Chimney repair
Chimney repair, done by our own crew.
Leaks, cracked crowns, missing mortar and crumbling brick above the roof, fixed by our crew.
Crowns, tuckpointing, relining, rebuilds above the roof and leaks around the chimney. We photograph it and give you the price in writing first.
We work weekdays, 8 to 5. Pick any time on the form and Kari will call you to set the exact one.
What are you seeing up there?
Start with what's bugging you. We'll tell you what it is, and we fix it ourselves.
There's a water stain next to the chimney.
Most of the time it's the crown, the flashing or open mortar joints letting water in. We find where it's getting in before anybody tears off shingles.
How we fix itCrownsThe top of the chimney is cracked.
That's the crown, and it's the first thing to go in a Minnesota winter. We tear it off and pour a new one with an overhang and a drip edge.
How we fix itTuckpointingThere's mortar missing between the bricks.
Freeze and thaw pull a little more out every year. We grind out the bad joints and repoint them with mortar that matches the brick.
How we fix itRebuildsThe brick is crumbling above the roof.
Once water gets into the brick and freezes, the faces pop off. Depending on how deep it goes, we repoint it or rebuild it from solid brick up.
How we fix itInspectionsSmoke comes back into the room.
It could be buildup, a blockage or the house not giving the fire enough air. An inspection with a camera tells us which one.
How we fix itSweepsIt hasn't been swept in a while.
Anything you burn in should get looked at once a year. If there's more than an eighth of an inch of buildup, we sweep it.
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Chimney repair
The repairs we do most
The three that keep a chimney standing and dry.
Chimney flue relining
A cracked or missing liner lets heat and exhaust go where they shouldn't. We reline the flue for a fireplace, a wood stove, or a furnace, boiler or water heater.
Read moreCrownsChimney crown rebuild
The crown is the roof of the chimney. It should have an overhang and a drip edge so water drips off and away. We tear off the cracked one and pour it right.
Read moreTuckpointingChimney tuckpointing
The mortar wears out before the brick does. Repointing is like changing the oil: grind out the bad joints and fill them before water gets in.
Read more
BEFOREAFTERBefore and after
Same chimney. Same angle.
- Before: painted brick coming apart above the roof, and a crown breaking up
- Rebuilt with new brick from the roofline up
- New crown with an overhang, so the water drips clear
- New flashing where the chimney meets the shingles
How we figure out what's wrong
From the ground you can see a symptom. You can't see the cause. Smoke coming back into the room could be buildup, a blockage or a flue that's out of line. A stain on the ceiling could be the crown, the flashing or the joints. We get up there, look, take pictures, and show you what it is before we price anything.
Why it's worth fixing now
Water is what kills a chimney. It gets in through a crack or an open joint, freezes, and pushes the brick apart, and every winter it gets a little further. A small repair now saves you a rebuild later.
What it costs
Call Kari. She'll give you the price.
Kari answers our phone. She'll ask how many flues you have and what you're seeing, give you the price for your chimney, and get you on the schedule. Masonry depends on what's actually up there, so we price it from the pictures.
Inside and out, every flue that vents into the chimney, with pictures and a written report by email.
Part of your yearly inspection. When it finds more than an eighth of an inch of buildup, that flue gets swept the same visit. We don't sweep without inspecting.
Crowns, tuckpointing and rebuilds are priced from photos of your chimney. You get the pictures and the number before anything starts.
We work weekdays, 8 to 5. Pick any time on the form and Kari will call you to set the exact one.
Google reviews
What people wrote after we left.
“We thought initially we just needed to fix the flashing, but when Jason dug into the problem, we found the chimney extension that was done 25 years ago had an improperly installed vapor barrier... It is so nice to not worry about drip-drip-drip every rain storm.”
“We bought an old house and the chimney was in need of urgent repair... we not only got something functional but also beautifully designed and crafted. We knew exactly what it'd cost and what we were paying for.”
“I got a call back right away the next business day and was scheduled. Jason called and let us know when he would be on his way to our house. He inspected it, showed us pictures of our chimney, and explained the process.”
“The team who worked on our new chimney liner and damper left things super clean and we love that we can have a fire in our fireplace for the first time in a lonnnnnnnnnng time.”
“Returned call same day and scheduled inspection... I was given estimate the next day. They demoed old chimney, installed new liners, and built an awesome new chimney. Wow! Totally satisfied!”
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How it goes
What happens after you call.
You call, we set a time.
We call you back and give you a time, then call again when we're on our way.
We get up on the roof.
Every crack, open joint and flashing seam gets photographed, inside and out.
You get the pictures and a number.
In writing. Nothing starts until you say go.
Chimney repair questions
How much does chimney repair cost?
It depends on what's actually up there, so we photograph the chimney and send you a written number before anybody commits to anything. Call Kari at 320.414.0191 to set up the inspection, or book online.
Do you do the masonry yourselves?
Yes. Crowns, tuckpointing, relining and rebuilds above the roof are done by our own crew.
Is the leak my roof or my chimney?
If the water shows up on the ceiling or the wall right next to the chimney, it's usually the chimney: the crown, the flashing or open joints. We find where it's getting in before anybody tears off shingles.
Is a damaged chimney actually dangerous?
It can be. A cracked liner or a blocked flue can push smoke and carbon monoxide back into the house instead of up and out. And water that gets into the brick keeps doing damage every time it freezes.
Does a bad chimney hurt what my house is worth?
A chimney that can't be used, or that needs a rebuild, is something a buyer's inspector will find. It's easier to fix it now than to argue about it at closing.
Where we work
The north metro, town by town. Tap yours.
Tell us what you're seeing.
Call and describe it, or book an inspection online. We'll tell you what we think it is and what it takes to fix it.
We work weekdays, 8 to 5. Pick any time on the form and Kari will call you to set the exact one.
Got pictures of your chimney? Email them to info@elementhearthandhome.com with your name and number, and Kari will get them to Jason.