Chimney repair in Auburn, AL - a chimney that's sound from the cap down to the liner
Loose bricks up top, a leak by the chimney or smoke backing into the room? We find the cause and fix that.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We reply within 1 business day.
What does chimney repair in Auburn actually fix?
Chimney repair in Auburn, AL fixes the wear that can make a chimney unsafe, from a cracked crown or loose brick at the top to a damaged liner inside the flue, so your chimney, fireplace and vents stay sound and clear of buildup.
Most people call after spotting a stain on the ceiling by the fireplace, mortar sand on the shingles or a crack across the crown, the concrete slab that sheds water off the top of the stack. What you can see is usually where the trouble ends up, not where it started, so I want to know where the water or the movement began before we fix anything. The price turns on how far down the damage goes, whether the crown can be patched or has to be replaced, how many bricks and joints need work, and whether the liner inside the flue needs attention. The schedule mostly turns on whether the job needs a city permit and whether we're waiting on a liner or brick that matches yours. Your estimate lays out what we found, what we'll do and why.
What are the signs a chimney needs work?
Cracked or crumbling crown
Cracks across the top slab, or pieces of it on the roof, mean water is getting down into the brick and the flue. The longer it goes, the more brick has to come down to fix it.
Gaps in the mortar joints
Joints that look sandy, recessed or washed out let water sit behind the brick until the bricks start to loosen. Caught early, that's new mortar, and caught late, it's rebuilding the top of the stack.
Stains or smoke inside
A water stain on the wall or ceiling near the chimney usually points to the crown, the cap or the seal where the chimney meets the roof. Smoke that won't go up the flue can mean a blockage or a damaged liner, and that's worth a look before your next fire.
How our chimney repair works
We start by looking over the whole chimney, from the cap and crown down to the liner, and I tell you what we found before I price a fix, because a crack at the top often starts with something lower down. I'll also ask what your fireplace or stove burns, since that changes what the chimney needs. Once you've agreed to the work, we protect the roof and the room below, make the repair from the top down, check it over and clean up.
Chimney trouble often doesn't stop at the stack. If mortar is washing out of the house walls too, tuckpointing replaces those worn joints, and cracked or flaking bricks below the roofline are a brick repair job we can take care of while we're there.
Crown and cap repair
This suits a chimney whose brick is still solid but whose crown is cracked or whose cap is missing, so water gets in at the top. We'll patch or replace the crown and set a cap, and I'll tell you which your crown needs, because a patch on a crown that's coming apart won't hold for long.
Rebuilding the top of the stack
When the brick above the roofline is loose, leaning or crumbling, we take it down to sound brick and lay it back up row by row. It costs more than patching, but once the bricks have already let go, it's the fix that lasts.
Get a chimney repair estimate that explains the fix
We reply within one business day to set a time. I come out, look the chimney over and send a free estimate that says what we'll do and why, with no obligation.
(334) 780-0060- Based in
- Auburn, AL 36830
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–9 PM
What happens after you call about your chimney?
Here's how a chimney job runs with us, from your first call to the final walk-through, and what you'll have in hand before you decide anything.
Call or send the form
Tell us what's going on and what your fireplace or stove burns, and we'll set a time for me to come out. If you know when the chimney was last inspected, that helps too.
I look it over first
I check the chimney from the cap to the liner, ask a lot of questions and then send an estimate that says what we'll do and why. You'll see what each part of the price is for before you agree to anything.
We repair and walk it
We take care of the permit paperwork when the job needs it, and I work on the chimney alongside our crew. When we're finished, we walk the job with you so you can see what was done.
Why Auburn homeowners call United Auburn Concrete and Masonry for chimney repair
The owner comes to every job
I come out to look at every chimney myself and then work on it alongside our crew. The person who worked out what's wrong is the one up there when it's opened.
In business since 2020
I learned the trade handing brick to my dad on his jobs and started this business in 2020. The jobs I like most are the ones where something's gone wrong and nobody's sure why, which describes a lot of leaking chimneys.
Licensed and insured, just ask
We're licensed and insured, and you're welcome to ask about it before we start. A chimney job puts people on your roof, so it's worth checking with anyone you hire.
Repairs that suit older brick homes
Most of our calls around Auburn come from owners of older brick homes. We match the brick and mortar on a chimney so the repair looks like part of the house, not a patch.
On a chimney, what matters most is finding where the water or the damage started. If you'd like me to take a look, contact us here or call (334) 780-0060.
Chimney repair and brick work on Auburn homes
A chimney repair inside Auburn city limits may need a permit, because the city requires one for all new construction, alterations and remodels, and Inspection Services is the office that issues them and inspects the work. The city doesn't list chimney repair on its own, so I won't guess whether your job counts. We check with the office that covers your address and take care of the permit paperwork when the job needs it, and you can call Inspection Services yourself on weekdays if you'd like to ask.
We're based in Auburn and work across the cities around it, and a lot of the chimneys we see sit on older brick homes that have been through a furnace or two. We see the same kinds of houses on jobs in Opelika and Tuskegee.
Questions about chimney repair in Auburn
How often should my chimney be inspected?
At least once a year. CSIA, the chimney safety group, relays a national standard that chimneys, fireplaces and vents be inspected yearly, with cleaning and repairs done if they're needed, and that goes for a chimney you hardly use too, since animals can nest in a quiet flue. CSIA suggests asking for a Level 1 inspection along with a sweeping.
How much does chimney repair cost in Auburn, AL?
Chimney cap, crown and waterproofing repairs across the US usually cost about $550 to $2,300 per job. That's a national figure for that kind of work, not our price, and liner work or rebuilding the top of the stack is a different job. Your estimate gives you the figure for your own chimney.
Does my chimney liner need to be insulated?
If your fireplace or stove burns wood or another solid fuel, yes, because liners for solid-fuel appliances need insulation. Liners for gas and oil appliances can go without it under the liner makers' installation and warranty requirements, which is why we ask what you burn before we price a liner.
How do I know if my old chimney flue works with a new gas furnace?
Have the flue checked when you replace the furnace, because modern furnaces can have many problems when they vent through a flue built for an older one. A flue serving gas appliances can also get blocked by bird nests or other debris, so we look down the whole flue as part of our check.
How do I stop my fireplace chimney from smelling?
A tight-sealing damper mounted at the top of the chimney can help, because it cuts down the air coming down the flue that carries the smell into the room. If the smell comes with a stain or smoke, I'd want to look at the crown and the liner as well.
Does a chimney repair contractor need a license in Alabama?
The Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board counts anyone repairing or remodeling a home as a residential home builder when the job's cost, labor and materials included, is over $10,000, unless the work falls outside the board's jurisdiction. Ask any contractor how that rule applies to your job before you sign.
Related services for chimney brick and mortar
Tuckpointing
When the brick is fine but the mortar between it is sandy or washed out, tuckpointing replaces those joints before water starts loosening bricks around the chimney.
Brick repair
If bricks on the chimney or the walls below are cracked, flaking or loose, brick repair replaces them with matching brick so water can't get behind.
Service areas for chimney repair around Auburn
United Auburn Concrete and Masonry is based in Auburn, Alabama, and we do chimney repair across the cities around it, including Opelika and Valley. These 7 cities have their own pages, and they aren't the only places we work.
Auburn, AL
Have your chimney checked from cap to liner
Have the fuel your fireplace or stove burns and the date of its last inspection handy, and we can tell you more on the first call.