5 Star Chimney

We hired 5 Star Chimney Service in 2023 to address a persistent water leak coming through our chimney. The repair cost us $5,400, and despite seven follow-up service calls, the issue remains unresolved. As of May 2025, we are still experiencing active water intrusion into our daughter’s bedroom.

During their last visit, the company attempted to shift blame to our roof and solar panel installation. However, we can clearly see water dripping directly from the bricks inside our ceiling. The chimney bricks are visibly cracking and flaking, and the crown work—originally completed by 5 Star—has already failed and needs to be redone.

After growing increasingly concerned, we brought in three independent professionals: a chimney sweep, a licensed roofer, and an experienced mason. All three independently concluded that the original repairs were flawed and that the materials and techniques used were substandard. Here’s a sampling of what they had to say:

The Chimney Sweep: “What kind of hillbilly techniques are they using? With all that white coating, the bricks can’t breathe. They’re waterlogged and flaking apart. It’s a mess.”

The Roofer: “Who did this work so I can be sure to never suggest them to any of my clients?”

The Mason: “The cracked bricks should have been replaced, not slathered with sealant. The crown is already cracked, and aluminum flashing was used instead of lead, which isn’t up to industry standards. This is in really bad shape.”

Despite 5 Star’s claims of honoring their warranty, we’ve had six visits over the span of three years. At this point, we believe they’ve exhausted their ability to fix the issue and failed to advise us on an appropriate long-term solution.

We have since retained legal counsel and are pursuing a partial refund for ineffective labor, substandard materials, and ongoing damage to our home. While we hope 5 Star Chimney Service will ultimately do the right thing and take responsibility, we are now forced to hire a new contractor to completely redo the work.

We would not recommend this company to others.

After a couple of attempts of amateur attempts at repairing my chimney leak during heavy wind/rain storms, I've decided that it was time for some professional help to solve this chimney leak.

I started searching around online and the rest of the internet, and it was quite a long searching process. There are plenty of Chimney repair companies out there; but Five-Star drew my attention. It was the high Ratings, plus a Facebook page that allowed me to see some of their previous work.

Speaking with Jeff of Five Star I sent him over some pictures of my Chimney with a yard stick for in the image as a reference. After couple of email exchanges, he sends me over a quote - which I found to be the respectable in this arena, especially for the work I wanted done, which is replacing the entire chimney. It's a lot of labor!

After setting up the appointment, all that was to do is to wait for him and his crew to arrive. The entire process took a few days; starting with the demolition of the old chimney, constructing the new chimney, and finishing the new chimney with a crown, flashing, and water resistance capabilities. One thing I noticed with Jeff and his crew is punctuality, on time each day and getting everything ready for work.

At the end of this, I have a new chimney that is no longer leaking per the recent rain storm that passed through the area. And all of the old chimney and construction materials are no longer at my house.

A warm thanks to Jeff and the rest of Five Star for replacing my chimney, I am one happy customer!