Chimney care for Minneapolis homes built before 1940
In Minneapolis, 43.7% of homes were built in 1939 or earlier. Houses from that time usually have brick chimneys with soft lime mortar and clay liners that may be cracked or gone. We sweep, inspect and repair these older chimneys so they can be used safely.
Nearly half the city predates 1940
A house built before 1940 has a chimney that has been through many decades of Minnesota winters. Water gets into the brick, freezes and pushes the face off. Mortar joints wash out. The crown on top cracks and lets rain into the flue.
The flue itself is the bigger worry. Early chimneys were often lined with clay tiles, and those tiles crack with heat and age. Some were never lined at all. A crack you cannot see from the fireplace can still let heat and gases reach the wood framing. That is why a camera inspection of the whole flue comes first on an old Minneapolis chimney.
Streetcar mansions and Queen Anne houses
The city protects two districts that show how old this housing gets. The Washburn-Fair Oaks Historic District in Whittier holds large houses on large lots, built mostly from 1863 to 1939 as streetcar lines let wealthy families move out of downtown. The Healy Block Historic District in Central has Queen Anne houses built from 1886 to 1898, more than half designed by T.P. Healy.
Big houses like these often have more than one fireplace and tall stacks that catch a lot of weather. Repairs here should use mortar that is softer than the brick, so the joint wears instead of the brick face.
Old flues and new furnaces
Many older homes once sent the furnace and water heater up the same brick chimney. When a new high-efficiency furnace vents out the side wall instead, the water heater is left alone in a flue that is too big for it. Gases cool, moisture forms and the inside of the chimney breaks down. A stainless steel liner sized to the appliance fixes this. See our chimney repair page for what that work involves.
What older Minneapolis chimneys usually need
- Full-flue camera inspection before using an old fireplace
- Repointing with lime-rich mortar
- Stainless relining after a furnace or water heater change
- Crown and cap repair on tall stacks
Washburn-Fair Oaks and the Healy Block are city historic districts. Check with the City of Minneapolis about exterior work rules before rebuilding a chimney there.
Questions from Minneapolis homeowners
My Minneapolis house was built before 1940. Is the chimney lined?
It may not be. Chimneys from that era were often lined with clay tile that has since cracked, and some had no liner at all. A Level 2 inspection runs a camera through the full flue and shows exactly what is there.
Are there extra rules for chimneys in Washburn-Fair Oaks or the Healy Block?
Both are historic districts listed by the city, so exterior changes there may need review. Talk to the city before you rebuild, shorten or change the look of a chimney. We can give you inspection photos and notes to bring to that review.
Can I book from Northeast, Longfellow or Phillips?
Yes. Minneapolis is part of our service area, from Northeast and Nicollet Island to Longfellow and Phillips. Book online or call, and tell us the age of your house if you know it.
Schedule a Minneapolis chimney sweep
Minneapolis and the west metro