Level 1 sweep and inspection to the NFPA 211 annual standard - flue, crown, cap, and flashing checked and photographed
Chimney sweep logs do not sweep chimneys. They loosen some creosote - which then falls where a brush and vacuum still have to collect it.
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After
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Before
AfterTrusted Chimney Liner & Rebuild for Evanston Homeowners
Chimney liner replacement and chimney rebuild costs in Evanston typically run $2,800-$8,500 depending on scope, with most Level 2 inspections completed same-week and written quotes delivered before any work begins. A deteriorated flue liner or compromised masonry isn’t a cosmetic issue in Evanston’s freeze-thaw climate - it’s the barrier between combustion gases and your living space. Since 2009, Level Two Chimney Co. has completed more than 38,000 chimney inspections and cleanings, every one with a written price before work started and a documented photo record when finished. We’re independently owned and operated under the Haven Standard, and our background-checked, uniformed technicians serve homes across Evanston’s neighborhoods from Ridge Avenue to the lakefront. Call (708) 234-1174 to book your inspection.
What Our Chimney Liner & Rebuild Service Includes
Stainless Steel Liner
A stainless steel liner is a corrugated or smooth-wall metal tube inserted into the existing flue to create a sealed combustion path. In Evanston, we install these when clay tile liners have cracked from decades of thermal cycling or when converting a fireplace to a gas or wood-burning insert that requires a listed liner system. Our crews measure the flue with a video scan first, then source DuraFlex or Olympia Chimney stainless steel in the exact diameter and length your appliance listing demands. Every stainless installation includes a new top plate, insulation mix where required by code, and a pull test documented with photos under Haven Standard Clause 4.
Flexible Liner
Flexible liners are multi-ply stainless steel tubes that navigate offset flues or chimney bends where rigid sections won’t pass. Evanston’s housing stock includes many 1920s-1950s homes with stepped or corbelled flues in the smoke chamber that make rigid liner installation impossible. We use DuraFlex flexible liners with a video-guided pull to verify full engagement from thimble to crown, then seal the top with a custom top plate and storm collar. The flexibility doesn’t compromise durability - these carry the same lifetime warranties as rigid systems when installed to manufacturer spec and documented with our standard photo record.
Liner Replacement
Liner replacement means removing a failed or de-listed liner and installing a new system rated for your fuel type and appliance. We perform this in Evanston when clay tiles have spalled (flaked from freeze-thaw damage), when original liners are unlined brick unsafe for modern gas appliances, or when a previous liner installation was done without proper insulation or clearance. Our process starts with a Level 2 inspection and video scan to assess the full condition, then we deliver a written scope and price before any demolition begins. Materials come through Haven’s buying network - DuraFlex, Olympia Chimney, Gelco - priced without markup games.
Partial Rebuild
Partial rebuild addresses the chimney from the roofline up, replacing the crown, rebuilding courses of brick or stone, and often installing a new cap and flashing assembly. In Evanston, we see this need most often after crown failure lets water saturate the top courses, or when parapet walls on flat-roof homes have degraded mortar joints. We match existing brick where possible, pour a new concrete crown with proper overhang and drip edge, and install cricket flashing on wide chimneys to divert water. Every partial rebuild includes a post-construction photo record and a written warranty under our 365-Day Done Right Promise.
Full Chimney Rebuild
Full rebuild is required when the chimney structure is compromised below the roofline, with extensive spalling, leaning, or separated wythes that make spot repair unsafe or short-lived. Evanston’s clay soil and mature tree cover contribute to foundation movement that cracks chimneys at the shoulder or base. We dismantle to sound masonry, rebuild with matching brick and proper ties to the structure, and install a new flue liner system as part of the scope. This is not a small job, and we won’t recommend it without video evidence you can see for yourself - plus a competitor’s written estimate if you want our Free Second Opinion under Haven Standard Clause 1.
Liner Repair
Liner repair targets localized damage without full replacement, using HeatShield cerfractory sealant for clay tile joints and small cracks, or stainless steel sleeves for isolated breaches. In Evanston, we’ve used HeatShield to restore sound clay liners where tiles are intact but mortar joints have eroded, preserving the original system at lower cost than full replacement. The product is a hybrid ceramic-cement compound pumped and smoothed to a specified thickness, then cured with a controlled burn. We document the before-and-after video scan and include the HeatShield warranty documentation in your job record.
What happens when you call
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A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
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You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Brands We Service for Chimney Liner & Rebuild
We’ve installed and serviced DuraFlex liners in hundreds of Evanston homes, from flexible pulls in vintage masonry to rigid systems in new construction. Their multi-ply construction and precise gauge ratings let us match the liner to the appliance listing without guesswork, and we stock common diameters and components to reduce wait times on standard jobs.
HeatShield cerfractory sealant is our go-to for liner repair where the clay tile structure is sound but joints have failed. We’ve applied it in Evanston’s older homes with original liners that still have decades of service life if the gaps are sealed properly. Gelco and Olympia Chimney supply our cap, crown, and flashing components - Gelco for custom-fabricated stainless caps that fit odd-size flues, Olympia for standard catalog items delivered fast through Haven’s buying network. Whether you have DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, Olympia Chimney, or any other make installed, we can inspect, repair, or replace it with documentation that meets your insurer’s requirements.
Before
AfterSigns You Need Chimney Liner & Rebuild Right Now
- White efflorescence or spalling brick on the exterior. These are signs of water saturation and freeze-thaw damage. In Evanston, where lake-effect moisture meets hard winter freezes, spalling accelerates once it starts. Left unaddressed, the chimney loses structural integrity and the flue liner shifts or cracks with it.
- Flakes of clay tile in the firebox or cleanout. These shards mean your clay liner is deteriorating. The flue is no longer a smooth, sealed path for combustion gases, and creosote will accumulate in the gaps and ledges created by missing tile.
- Smoke or odors entering living spaces during use. This indicates a breach in the liner or a blocked flue that is forcing exhaust into the home. Carbon monoxide is odorless and can accompany smoke; any indication of flue gas escape requires immediate professional inspection.
- Visible cracks in the crown or missing mortar joints. The crown is your chimney’s umbrella. Once water penetrates through crown cracks or open joints, it reaches the liner system and the interior structure. Evanston’s temperature swings make this damage progress faster than in milder climates.
- Your inspector flagged “unlined chimney” or “deteriorated liner” in a previous report. Insurance underwriters and home sale transactions increasingly require documented liner condition. A previous flag without action means you’re carrying known risk that a new buyer’s inspector will find again.
Our Chimney Liner & Rebuild Process - Step by Step
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Level 2 Inspection with Video Scan. We start every liner and rebuild job with NFPA 211 Level 2 inspection: interior and exterior examination, accessible portions of the chimney structure, and a camera scan of the full flue length. You receive the video footage and a condition report before we discuss solutions. This is Haven Standard Clause 4, and we’ve done it on every job since 2009.
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Written Scope, Written Price, Written Warranty. Within 24 hours of inspection, we deliver a single document with three parts: exactly what we’ll do, exactly what it costs, and exactly what we guarantee. No verbal estimates, no “we’ll see once we start” pricing. Clause 1 of the Haven Standard requires this in writing before work begins.
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Material Procurement and Scheduling. Once you approve the scope, we order materials through Haven’s buying network - DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, Olympia Chimney, Famco, Copperfield - at prices we’ve negotiated across our member companies. We schedule your job with a named technician and text you when they’re en route.
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Execution with Progress Documentation. Our background-checked, uniformed crew performs the work with ongoing photo documentation: liner pull tests, mortar mixing ratios, crown pour thickness, flashing integration details. You’re welcome to observe, and we explain what we’re doing as we go.
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Final Inspection, Photo Record Delivery, and Warranty Activation. We run a post-work camera scan to verify liner integrity and proper draft, then compile your complete job record: before/after video, progress photos, product warranties, and our 365-Day Done Right Promise documentation. This archive is yours permanently, and it satisfies insurer and home-sale disclosure requirements.
How Much Does Chimney Liner & Rebuild Cost in Evanston?
A typical HeatShield liner repair in Evanston runs $1,200-$2,400 depending on flue length and accessibility. Stainless steel liner replacement for a standard fireplace flue ranges $2,800-$4,500. Partial rebuilds from the roofline up generally fall between $3,500-$6,000. Full chimney rebuilds with new liner system start around $6,500 and can reach $8,500 or more for tall or complex structures. These are 2024-2025 price ranges for the Evanston market based on actual quotes we’ve delivered.
Several factors move the number: flue diameter and height (more material, more labor), whether the chimney is straight or offset (flexible liner vs. rigid sections), crown condition (repair vs. replacement), and whether the firebox or smoke chamber needs work as well. We don’t discover these variables after starting - the Level 2 inspection and video scan reveal them before you commit.
To avoid overpaying, get any competitor’s estimate in writing and bring it to us for a Free Second Opinion. We’ll review their scope against what we found and tell you where the differences are. Our price includes the inspection, materials, labor, photo documentation, and warranty - no line-item surprises. Call (708) 234-1174 for your exact quote; estimates are free.
Chimney Liner & Rebuild Near Evanston - Our Service Area
Level Two Chimney Evanston serves homeowners throughout the North Shore and near-west suburbs, with typical scheduling availability within 3-5 business days for non-urgent inspections. We regularly perform liner replacements and rebuilds in Chimney Liner & Rebuild in Wilmette and Chimney Liner & Rebuild in Glenview, as well as Park Ridge, Elmwood Park, Highland Park, Oak Park, Chicago, Arlington Heights, Elmhurst, Westchester, and Palatine. Response times vary by season - fall booking fills first - but our live phone support runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to reserve your slot.
Serving Evanston, IL - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Evanston area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
Frequently Asked Questions - Chimney Liner & Rebuild in Evanston
Chimney Liner & Rebuild in Evanston restores the safe passage for combustion gases from your appliance to the outdoors. The liner is the protective sleeve inside the flue; the rebuild addresses damaged masonry, crown, or structural components that support or surround it. Level Two Chimney Evanston performs both, starting with a video scan to determine whether repair, replacement, or full rebuild is appropriate for your specific chimney.
Most liner replacements are completed in one day; partial rebuilds typically require two days including cure time for mortar and crown materials; full rebuilds may extend to three or four days depending on weather and structural complexity. We give you a specific timeline in your written scope before work starts, and we don’t leave your home with an open flue overnight. Call (708) 234-1174 to schedule - estimates are free.
Chimney liner repair in Evanston typically runs $1,200-$2,400, stainless steel liner replacement $2,800-$4,500, partial rebuilds $3,500-$6,000, and full rebuilds with new liner $6,500-$8,500 or more. Your exact price depends on flue dimensions, material choice, and structural condition revealed during our Level 2 inspection. We deliver a written quote before any work begins - no exceptions - and offer a Free Second Opinion on any competitor’s written estimate.
Yes. We install, inspect, and repair DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, and Olympia Chimney products regularly, and we source materials through Haven’s buying network to keep pricing honest. Our technicians carry the manufacturer installation manuals and warranty registration paperwork for these brands. If your existing liner is another make, we can still inspect and service it - or replace it with a listed system that matches your appliance requirements.
Our live phone support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and we prioritize calls where a breached flue or structural failure poses immediate safety risk. We don’t promise same-day dispatch for non-urgent work, but we will assess your situation over the phone and schedule the earliest available inspection. If you’re experiencing smoke in the home or suspect carbon monoxide exposure, exit the space and call emergency services first, then contact us for follow-up inspection and repair.
Every job is backed by our 365-Day Done Right Promise: if it’s not done right, we make it right. Manufacturer warranties on DuraFlex, HeatShield, and other materials run concurrent with our labor guarantee - typically lifetime for stainless steel liners, 20 years for HeatShield applications. Your written warranty documentation is included in the photo record we deliver at job completion, under Haven Standard Clause 4.
Clear a path to the fireplace or appliance and remove any valuables from the immediate work area; our crew brings drop cloths and dust containment but appreciates adequate access. For exterior work, ensure we can reach the chimney with our ladder truck - typically 10 feet of clear space at the base. We’ll confirm any specific preparation needs when we call to confirm your appointment. Call (708) 234-1174 to book your inspection and receive your written scope and price.
Schedule Your Chimney Liner & Rebuild Service in Evanston Today
Call (708) 234-1174 to speak with a live person 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or to schedule your free Level 2 inspection with written quote. Every chimney liner and rebuild job includes a video scan, written price before work starts, documented photo record on completion, and our 365-Day Done Right Promise. We’re independently owned and operated under the Haven Standard, and we’ve delivered more than 38,000 documented inspections since 2009. Get your exact price - not a guess - and decide on your own timeline.
Written by Corrine Halstead, Owner at Level Two Chimney Co., serving Evanston since 2009.