Chimney Repair in Lombard, IL — Crowns, Flashing & Crumbling Brick Fixed Right

Chimney repair in Lombard, IL — fixed at the source, not just the surface

If your Lombard chimney has a cracked crown, crumbling brick, or a leak when it rains, Emerald Masonry LLC repairs it correctly the first time. We're a family-owned, licensed and insured masonry contractor with 40+ years of Chicagoland experience, and we repair chimney crowns, flashing leaks, deteriorated mortar, and spalling brick — plus partial rebuilds above the roofline — for homeowners across Lombard and DuPage County. For a free on-site assessment, call (708) 288-1696.

A chimney is the hardest-working masonry on your house. It stands above the roofline exposed to wind, rain, and sun on every side, and it has no overhang to shed water. In Lombard's climate that exposure adds up fast — which is why chimneys are usually the first masonry on a home to fail.

What chimney repair actually covers

"Chimney repair" is a group of related fixes, not a single task. On a typical Lombard chimney we address:

• The crown — the concrete or mortar cap at the very top. When it cracks, water pours straight into the masonry below.
• The brick and mortar — repointing open joints and replacing spalled or loose brick.
• The flashing connection — where the chimney meets the roof, the most common leak point on the whole structure.
• Waterproofing — a breathable sealer applied after repairs to slow future absorption.

The goal is always the same: stop water from getting into the chimney, because water is what drives nearly every chimney failure.

Signs your Lombard chimney needs attention

Homeowners usually notice one of these first:

• Pieces of brick face flaking off, or brick fragments on the roof or in the yard (spalling).
• White, chalky staining on the chimney (efflorescence — a sign water is moving through the masonry).
• Crumbling, sandy, or missing mortar between the bricks.
• A cracked or broken crown at the top.
• Water stains on the ceiling or wall near the chimney, or a damp smell in the firebox.
• The chimney visibly leaning or pulling away from the house.

If you can see daylight in a mortar joint or a chunk missing from the crown, water is already getting in.

The risk of waiting

A small crown crack or a few open joints is inexpensive to correct. Left alone through a few Lombard winters, that same water saturates the brick, freezes, and spalls the masonry — and once enough brick faces pop, repointing is no longer enough and the structure needs rebuilding. Worse, a leaning or badly deteriorated chimney becomes a safety concern. Early repair is almost always the smaller, cheaper job.

Our chimney repair process

1. Inspection. We examine the crown, brick, mortar joints, and the flashing connection, and trace where water is actually entering.
2. Diagnosis. You get a straight answer on whether a repair or a partial rebuild is the right call — and why.
3. Crown repair or replacement. We repair cracks or rebuild the crown so it sheds water away from the brick.
4. Repointing and brick replacement. Failed mortar is ground out and repointed; spalled brick is replaced with the closest available match.
5. Flashing and water path. We correct the masonry-to-roof connection so the leak is closed at its source.
6. Waterproofing. A breathable masonry sealer is applied to slow future water absorption without trapping moisture.

Materials we use

We use Type N mortar matched as closely as possible to your existing joints, quality replacement brick selected to match size, color, and texture, proper crown materials, and breathable masonry water repellent. Matching mortar color and brick correctly is what keeps a repaired chimney from looking patched.

What drives the cost of chimney repair

Every chimney is different, so we never quote a price sight-unseen. The factors that matter most are the height and access (a tall chimney or steep roof needs more staging), the share of brick that's failed (spot repointing versus a rebuild), crown condition, whether flashing needs attention, and the brick match required. We explain exactly which factors apply to your chimney in your written estimate — call (708) 288-1696 for a free on-site assessment.

Repair or rebuild? How we decide in Lombard

The dividing line is usually the roofline. Damage to the crown, flashing, and the top few courses is repairable. When the brick above the roofline is widely spalling, leaning, or has open joints across more than about a third of its face, a partial rebuild from the roofline up is the durable answer — it's almost always limited to the exposed portion, since the masonry inside the warm house rarely fails. We'll show you what we see and recommend the smallest fix that actually lasts.

Built for Lombard and DuPage County homes

Lombard's mix of mid-century brick homes, older frame houses with masonry chimneys, and established neighborhoods means we see everything from 1950s-era chimneys with original crowns to homes where past "quick fix" sealing only trapped moisture. DuPage County's freeze-thaw swings are hard on any exposed masonry, and a chimney with no overhang takes the worst of it. We tailor the repair to the chimney in front of us, not a generic template.

Emerald Masonry LLC is a family-owned, licensed and insured masonry contractor serving Chicago and the Chicagoland suburbs with 40+ years of experience in tuckpointing, chimney repair, brick repair and replacement, lintel and parapet repair, foundation and limestone/sill repair, caulking, sealing, and commercial, residential, and historic masonry restoration. Free on-site estimates — call (708) 288-1696.

Trust signals

• Family-owned and operated
• 40+ years of Chicagoland masonry experience
• Licensed, bonded, and insured
• Free, no-pressure on-site estimates
• Honest repair-versus-rebuild guidance

Related services

Learn more about our chimney repair work, and if your chimney's mortar joints are the main issue, see our tuckpointing and repointing service. Many Lombard chimneys need both repointing and crown work together.

Get a free Lombard chimney repair estimate

If your chimney is cracking, leaking, or shedding brick, don't wait for another winter to make it worse. Call Emerald Masonry LLC at (708) 288-1696 or request your free on-site estimate. We'll tell you honestly what your chimney needs — and what it doesn't.