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Fieldstone Ontario Concrete and Masonry
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Chimney repair in Ontario CA - a chimney fixed for what's really wrong with it

Crumbly mortar, loose bricks or a chimney the last quake rattled? We find the real problem and fix that, not the sound brick around it.

Request an estimate(909) 738-1042
Gray pavers cover the driveway and walkway beside a light blue house, with a parked car and palm trees nearby.

Does my chimney need repair or just upkeep?

Chimney repair in Ontario, CA runs from repointing worn mortar joints and patching cracks to taking down or rebuilding a chimney an earthquake has damaged, and I'll tell you straight which end of that your chimney is on.

Most folks call because they've spotted mortar crumbling out between the bricks, a crack running up the side, or a chimney that just looks off after the ground shook. The price moves with how much of the chimney is damaged and how far down the damage goes, and the schedule turns on roof access, the weather and which fix you choose, so my written estimate spells out what I'd do on yours and why. We're based in Ontario and work across the cities around it.

Why Ontario homeowners call us about chimneys

You can count on a straight answer about what your chimney needs and what can wait, and a crew that works like people live in your house, because they do.

  • I look at it myself

    I come out to see every chimney in person, and I'm on site with our crew while the work gets done.

  • Years on chimneys around here

    Before I started Fieldstone in 2023, I spent years patching chimneys, walls and block fences at rentals all over this area.

  • Licensed and insured for your job

    We're licensed and insured, and I'm happy to go over that with you before anyone sets a ladder against your house.

  • Sound brick stays put

    If a section of brick or mortar is still doing its job, we leave it alone, because tearing it out just costs you money.

  • A tidy site every day

    We keep tools picked up and the work area clean each day, a habit from years of working at rentals with tenants home.

The chimney repairs we take on

First I sort out whether your chimney needs simple upkeep or something bigger, because the fix should match the damage, and an old chimney with worn joints needs different work than one a quake shook loose.

  • Repointing and crack patching

    When mortar is crumbling or a few cracks show, we clean out the worn joints and refill them, the same careful work as our tuckpointing, and patch the isolated cracks. San Bernardino County guidance counts this as regular upkeep, and for a lot of chimneys it's all they need for now.

  • Brick repair before a new liner

    One liner maker won't have its liner put in until an inspection shows the chimney is structurally sound, so missing, loose or cracked brick and mortar joints get fixed first. That's ordinary brick repair for us, done before the liner goes in.

  • Taking it down to the roof

    On a one-story house where all the damage sits at or above the roof, the county's guidance says the chimney can come down to the roofline for good. It's the least costly quake fix but does less to cut the hazard, and it only works if you're done using the fireplace.

  • Rebuilding with a framed chimney

    When quake damage reaches below the shoulder of the firebox, the spot where it narrows up into the chimney, the county's guidance calls for replacing the whole firebox and chimney with light framing instead of masonry, finished in siding, stucco or adhered brick veneer so it keeps its old look. If yours has been shaken loose, this is where we talk through your choices instead of just stacking the old bricks back up.

What happens when you call about your chimney?

We plan chimney work around your household, so the choices, the schedule and how we'll work in and around your home all get talked through before anyone climbs a ladder.

  1. You get in touch

    Call us or send the form with a few words about your chimney, and we get back to you to set a time for me to come out.

  2. I see it in person

    I look the chimney over inside and out and take photos as I go, so you can see exactly what I'm seeing.

  3. Your written estimate

    I write up what we'd fix and what can stay as it is, so you know where your money is going and why.

  4. The work and walk-through

    Once you say go, we set a schedule together, our crew does the work with me on site, and we walk the finished chimney with you.

Questions about a step? Call and talk it through.

(909) 738-1042

Chimney repair questions we hear

Should I rebuild my chimney the way it was after an earthquake?

Usually not, because the county's guidance says putting a damaged chimney back the way it stood does little to cut future damage or the risk to people nearby. The same guidance warns against steel braces that run down to the roof, since that kind of bracing is thought to have helped chimneys fail in past quakes. I'd rather walk you through the removal and rebuild options that actually change the chimney.

How do I know when I need a chimney inspection?

A national chimney trade group recommends a Level 2 inspection when you sell your home, before a liner goes in or gets replaced, and after a chimney fire, bad weather or an earthquake. That inspection includes a video scan or a similar look inside the chimney, so ask to see what it showed. If the Ontario area gets a good shake, that's a sensible time to have yours checked.

Will repointing protect my chimney in an earthquake?

Not much, because the county's guidance says repointing and patching cracks do little to reduce damage in future quakes. It's still worth doing when the joints are worn, since it keeps the chimney tight and in good repair. If quake risk is what's on your mind, removal or a framed rebuild does more.

Who can do masonry chimney work in California?

A licensed masonry contractor, which the state's contractor license board describes as one who installs brick and other baked clay products, block, stone, terra cotta and fire brick for heat-resistant linings. A general building contractor can take the job only if it also holds that specialty license or hands the masonry to a properly licensed specialty contractor. It's fair to ask anyone bidding your chimney which license covers the masonry.

How much does chimney repair cost in Ontario, CA?

The cost comes down to which kind of fix your chimney needs, so repointing a few worn joints sits at the low end and replacing a quake-damaged firebox and chimney sits at the high end. Removing a chimney down to the roof is the least costly of the quake options, and fixing brick before a liner adds to the job. I'll price your chimney once I've seen it in person.

How do I get my house ready for chimney repair?

Move or cover the furniture and rugs near the fireplace, because one liner maker points out that chimneys are usually very sooty and dusty inside. Clearing that space ahead of time also gives our crew room to work and gets the job started sooner.

Chimney repair in Ontario and why quakes matter here

After the 2019 Trona earthquakes, San Bernardino County teams found a lot of damaged brick chimneys. The ones most at risk were older chimneys with no steel inside and worn mortar, but even chimneys built to modern standards took real damage. That's why I'd rather look at your chimney soon after the area gets shaken than wait for a brick to show up on the lawn, and why we treat the repair choice as a plan for the next quake, not just a patch for this one.

Plenty of the houses we work on around here have brick chimneys that have been patched more than once, and we see the same thing on jobs in Upland and Pomona. We check those old patches as part of the job, since a quick fix can hide a crack that's still moving.

Have Fieldstone take a look at your chimney

Call (909) 738-1042 or use the form to set up a visit, and know the work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.

Request an estimate(909) 738-1042