, we worked on an 1890s Army house where an unlined chimney had been venting a gas furnace for 30 years. The terra cotta liner was so deteriorated that sections had collapsed; we installed a DuraFlex stainless steel liner, saving the original brickwork from a full rebuild. Call (888) 289-6055 and we’ll give you a plain-English verdict with photos you can see.
East-facing chimneys in Highwood take the direct hit of lake-effect moisture driven by prevailing east winds off Lake Michigan. That persistent wetting, combined with severe freeze-thaw cycling each winter, erodes mortar joints and spalls brick faster than on west-facing or inland exposures. We’ve measured the difference: chimneys on the eastern edge of town near the lake often show twice the mortar erosion rate of those just a few blocks west. Chimney Cleaning & Sweep - Highwood and more frequent inspection intervals can help manage the accelerated wear. Call (888) 289-6055 to discuss a maintenance schedule.
Yes, this combination can be dangerous and is unusually common in Highwood due to the town’s high concentration of converted coal-era chimneys, particularly in Fort Sheridan. Coal chimneys were designed for hot, dry exhaust and typically have larger flues than gas appliances require. When a gas furnace vents into an oversized, often unlined coal flue, the cooler exhaust moves slowly, condensing moisture that deteriorates the masonry and allowing carbon monoxide and other gases to seep through gaps into living spaces. Heavy sooting and liner gaps create chimney fire risk. A Level-2 inspection with camera documentation is essential to determine whether relining or rebuilding is needed. Call (888) 289-6055 - we’ll show you exactly what your flue looks like inside.
Mortar repointing for a typical Highwood bungalow chimney runs $800-$2,400, with most jobs falling in the $1,200-$1,800 range for standard access and moderate joint erosion. Taller chimneys on Fort Sheridan homes, tight lot lines that complicate scaffolding, or the need to match historical lime mortar can push the cost toward the upper end. We provide no-hassle upfront pricing after inspection - the number on the estimate is the number on the invoice. Call (888) 289-6055 for a free estimate, and mention our $50 off any repair over $250.
Written by the team at Hearthstone Chimney Co., serving Highwood and the North Shore since 2014.