About Lincoln Chimney Services

Built on experience, serving Pittsburgh since 1993

Lincoln Chimney Services has served Pittsburgh-area homeowners since 1993, but our story in the chimney trade began years before the company had a name. Our founder, Abraham Donovan, started working in the trade as a teenager — learning the work hands-on, understanding how chimneys are built, how masonry ages, how fireplaces draft, where water finds its way into a chimney system, and why a repair needs to address the actual problem rather than simply cover up what can be seen from the outside.

After years of developing his craft in the field, Abraham founded Lincoln Chimney Services in 1993 with a straightforward idea: do professional work, explain things clearly, and make sure customers understand the price before the work begins. More than three decades later, those principles still guide the company.

From one tradesman to a team of about 15

Lincoln Chimney Services has grown considerably since 1993. Today our team includes approximately 15 people serving homeowners throughout Pittsburgh and the surrounding communities. Growth, however, has never meant losing the character of a family business. We are a family company, and we work with our team the same way — because people do their best work when they take pride in what they do, support one another, and remember that the home they are working in belongs to someone who has trusted us to be there.

That family approach extends to how we treat our customers. We want homeowners to understand what we find, what their options are, and what the work will cost before moving forward.

Chimneys are what we do

We are not a general home improvement company that occasionally works on chimneys. Chimney and fireplace systems are our specialty. Our work includes chimney cleaning and sweeping, inspections, masonry repairs, crowns, caps, liners, leak repairs, flashing, waterproofing, rebuilding, fireplace repairs, firebox work, dampers, smoke chambers, installations, and ongoing maintenance.

That range matters because chimney problems are often connected. A water stain near a fireplace, for example, does not automatically tell you where the water is entering — the source may involve flashing, masonry, mortar joints, the crown, a cap, or another part of the system. Our approach begins with understanding the problem before recommending the solution.

Clear pricing before the work begins

One principle has remained especially important to us: customers should know what they are agreeing to. After evaluating the work, we explain what we found and what we recommend, and the customer receives clear pricing before the approved work begins. Chimney service should not feel confusing. There may be more than one way to address a problem, and when appropriate, we want the homeowner to understand those options. Our job is not simply to show up with tools — it is to help you understand the condition of your chimney or fireplace and make an informed decision about the next step.

Local knowledge matters

Pittsburgh is home. We work throughout Pittsburgh and the surrounding communities, and the chimney systems we encounter reflect the character of Western Pennsylvania homes. Brick and masonry chimneys can spend decades exposed to rain, snow, temperature changes and repeated freeze-thaw cycles, and older systems may have components that have been repaired or modified several times over the life of the home. There is rarely a useful one-size-fits-all answer, which is one reason hands-on experience continues to matter in this trade. We look at the chimney in front of us — its construction, condition and specific problem — rather than assuming every home needs the same solution.

Professional work with a family-business approach

Lincoln Chimney Services has changed since Abraham first started the company in 1993. The team is bigger, the service area is larger, and the tools and inspection methods available to the industry have evolved. What we don't want to change is the way the company approaches its work: be professional, know the trade, communicate clearly, provide clear pricing before approved work begins, treat customers' homes with respect, and treat the people who work beside you like family. Those principles helped build Lincoln Chimney Services, and they continue to shape how our team serves Pittsburgh-area homeowners today.