Wood fireplaces need tight closures
The village’s fireplace handout requires a tight-fitting flue damper or gasketed doors on wood-burning fireplaces, and gasketed doors on every prefabricated fireplace.
Local details
Wood stove installation in Lake in the Hills, Illinois
McHenry County / Randall Road. 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 Lake in the Hills.
Contractors need a village licence
Village Hall keeps the list of licensed contractors, which it says changes almost daily; call 847-960-7400 to check an installer before hiring.
Local detailsFireplaces aren’t on the online portal
The online portal takes only A/C, furnace, roofing, siding, water heater and softener permits; fireplace applications go to Village Hall or cd@lith.org.
Local detailsThe coldest month here, January, has a 1991–2020 normal of 22.9°F at the CRYSTAL LAKE 4NW, 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 Lake in the Hills.
Compare installation providers and nearby showrooms. Check service coverage and assessment fees directly, or request help finding an installer.
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A-1 Safety Chimney Service
Chimney service & installation · 350 Randy Rd., Suite 4, Carol Stream; its McHenry County page lists Lake In The Hills by name with its 60156 ZIP codeThe Carol Stream company’s services page says it offers installation and maintenance for wood-burning stoves, and its McHenry County page lists Lake In The Hills with ZIP 60156. Carol Stream is in DuPage County, well south. Ask whether it is licensed with the village, which Village Hall says contractors must be before a permit issues.
View business & contact detailsA-1 Safety Chimney Service: McHenry CountyWebsite reviewed Oct 24, 2026 · Not contacted by FireplaceLab - II
Aelite Chimney Specialties
Chimney service & installation · Lakemoor, IL, in McHenry County; its service-area page lists Lake in the Hills under McHenry CountyIts installation page says it can fit a wood-, gas- or pellet-burning fireplace insert and is happy to install wood-burning stoves after an inspection of the fireplace and venting. Its service-area page lists Lake in the Hills among McHenry County towns. The site gives Lakemoor as its location. Ask whether it is on the village’s licensed contractor list.
View business & contact detailsAelite service areaWebsite reviewed Oct 24, 2026 · Not contacted by FireplaceLab - III
Fireplace & Chimney Authority
Sales & installation · Showrooms at 120 E. Lake St., Elmhurst, and 1702 Ogden Ave., Lisle; has a Lake in the Hills installation page naming McHenry CountyIts Lake in the Hills page says it serves the village and McHenry County and can come to a Lake in the Hills home to install a wood stove, revamp a wood-burning hearth or build a masonry firebox and chimney. Both showrooms are in DuPage County. Ask whether it is licensed with the village and will handle the gasketed-door and chase-drywall details.
View business & contact detailsWebsite reviewed Oct 24, 2026 · Not contacted by FireplaceLab - IV
Grass Roots Energy
Sales & installation · 28751 N. Rand Road (Route 12), Wauconda; its ‘Where we install’ list names Lake in the HillsA Wauconda showroom that says every wood stove it carries is EPA approved and that it installs what it sells. Its service page says the crew runs Class A chimney for airtight stoves and relines masonry chimneys for stoves and inserts. Its ‘Where we install’ list names Lake in the Hills. Ask whether it is licensed with the village.
View business & contact detailsGrass Roots Energy: contact and hoursWebsite reviewed Oct 24, 2026 · Not contacted by FireplaceLab - V
Majestic Distributing Co.–The House of Fireplaces
Sales & installation · Showroom on Bowes Road, Elgin; its areas page puts Lake in the Hills 13.9 miles away via Randall Road, and it has a Lake in the Hills pageIts ‘Near Lake in the Hills, IL’ page points village residents to its Elgin showroom and says its technicians handle installation and maintenance. Its installation page says it installs wood-burning fireplaces or stoves and wood or gas inserts. Much of the village page features gas and electric units, so confirm the model you choose burns wood and who files the village permit.
View business & contact detailsMajestic Distributing: serving Lake in the HillsWebsite reviewed Oct 24, 2026 · Not contacted by FireplaceLab - VI
Pratt’s Chimney
Chimney service & installation · Illinois phone 847-234-4114, no street address on its site; its service-area page names McHenry CountyIts service-area page says it serves Lake and McHenry counties in Illinois, which includes the whole village. Its wood stoves page offers a free consultation on a new stove, and its inserts page describes fitting wood inserts into masonry fireplaces or venting through a roof pipe. The site lists phone numbers but no street address, so ask where crews are based.
View business & contact detailsPratt’s Chimney: service areaWebsite reviewed Oct 24, 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 Lake in the Hills.
Apply to Community Development at Village Hall.
Lake in the Hills’ Community Development staff at Village Hall, 600 Harvest Gate, review zoning and building code compliance before issuing a permit. The village requires permits for remodeling that changes a building’s structure or heating systems and lists fireplaces among projects needing one. Bring the application to Village Hall, use the parking-lot drop box, or email it to cd@lith.org as PDF attachments, not photos. Once approved, the fee is set under Appendix B of the village code and staff tell you the required inspections. No village page names wood stoves, so call 847-960-7400 to confirm whether a stove or insert follows the fireplace rules.
Village of Lake in the Hills: Building Permits & Contractor LicensingThe village’s fireplace handout sets its own details.
Lake in the Hills’ Fireplace Procedures and Requirements handout asks for a plat of survey marking the fireplace location and the manufacturer’s specifications; a masonry fireplace needs a drawing from footing to top of flue. A wood-burning fireplace must have a tight-fitting flue damper or gasketed doors, prefab units need gasketed doors, and a prefab chase needs 5/8-inch drywall on walls shared with the house, per Village Ordinance 24.02. Allow 10 business days for review; a final inspection follows the drywall check.
Village of Lake in the Hills: Fireplace Procedures and Requirements (PDF)Check the installer’s village licence before you hire.
The village says a contractor must be licensed by Lake in the Hills to work in the village, and the fireplace handout says contractors must be licensed before the permit is issued. Village Hall keeps the current list of licensed contractors and, because it changes almost daily, asks residents to call 847-960-7400 to check a contractor before hiring. Homeowners may do many of their own projects, but the handout says the homeowner is responsible for the permit in its entirety.
Village of Lake in the Hills: Building Permits & Contractor LicensingVillage approval and HOA approval are separate.
Lake in the Hills says homeowners should have projects approved by their homeowners’ association, but that village approval rests on its codes and zoning and is not contingent on HOA rules or approvals. A village permit therefore doesn’t settle what your association allows for a chimney chase, roof vent or exterior pipe. The village’s projects page also asks residents to call 847-960-7400 or email cd@lith.org when unsure whether a project needs a permit.
Village of Lake in the Hills: Projects Requiring a PermitThis 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 Lake in the Hills.
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 Lake in the Hills-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 Lake in the Hills.
U.S. planning ranges to prepare for a Lake in the Hills quote. They are national estimates, not measured Lake in the Hills 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 Lake in the Hills installer.
- Are you on the Village of Lake in the Hills’ licensed contractor list right now, and will you file the permit with the plat of survey and specifications?
- Does the unit you’re quoting come with gasketed doors or a tight-fitting damper as the village’s fireplace handout requires?
- If you’re building a chase, will it have 5/8-inch drywall on walls shared with the house, and will you be there for the village’s inspections?
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 Lake in the Hills 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
Lake in the Hills wood stove installation FAQs.
Does Lake in the Hills require a permit for a wood stove?
The village requires permits for remodeling that changes a building’s heating systems and lists fireplaces among projects that need one. Its fireplace handout asks for a plat of survey, manufacturer’s specifications and 10 business days for review. No village page names freestanding wood stoves, so call Village Hall at 847-960-7400 or email cd@lith.org to confirm before work starts.
Can I apply for a fireplace permit online?
Not through the portal. The village’s online portal only takes permits for A/C units, furnaces, roofing, siding, water heaters and water softeners. For fireplace work, bring the application to Village Hall at 600 Harvest Gate, use the drop box at the parking-lot entrance, or email it to cd@lith.org as PDF attachments rather than photos.
My HOA approved the stove. Am I done?
No. The village says homeowners should get HOA approval, but its own approval is based on village codes and zoning and doesn’t depend on the association. You still need the village permit, a licensed contractor (or to do the work yourself as the owner) and the required inspections before using the stove.
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.
Get a plan and a price for your home.
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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