The chimney looks fine from the road. Why would I get it checked?

Because the road side is usually the sheltered side. The weather face is often years further gone. That's exactly the failure we photograph from the roof.

Do you work on cabins and second homes?

Yes, and we send photos of everything so you can decide without driving up.

Do I need a permit to have my chimney tuckpointed or the crown rebuilt?

Almost never. Minnesota Rule 1300.0120 exempts ordinary repairs from the permit process, and repointing joints or pouring a new crown is ordinary repair work. We aren't opening a wall, moving a beam, or altering a vent. Relining a flue is the one that changes the venting system, and that one does get a permit in most cities. We tell you which side of that line your job falls on before we start, in writing.

How fast can you get here from Little Falls?

We run the Highway 10 and Highway 65 corridors on purpose, so north metro work gets grouped into the same days rather than squeezed in one at a time. Call and we'll tell you the next day we're already going to be in your area. That's usually the fastest and cheapest way to get on the schedule.

Do you take on the masonry other chimney companies turn down?

That's most of what we do up here. Plenty of sweeps will clean and inspect all day and then sub out anything that needs a trowel above the roofline. We self-perform crown rebuilds, repointing, and top-half rebuilds, which means a sweep, a roofer or an inspector can hand us the masonry and keep their customer.

Crowns, repointing, and rebuilds are priced off what is actually up there, so we photograph the chimney and send a written number before anyone commits to anything. No trip charge to look at it.

Chimney Repair in Forest Lake & Hugo, MN

Lake houses, newer subdivisions, and an older core. Three different chimneys, all failing at the top.

Call 320.414.0191 Request an Appointment

Free written estimate on any chimney we can see. We send photos of what we found on your roof, not a verbal guess.

Forest Lake and Hugo cover a lot of ground and a lot of building eras. What we're called for here is consistent anyway, because water always finds the same way in.

Lake exposure isn't the same as suburban exposure

A chimney on an open lot near water takes wind-driven rain from directions a chimney in a packed subdivision never sees. Joints on the weather side open years ahead of the sheltered side, which is why these chimneys often look fine from the driveway and are half gone from the other direction. We photograph all four faces so you're looking at the whole chimney, not the pretty side.

The newer builds have a different weak point

Framed chase, factory firebox, sheet metal cover on top. When that cover rusts through, water goes straight down the flue pipe and into the framing. Stainless with a cross break and a drip edge fixes it permanently.

Second opinions welcome. If someone has quoted you a full rebuild and it doesn't sit right, send us photos. We would rather tell you it repoints than sell you a rebuild.

No permit for ordinary repairs

Crowns, repointing, covers and flashing are ordinary repairs under Minnesota Rule 1300.0120.

What we do up here

Chimney Crown Rebuilds

The concrete cap on top is the part that fails first in Minnesota. We tear the cracked crown off and pour a new one with a real overhang and a drip edge so water leaves the chimney instead of running down inside the brick.

Tuckpointing & Repointing

Freeze-thaw pulls the mortar out of the joints a little more every winter. We grind the failed joints out and repoint with mortar matched to the brick, so the chimney stops drinking water.

Above-the-Roofline Rebuilds

When the brick above the roof is spalling, leaning, or has open joints all the way through, we take the chimney down to sound masonry and rebuild it. Plenty of chimney companies sub this out. We self-perform it.

Flashing, Chase Covers & Waterproofing

Rusted-through chase covers, failed storm collars, tar-smeared flashing. We replace the metal, correct the flashing, and seal the masonry with a vapor-permeable water repellent.

Straight answers

The chimney looks fine from the road. Why would I get it checked?: Because the road side is usually the sheltered side. The weather face is often years further gone. That's exactly the failure we photograph from the roof.
Do you work on cabins and second homes?: Yes, and we send photos of everything so you can decide without driving up.
Do I need a permit to have my chimney tuckpointed or the crown rebuilt?: Almost never. Minnesota Rule 1300.0120 exempts ordinary repairs from the permit process, and repointing joints or pouring a new crown is ordinary repair work. We aren't opening a wall, moving a beam, or altering a vent. Relining a flue is the one that changes the venting system, and that one does get a permit in most cities. We tell you which side of that line your job falls on before we start, in writing.
How fast can you get here from Little Falls?: We run the Highway 10 and Highway 65 corridors on purpose, so north metro work gets grouped into the same days rather than squeezed in one at a time. Call and we'll tell you the next day we're already going to be in your area. That's usually the fastest and cheapest way to get on the schedule.
Do you take on the masonry other chimney companies turn down?: That's most of what we do up here. Plenty of sweeps will clean and inspect all day and then sub out anything that needs a trowel above the roofline. We self-perform crown rebuilds, repointing, and top-half rebuilds, which means a sweep, a roofer or an inspector can hand us the masonry and keep their customer.
What does it cost?: Crowns, repointing, and rebuilds are priced off what is actually up there, so we photograph the chimney and send a written number before anyone commits to anything. No trip charge to look at it.

Get a number on it

Call or text 320.414.0191, or send us the address and a photo of the chimney and we'll tell you what we're looking at.