Chimney Removal, Partial or Complete

Many Chicago houses have a chimney nobody uses. The coal furnace it served is long gone, the fireplace was closed off decades ago, or the water heater was moved to a side-wall vent. The stack still catches snow and freeze-thaw every winter, and the owner pays to repair masonry that does nothing. Taking it down can make more sense than rebuilding it.

The first question is whether the chimney is really unused. In this region 75 to 91 percent of homes heat with utility gas (Census ACS 2020–24), and in older houses the furnace, boiler or water heater often still vents into the brick chimney. If anything still vents there, it needs a new venting route before the chimney can come down. We trace every connection at the inspection.

Signs you need this

• A chimney that serves nothing and still leaks into the attic
• Bricks loosening at the top of an unused stack
• A sealed-off fireplace you never plan to use
• Roof work coming up and a chimney in the way
• A chimney breast taking up room you want back

How we do it

1. Trace what still vents thereAt the free inspection we check the basement, every floor and the roof for appliances, thimbles and cleanouts tied to the chimney.
2. Pick how far to goStack below the roofline, a partial removal, or the whole chimney plus the fireplace. The written price lists each option.
3. Check the rules firstWe check what your city requires. In a Chicago Landmark district or an Oak Park historic district, the review comes before any demolition.
4. Take it down and close upWe protect the roof and rooms, lower the brick in stages, then close the roof deck, cap what remains and leave the area clean.

How much of the chimney should come off?

Taking the stack down below the roofline is the most common choice. It ends the leaks at the crown and flashing, and the roof is patched over it. The rest of the chimney stays inside the house, closed at the top. A partial removal goes further, often clearing the chimney from an attic or upper floor. A full removal takes out the fireplace, the breast and the chimney down to the foundation.

Inside the walls, a chimney sometimes carries part of the house's framing. When a full removal could affect structure, we tell you that up front and say when the job needs a structural engineer's input.

Landmark districts and historic districts

The Historic Preservation Division reviews permit applications for Chicago Landmarks and landmark districts, and a chimney visible from the street is part of what it protects. In Oak Park, full or partial demolition in any of the three historic districts needs a Certificate of Appropriateness. We help you prepare the photos and scope for that review, and the removal waits for the answer.

What chimney removal costs

Typical 2026 ranges: taking the stack down below the roofline runs $800 to $2,000, a partial removal $500 to $2,500, and removing the fireplace with the whole chimney $3,000 to $6,000. Height, access, how the debris comes out and how much patching the roof and rooms need set the price. You get it in writing at the free inspection.