Roofing & Exterior

Chimney Repair in Metro Detroit

A neglected chimney leaks, drops mortar, and lets water destroy itself from the top down — and Michigan’s freeze-thaw accelerates every crack. We match you with vetted masonry pros who restore the crown, flashing, and joints that keep water out.

Typical range: $300–$3500 per project

  • Licensed & insured local pros
  • Permit-ready for roofing & exterior work
  • Free, no-obligation quotes

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A chimney sits fully exposed to the weather on the highest, hardest-hit part of the house, and water is its enemy at every level — the crown on top, the mortar joints in the brick, the flashing where it meets the roof, and the cap over the flue. In Michigan, freeze-thaw is what turns a small problem into a big one: water gets into a hairline crack or a porous joint, freezes, expands, and pops the masonry apart, a cycle that repeats every winter until the chimney is spalling brick and leaking into the house. The pros in our network handle tuckpointing, crown repair and rebuilds, flashing replacement, cap and chase-cover installation, and full or partial chimney rebuilds.

Whether it is a Ferndale bungalow chimney shedding mortar or a leak staining the ceiling below a Troy fireplace, we connect you with a licensed, insured mason who finds where the water is getting in and stops it at the source.

What’s included

  • Full chimney and flashing inspection
  • Tuckpointing — grinding out and repacking failed mortar joints
  • Crown repair or rebuild to shed water off the top
  • Step and counter-flashing repair or replacement
  • Chimney cap and chase-cover installation
  • Brick replacement for spalled or damaged units
  • Waterproof sealing of masonry where appropriate

Chimney work is roof-height masonry, and a leak left alone rots framing and ruins ceilings far below it. The masons we match you with diagnose the real entry point instead of just slapping sealant over symptoms, and they carry insurance for ladder-and-roof work that is genuinely dangerous.

How it works

Inspect & diagnose

A mason inspects the crown, joints, flashing, and cap to pinpoint exactly where water is getting in before quoting a fix.

Repoint the joints

Failed mortar is ground out to depth and repacked with new mortar matched to the brick so the joints shed water again.

Repair the crown

The cracked or crumbling crown is patched or rebuilt with a proper overhang and drip edge to throw water clear of the brick.

Reflash & cap

Step and counter-flashing are repaired or replaced at the roofline, and a cap or chase cover is set over the flue.

Seal & finish

Masonry is sealed where appropriate with a breathable product, debris is cleared, and the work is reviewed with you.

Chimney Repair: common questions

How do I know my chimney needs repair?
Common signs are white staining (efflorescence) on the brick, crumbling or missing mortar between bricks, pieces of brick face flaking off (spalling), a cracked crown on top, rust on the cap or flashing, and water stains on the ceiling or wall near the chimney. Any of these means water is getting in, and in Michigan it will worsen each freeze-thaw season. A mason can confirm the cause.
What is tuckpointing and do I need it?
Tuckpointing (repointing) is grinding out deteriorated mortar joints and repacking them with fresh mortar. You need it when the mortar between bricks is cracked, receding, or crumbling — which lets water into the wall and undermines the brick. It is one of the most common and important chimney repairs, because failed joints are a primary path for water in older Metro Detroit chimneys.
Why does my chimney leak when it rains?
Usually one of a few culprits: a cracked crown, failed flashing where the chimney meets the roof, deteriorated mortar joints, a missing cap letting rain straight down the flue, or porous brick soaking up water. A good mason inspects all of them rather than guessing, because sealing the wrong one leaves the leak. Flashing and crown problems are among the most frequent causes.
Can a damaged chimney be repaired or does it need rebuilding?
It depends how far the damage goes. Localized issues — failed joints, a cracked crown, bad flashing, spalled brick at the top — are repairs. A rebuild is needed when deterioration is extensive, the structure is leaning or unstable, or large sections of brick and mortar have failed. An inspection determines whether targeted repair will hold or the chimney is past it.

Get matched with a chimney repair pro

Get matched with a vetted, licensed Metro Detroit pro today. Free quotes, no obligation.