Chimney crown replacement and top-section rebuild for a Downers Grove ranch home — correct crown overhang, new flashing, and matched brick in all rebuilt courses.
Project Details
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After 
Before 1/3 — Full stack — original leaning chimney demolished to roofline and rebuilt in matching brick
After 
Before 2/3 — Crown assembly — new crown, cap, and flashing integrated as a complete weather barrier
After 
Before 3/3 — Base detail — new brick courses set plumb and level with correct mortar joint spacing
This Downers Grove ranch home had a chimney crown that had completely failed, allowing water to saturate the top 6 courses of brick. After assessment, we rebuilt the top section, installed a new crown with proper overhang, and integrated new counter-flashing.
Leaning or partially collapsed chimneys create structural instability for the entire roof section
Failed flashing on deteriorated chimneys allows water infiltration into the roof structure
Patch repairs on a failing stack fail again within 2-3 years — costing more than a proper rebuild
Every project follows the same disciplined sequence — no shortcuts, no hand-offs, same crew start to finish.
We measure lean, assess mortar hardness, probe every course for structural integrity, and review flue liner condition before recommending partial or full rebuild.
We dismantle systematically above the roofline, saving undamaged brick for reuse where possible. Staging and tarping protect the roof and interior throughout demo.
Every course is rebuilt plumb and level using matched hard-fired brick and correctly formulated mortar. No shortcuts — the rebuilt chimney has to outlast the next 30+ years of Illinois winters.
A properly overhanging poured crown, stainless cap, and integrated counter-flashing are installed as part of every rebuild. The weather envelope is complete before we leave.
A chimney rebuild is the most structurally demanding masonry repair on a residential property. AMS approaches every rebuild with engineered mortar formulations, full brick matching, and a documented inspection protocol — because a rebuilt chimney needs to outlast the next three decades of Chicagoland winters.
We recommend a full rebuild when the chimney has leaned more than 1 inch per 10 feet of height, when the flue liner is compromised throughout, or when more than 30% of the brick is structurally unsound. Partial repairs on a failing stack rarely hold.
Most single-flue residential chimney rebuilds from roofline up take 3-7 days. Full tear-down-to-foundation rebuilds on large chimneys run 2-3 weeks. We give you a written schedule before demo starts.
In most Chicagoland municipalities, yes. We handle permit applications as part of our project scope and ensure all work is code-compliant and inspected.
