Chimney Sweep in Cherry Valley, IL
Updated
Cherry Valley in short
- 1,478
- households in Cherry Valley
- 1997
- median year built (county 1971)
- 15.1%
- of homes built before 1960 (county 35.5%)
- 90.3%
- heat with utility gas (county 83.5%)
The local numbers
How old the homes are in Cherry Valley
Newer construction stands out in Cherry Valley. 40.4% of its 1,528 homes were built in 2000 or later, against 13.6% county-wide, for a median year built of 1997. Newer homes more often have a gas fireplace or a factory-built chimney in a framed chase, and the weak point on those is the chase cover and cap rather than mortar joints.
90.3% of the 1,478 occupied homes in Cherry Valley heat mainly with utility gas, and 7.8% with electricity. Only two of the 13 Winnebago County communities have a higher share of gas-heated homes. The Census counts no homes here that heat mainly with wood. So for most households the chimney is a furnace and water heater flue first and a fireplace second, which is why a liner sized for a gas appliance matters as much as a clean firebox.
Outdoor burning in Cherry Valley has its own rule. Village Code Sec. 54-3 makes burning yard refuse, garbage or other waste unlawful, except yard refuse on your own property between sunrise and sunset on the last two weekends of October and the first two weekends of November. Fires must be fully out after sunset. Fireplace ash goes in a lidded metal can at least 10 feet from the house, per the U.S. Fire Administration, and never on a burn pile with leaves.
The Winnebago County Building Division issues the building permit for Cherry Valley. It is at 404 Elm Street, Room 403, Rockford, (815) 319-4350. Its pages do not say whether a chimney rebuild, a new liner or a stove install needs a permit, so call before the work is scheduled.
Cherry Valley housing and households vs Winnebago County
| Measure | Cherry Valley | Winnebago County |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 3,749 | 283,292 |
| Housing units | 1,528 | 125,002 |
| Occupied (households) | 1,478 | 116,014 |
| Owner-occupied households | 1,202 (81.3%) | 76,408 (65.9%) |
| Renter households | 276 (18.7%) | 39,606 (34.1%) |
| Median year built | 1997 | 1971 |
| Built before 1940 | 8.4% | 15.5% |
| Built before 1960 | 15.1% | 35.5% |
| Built before 1980 | 21.2% | 63.4% |
| Built 2000 or later | 40.4% | 13.6% |
| Single-family detached | 61.9% | 70.4% |
| Mobile homes | 0% | 1.3% |
| Main heat: utility gas | 90.3% | 83.5% |
| Main heat: electricity | 7.8% | 12.6% |
| Main heat: wood | 0 homes (0%) | 169 homes (0.1%) |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), tables B01003, B25003, B25024, B25034, B25035, B25038 and B25040 (house heating fuel).
Local rules
Permits, burning rules and fire service in Cherry Valley
Wikipedia says about ten percent of Cherry Valley is in Boone County; the Census figures on this page cover the whole village.
- Chimney, stove and liner work
- County Code Chapter 18 makes it unlawful to alter a structure without a permit. The county pages we read do not name chimney, liner or stove work either way, so call the Building Division at (815) 319-4350 before a rebuild, a new liner or a stove or insert install. source
- Permit office
- The Winnebago County Building Division serves Cherry Valley, and Village code Chapter 22 adopts as its building codes "all building codes currently approved by Winnebago County." The Village of Cherry Valley, 806 E. State Street, 815-332-3441, lists permits for decks, fences, garages, accessory buildings, slabs, pools, room additions and signs on its forms page; chimney work is not on that list, so call the village or the Building Division (404 Elm Street, Room 403, 815-319-4350). source 1 source 2 source 3
- Code edition
- Village code Chapter 22 adopts "all building codes currently approved by Winnebago County," so the county's edition applies. The county's codes page (last modified February 20, 2025) lists the 2015 International Residential Code, which looks old next to the statewide baseline that began January 1, 2025, so confirm the edition with the Building Division. source 1 source 2
- Outdoor burning
- Village Code Sec. 54-3 makes burning yard refuse, garbage or other waste unlawful, except yard refuse on your own property between sunrise and sunset on the last two weekends of October and the first two weekends of November. Fires must be fully out after sunset. source
- Fire department
- Cherry Valley Fire Protection District, (815) 332-5382; it covers the village and about 25 square miles of unincorporated Winnebago and Boone counties. source
About Cherry Valley. Cherry Valley is a village of 8.72 square miles on the southeast side of Rockford, with 2,905 residents at the 2020 census. Wikipedia
ZIP codes. 61016 (51% of its land), 61109 (25% of its land), 61108 (14% of its land), 61112 (9% of its land), 61008 (2% of its land). Census 2020
Full pricing, the complete service menu, and the rest of the service area are on the chimney sweep in Rockford, IL homepage.
Nearby, sharing a ZIP code with Cherry Valley
Chimney work
Chimney jobs homeowners ask about in Cherry Valley
Common questions
Cherry Valley chimney sweep questions
Does chimney work need a permit in Cherry Valley?
County Code Chapter 18 makes it unlawful to alter a structure without a permit. The county pages we read do not name chimney, liner or stove work either way, so call the Building Division at (815) 319-4350 before a rebuild, a new liner or a stove or insert install.
Can I burn leaves or have a fire pit in Cherry Valley?
Village Code Sec. 54-3 makes burning yard refuse, garbage or other waste unlawful, except yard refuse on your own property between sunrise and sunset on the last two weekends of October and the first two weekends of November. Fires must be fully out after sunset.
Which fire department covers Cherry Valley?
Cherry Valley Fire Protection District, (815) 332-5382; it covers the village and about 25 square miles of unincorporated Winnebago and Boone counties.
How old are the chimneys in Cherry Valley?
The Census does not count chimneys, but it does date the homes. Per the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, the median home in Cherry Valley was built in 1997 (Winnebago County: 1971). 8.4% of its 1,528 homes were built before 1940 and 15.1% before 1960, against 35.5% county-wide.
What does a chimney sweep cost in Cherry Valley?
No cost guide publishes a Rockford figure. Angi's national guide puts a sweep at $129 to $381 with an average of $254, and HomeGuide says $150 to $375. A Level 2 camera inspection runs $260 to $460 on Angi's sweep guide. The full price table shows each source and its date.
How often should a chimney in Cherry Valley be swept?
The national standard, NFPA 211, says chimneys, fireplaces and vents should be inspected at least once a year, with cleaning done if it is needed. With 90.3% of homes here heating with gas, that inspection covers the furnace and water heater flue too, not only the fireplace. Book it outside chimney swift nesting season, which in Illinois runs from spring through September.
Chimney due for a sweep in Cherry Valley?
Tell us the address, what you burn and when the chimney was last swept. We reply with a price before any work is scheduled.