Robinson Maintenance and Repair, Inc. performs a wide array of services related to your chimney, firebox, and related components. Our services include:

Why Should I Sweep My Chimney?

Chimney sweeping is needed to remove creosote deposits and other debris from chimneys and vents. Creosote buildup in chimneys can lead to chimney fires or flue blockages. During a chimney fire temperatures inside the chimney often exceed 2000 degrees and this can destroy your chimney and may set your house on fire. In the event of a flue blockage which may be caused by creosote or other debris such as animal nesting, dangerous fumes can be forced into your home.

Chimney sweeping is a vital service to protect the health and safety of your family and home. All chimneys, including the chimney for your furnace, should be inspected annually with sweeping performed as needed. Chimney inspections and cleaning help prevent costly and damaging chimney fires.

Chimney Inspections & Cleaning

Our CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps use state-of-the-art equipment to inspect and sweep 1st- and 2nd-story chimneys of all kinds, including oil-, wood-, and gas-burning chimneys. While sweeping your system, we ensure that it is in working order. We look for any problems that could prevent peak performance and recommend what is needed for your system to burn cleanly and safely. When necessary, we use video inspection camera equipment to examine hidden parts of the flue.

Safety Inspections

Safety inspections of chimneys are an important service that we perform. Safety inspections come in many forms and you should be aware that not all inspections are alike. During the course of a chimney sweeping, the inspector will be looking out for any visible problems and will advise you of any problems or integrity issues that he/she encounters. This is the most basic of inspections but will uncover most serious problems.

Types of Chimney Cleanings

Fireplace cleaning includes a visual inspection and removal of flaky creosote from the flue, smoke chamber and firebox. Industry standard brushes, rods and vacuum are used and the area is protected by drop cloths/tarps.

Motorized cleaning is an extra service if needed, performed after flaky creosote is removed. Sometimes a build-up of glaze (baked-on creosote) is present. If ignited, this glaze can crack and damage both the flue and chimney.

Furnace flue cleaning includes removal of and brushing out of water heater and furnace connectors to the flue. This is done with industry standard brushes and rods. A visual inspection looking for any softening, deterioration, nesting or other debris is included for the connectors and flue.

Blockage removal can be performed if an animal has nested in your chimney. The blockage pictured below on the left was caused by a squirrel nesting; the picture on the right is the removed blockage. Raccoons and birds often nest also.

Flue blockage caused by squirrel Debris pulled out of flue

Wood burning stove standard cleaning includes a visual inspection and sweeping of the connector pipe from stove to flue termination.

Installation of Chimney Caps

The best way to prevent moisture from rain and snow, animals, leaves, and other debris from entering your chimney is to install a chimney cap. Our high-quality stainless steel caps carry a lifetime warranty.

Chimney Rain Caps / Animal Cage

It is important to protect the inside lining of the chimney from rain and snow. When creosote mixes with water it turns acidic and wears away at mortar joints and flue tiles. As a side benefit, the cage that supports the cap creates a barrier from animals such as birds, squirrels, raccoons and other animals that could find their way to make a home in the fireplace. Options are copper, stainless & galvanized.

Chimney Damper Repair

A chimney damper stops heat from escaping up your chimney when your fireplace is not in use. If your fireplace does not have a damper or a tight-fitting set of glass doors, you are pumping money up your chimney. We offer top sealing dampers for masonry or prefabricated fireplaces. Options include Lyemance, lock top, drop-in dampers for pre-fabricated fireplaces, as well as mechanical fireplace dampers manufactured for gas fireplaces.

Chimney Tuckpointing & Rebuilding

Tuckpointing

Your chimney takes a lot of abuse from the weather and you might find that the mortar has chipped, cracked or is worn down and needs replacing. We grind all of the joints back one half inch and add new mortar and strike it accordingly. If needed, we will also finish with an acid wash.

tuckpointing

Chimney Rebuilds

Rebuilt chimney When considering rebuilding the chimney, each one has its own areas of concerns or corrections needed. For instance, the one pictured was with an undersized steel liner installed upside down in a chimney built short of height for its surroundings. There is brick spalling and it is without a proper chimney crown.

Rebuilt Chimney Removing the clay flue tile, installing the proper size liner for the fireplace opening it serves, raising the height of the chimney and pouring a cement cast-in-place chimney crown (four inches thick with a two inch over hang), has all restored the chimneys integrity and improved its performance.

Flaking Bricks

Also known as spalling, flaking bricks can be caused by moisture problems. Let us help you determine the best course of action to take to prevent further deterioration.

Water Repellent Application – Chimney Saver

Saver Systems offers a water-based repellent that can be applied in damp conditions, will not discolor or damage asphalt shingles and has no chemical odor because chimney saver is not a water sealer but a WATER REPELLENT. The difference could save you hundreds to thousands of dollars in repairs. Sealers can actually damage masonry. Unlike waterproofing sealers that remain on the surface and trap water vapors, Chimney Saver repellent penetrates deep enough to protect masonry from destructive water penetration.

Chimney Crown Repair

The crown is the concrete-like surface at the top of your chimney. Its job is to shed water away from the flue and also to keep water from entering the chimney chase. Cracks or missing pieces in the crown can lead to extensive water damage in your chimney.

Chimney Flashing Repair

The flashing is a barrier between the chimney and roofline joint that is made of metal. The flashing prevents water from penetrating this joint and leaking into the house.

Firebox Tuckpointing and Rebuilding

The firebox of your fireplace takes a lot of heat and abuse. If any of the bricks are loose or if any of the mortar joints are eroded back more than ½ of an inch, it may be time for a repair.

firebox firebox

Chimney Relining

Chimney relining is the most practical and affordable way to repair deteriorated or damaged chimney liners. Chimney liners can be damaged by a number of things such as settling, high winds and lightning. The most common form of chimney damage is a chimney fire. In addition to chimney damage, older chimneys may be unlined or their liners may be deteriorated to the point where relining is necessary.

Reasons to Reline Your Chimney

When the existing liner is unable to contain the products of combustion (water, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and other volatile gases)
To repair damage to the chimney which may have been caused by a chimney fire, lightning, settling, etc.
To upgrade old chimneys which were constructed without chimney liners
To replace worn, deteriorated liners, which may be allowing smoke, creosote, or condensation to seep through the chimney walls
To properly size the chimney for a new appliance; such as converting from oil to gas heat
To prevent excessive creosote buildup (and risk of a chimney fire) when venting a woodstove through an existing fireplace

Chimney Liners

Stainless Steel: This method of relining involves installing a round or oval stainless steel liner in the chimney. The liner can be either rigid or flexible; flexible stainless steel liners are used in all of our fire place installations.

Aluminum: Aluminum lining is installed in furnace chimneys when the furnace and water heater have used gas (not oil) for their working life.

A chimney scan using video inspection is recommended when buying a home in order to accurately assess the condition of the chimney liner for hidden breaching such as cracks, a deteriorated thimble and missing mortar joints.

Fireplace Conversion

From wood burning to gas
From gas to wood burning
Installation of gas log unit

Smoke Problems

The Vacustack chimney cap will cure most wind related down-draft problems. It is designed to increase draft as wind speed increases. If the smoking problem is wind related, we recommend installing the Vacustack along with a smoke guard which is installed below the lintel of the fireplace.

The Exhausto is a cap with a powered fan installed at the top of the flue that aids chimneys that have a poor draw.

Chimney Masonry Restoration

Masonry restoration may be needed to repair structural deficiencies due to damage, to improve energy efficiency, to improve aesthetics, or as preventative maintenance. See below for an example of before and after a chimney masonry restoration.

Chimney Masonry

RMR Chimney Sweep

Robinson Maintenance & Repair Company. Full Service Certified Chimney Sweep Specialists Serving Chicago and the Surrounding Suburbs.

Chimney Sweep Services