An outside air kit is required
Chicago code requires a UL-listed outside air kit matched to the wood stove’s make and model.
Local details
Wood stove installation in Chicago, Illinois
Cook County / Chicagoland. Heat your home, even when the power goes out: the permit, the local rules, and who installs here.
Free to request · No obligation to hireBefore you install in Chicago.
Chimney work means plan review
The city’s 2019 permit guide lists installing or replacing a chimney under Standard Plan Review, not a same-day permit.
Local detailsA showroom inside city limits
American Heritage Fireplace lists a Chicago showroom on North Western Avenue with wood-burning displays.
Local detailsThe coldest month here, January, has a 1991–2020 normal of 26.0°F at the CHICAGO NORTHERLY IS, IL station. One station is a planning reference, not a reading for every address. NOAA station normals
Local businesses to contact directly
Wood stove installers in Chicago.
Compare installation providers and nearby showrooms. Check service coverage and assessment fees directly, or request help finding an installer.
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American Heritage Fireplace
Sales & installation · Chicago showroom at 3054 N. Western Ave.; also a Milwaukee showroomLists a Chicago showroom on North Western Avenue and says it serves Milwaukee, Chicago, and surrounding suburbs with design and installation. Its wood page covers wood-burning fireplaces and high-efficiency wood inserts. Ask whether it installs the specific freestanding stove or insert you want and how its quote handles Chicago’s outside-air kit requirement.
View business & contact detailsChicago showroom pageWebsite reviewed Sep 28, 2026 · Not contacted by FireplaceLab - II
Chimney Monkey
Chimney service · Buffalo Grove address; has a Chicago service pageIts Chicago page offers chimney sweeping, inspections and repair to city homeowners, and the business describes itself as a North Shore chimney service. Its wood stove installation page does not list Chicago, so treat it as a chimney sweep and repair service here and ask one of the stated installers about fitting the stove and filing the city permit.
View business & contact detailsWebsite reviewed Sep 28, 2026 · Not contacted by FireplaceLab - III
Hearth & Home
Sales & installation · Mt. Prospect showroom (530 W. Northwest Hwy.); says it serves ChicagolandA family-owned Mt. Prospect store that lists wood stoves and wood inserts and says its team installs fireplaces, stoves, and inserts. It describes a 5,000-square-foot showroom. The site refers to Chicagoland generally rather than naming city neighborhoods, so confirm travel to a Chicago address and who handles the Department of Buildings permit.
View business & contact detailsStove category page with store addressWebsite reviewed Sep 28, 2026 · Not contacted by FireplaceLab - IV
Midwest Chimney Specialists
Chimney service & installation · Offices at 17W421 Eisenhower Rd., Oakbrook Terrace, and 121 Post Circle, Hinsdale; its Cook County - West & South list names ChicagoIts installation page covers freestanding and insert wood stoves with an insulated liner, connector and hearth pad, and says it supplies EPA-certified units. Chicago is on its Cook County service list. Its published offices are in Oakbrook Terrace and Hinsdale, so ask which Department of Buildings permit path it uses for chimney work in the city.
View business & contact detailsMidwest Chimney Specialists service areasWebsite reviewed Sep 28, 2026 · Not contacted by FireplaceLab
Unpaid listings, shown alphabetically. Website research is not contractor vetting or confirmation of a partnership. Confirm qualifications and insurance before hiring.
Details your installer can help confirm
Wood stove permits in Chicago.
Start with the Department of Buildings.
Inside Chicago city limits, the Department of Buildings issues building permits and says a permit is required before most construction and repair work. Its homeowner Guide to Permits, dated October 2019, lists installing or replacing a chimney under Standard Plan Review and chimney repair under its Easy Permit process. The department’s current permits page describes an Express Permit Program and Standard Plan Review, so program names have changed; ask which process covers your stove, insert, liner, or new chimney. The guide notes that landmark buildings may need extra steps. A Chicago mailing address does not by itself establish city jurisdiction, so confirm the authority for your parcel.
City of Chicago Guide to Permits (Oct. 2019, PDF)Landmark properties get an extra review.
The Historic Preservation Division staffs the Commission on Chicago Landmarks and reviews all permit applications for work involving designated and proposed Chicago landmarks and landmark districts. It encourages a pre-permit submission before you file. If a new flue, chimney extension, or exterior cap would change a landmark building, raise it with the division before ordering materials. Whether review applies depends on the property and the work.
Chicago Landmark Permit ReviewBudget for an outside air kit.
Chicago Municipal Code 18-28-905.1.1 requires fireplace stoves and room heaters that burn wood or other solid fuel to receive additional combustion air from outdoors through a UL-listed outside air kit. The kit must be compatible with the stove’s make and model and installed per the manufacturer’s instructions. Ask each installer to include the kit and its wall or floor penetration in the written quote.
Chicago Municipal Code 18-28-905.1 and 905.1.1Check the listing label before you buy.
Chicago Municipal Code 18-28-905.1 requires fireplace stoves and solid-fuel room heaters to be listed, labeled, and installed according to their listing, with fireplace stoves tested to UL 737 and room heaters to UL 1482. Fireplace inserts must be listed and labeled to UL 1482. A used stove or insert without its label or paperwork may not qualify, so confirm before paying.
Chicago Municipal Code 18-28-905.1This is a planning guide, not a permit determination. The local authority and your installer must confirm current requirements for your property and appliance. We have not verified project-specific approvals or fees.
Choose the right project
Wood stoves and fireplace inserts in Chicago.
INew stove or replacement
Install a wood-burning stove.
An enclosed stove with a chimney system designed for your home. An installer assesses placement, venting, and the space you want to heat.
About wood stoves
IIExisting fireplace
Explore a fireplace insert.
Use a suitable existing fireplace as the starting point. Have the opening, chimney, and liner assessed for the proposed insert.
About insertsCan you install a wood stove without a chimney?
A new wood stove can sometimes be installed with a new chimney system. Ask a Chicago-area provider to assess a suitable route and quote the complete job. Installation without an existing chimney
Want heat during a power outage?
Many cordwood stoves provide heat without electricity. Ask about your exact model, any powered blower, and the rooms it can heat. Read the power-outage heating guide
Room photographs illustrate project starting points; they are not installations completed through FireplaceLab.
Wood stove installation costs in Chicago.
U.S. planning ranges to prepare for a Chicago quote. They are national estimates, not measured Chicago averages or offers from listed businesses.
Freestanding wood stove$2,500–$7,500
Wood-burning insert$3,000–$8,000+
New installation, no chimney$5,500–$9,000+
Unit and typical installation ranges from HomeGuide’s national cost guide, reviewed Sep 28, 2026. These are alternative project scenarios, not amounts to add together. Repairs, access, venting, permits, and premium models can move costs higher.
What to ask a Chicago installer.
- Does your quote include a UL-listed outside air kit matched to this stove, as Chicago code requires?
- Which Department of Buildings permit process applies to my chimney or liner work, and will you file it?
- Is my building a Chicago Landmark or in a landmark district, and who handles that review?
Compare quotes on the same scope.
Request separate details for the appliance, chimney or liner, hearth work, labor, removal, permits, inspections, and exclusions. Confirm any paid assessment before booking.
Will you save on heating?
There is no reliable single savings figure for every Chicago home. Compare your current heating cost with delivered dry wood, appliance efficiency, how much heat you will replace, maintenance, and the upfront installation. Backup comfort and financial payback are separate decisions. Compare all heating options
Chicago wood stove installation FAQs.
Why does a Chicago wood stove need an outside air kit?
Chicago Municipal Code 18-28-905.1.1 requires wood-burning fireplace stoves and room heaters to receive additional combustion air from outdoors through a UL-listed kit compatible with the appliance. Plan the kit’s route through a wall or floor early, especially in masonry buildings, and make sure every quote includes it.
Is a new chimney a quick permit in Chicago?
The Department of Buildings’ 2019 homeowner guide listed installing or replacing a chimney under Standard Plan Review, which takes longer than same-day permits. The guide is dated and program names have since changed, so ask the department which process covers your project before you schedule the installation.
Can I add a wood stove to a Chicago landmark building?
Possibly, but the Historic Preservation Division reviews permit applications for designated landmarks and landmark districts and encourages a pre-permit submission. Visible exterior changes, such as a new flue or chimney cap, are the likeliest to need attention. Contact the division before you commit to an appliance or venting route.
What FireplaceLab does
Explore your options. Then get a quote for your home.
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Answer two simple questions
Tell us what’s there now and what you want from wood heat. No contact details needed.
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See options and rough costs
Explore a suitable starting point and national installed cost ranges.
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Request a local quote
When you’re ready, share your home details. We’ll look for an installer to assess the job and quote the work.
FireplaceLab is an installer-matching service. Your installer handles the assessment, quote, and installation. A request does not book work or guarantee a match.
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Tell us where you live and what you want to install. We’ll look for a local professional to assess the work.
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