Ace Chimney Service is a chimney and fireplace company based at 230 W Virginia St in Crystal Lake, Illinois, serving McHenry County seven days a week.
Johnathan Mason
Ace Chimney Service is run by Johnathan Mason, who has spent 29 years working on chimneys and fireplaces. That is long enough to have seen the same failures repeat across thousands of houses — cracked crowns letting water into masonry, clay liners split by a fire nobody realised had happened, dryer vents packed solid with lint behind a wall.
Johnathan describes himself as an award winner in the chimney and fireplace service field. We mention it here as his own statement rather than dressing it up: we have not published the awarding body, so treat it as his account of his career rather than a verified third-party credential. Everything on this site works that way — if we cannot substantiate something, we say so plainly instead of implying more than we can back up.
How we work
You see what we see. Chimneys are the definition of a trade where the customer cannot check the work. Almost everything that matters happens above the roofline or inside a flue. So we photograph what we find and show you before recommending anything. If a liner is cracked, you look at the crack.
Prices are published. Every service we offer has its starting price listed on the pricing page, visible before you call. That is unusual in this trade, and deliberate.
We say when work is not needed. The clearest example is air duct cleaning. The EPA does not recommend cleaning ducts as routine maintenance, and rather than quietly ignore that, we put it on the page and list the specific conditions where cleaning genuinely helps. Turning down work we could have sold is the part of this job that keeps customers.
What we do
Chimney sweeping and Level 1 and 2 inspections, masonry repair and tuckpointing, stainless steel relining, caps, crowns and chase covers, gas fireplace servicing, dryer vent cleaning, and air duct cleaning. The full list, with what each involves, is on the services page.
We work on old and new alike — the century-old masonry stacks in Crystal Lake’s older neighbourhoods and the factory-built chimneys in the newer subdivisions around Lake in the Hills and Huntley need quite different things, and both are routine for us.
Where to find us
Ace Chimney Service
230 W Virginia St, Crystal Lake, IL 60014
Phone: (815) 320-0883
Hours: 7am – 7pm, seven days a week
Call, or request an appointment online. If you would rather start by understanding your own chimney, the DIY chimney care guide covers what a homeowner can reasonably do and where it stops being sensible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who will actually turn up at my house?
Johnathan Mason or a technician working directly to his standards. This is a local business, not a franchise routing calls to whoever is nearest.
How long has Ace Chimney Service been working in this area?
Johnathan has 29 years in chimney and fireplace work, and the business operates out of Crystal Lake serving McHenry County.
Are you insured?
Yes. We can provide current certificate details on request before work begins.
What area do you cover?
Roughly a ten-mile radius of Crystal Lake — Lake in the Hills, Algonquin, Cary, Fox River Grove, McHenry, Woodstock, Huntley, Lakewood, Island Lake and the towns between.
Do you use subcontractors?
Chimney and venting work is carried out by our own people. That is the only way to hold a consistent standard across jobs.
What hours do you work?
7am to 7pm, seven days a week, weekends included.
Why should I trust your recommendations?
Because you get to check them. Every recommendation comes with photographs of what we found, so you can see the crack or the deposit yourself rather than take it on faith.
Do you handle emergencies?
Call us and we will tell you honestly how quickly we can get there. If you suspect a chimney fire, call 911 first and stop using the appliance.
Published: July 24, 2026