What the village's 2021 code amendments mean for a new fireplace
The Village of Downers Grove adopted the 2021 International Residential Code with local amendments under ORD 2023-10009 (Village Council report dated 10/3/2023). Several of those amendments deal directly with how a fireplace and its chimney are enclosed, insulated and fire-blocked inside the house. They matter most when a fireplace goes on an outside wall, sits next to an unheated space, or uses a factory-built chimney that passes up through ceilings.
| Requirement | When it applies | What it changes about the installation |
|---|---|---|
| Chimney portions passing through habitable spaces or closets must be enclosed in a drywall chase. | Any chimney run that passes through a lived-in room or a closet. | The chimney can't be left exposed in those spaces. The plan has to include framing and drywall around it. |
| The frame cavity around a factory-built fireplace firebox on an outside wall must be insulated like the adjacent walls. | Factory-built fireplaces set into an exterior wall. | The framed opening around the firebox gets insulation that matches the rest of that wall. It is not left as an empty cavity. |
| A fireplace chase on an outside wall or next to an unheated area must be insulated like the adjacent walls up to the firestop (IRC Section R1005.4.3, added locally). | Chases built on an exterior wall or beside an unheated space. | Insulation runs up the chase to the firestop. That affects how the chase is framed and finished. |
| Firestops are required inside the chase of a factory-built chimney at each ceiling level the chimney passes through (IRC Section R1005.4.2, added locally). | Factory-built chimneys that rise through one or more ceilings. | Each floor or ceiling crossing needs its own firestop, so a taller run means more firestop points to build in. |
In practice, these rules make the fireplace's location the first decision. An interior spot with a short chimney run involves different framing than an exterior-wall unit whose chase climbs past a closet and two ceilings. Settling the location early keeps the framing, insulation and drywall work from turning into surprises halfway through the job.
Before you pick a spot
Note what the chimney or vent would pass through on its way out: closets, bedrooms, ceilings and any outside walls. Each of those affects which of the requirements above apply to your installation.
What affects fireplace installation in Downers Grove
- Downers Grove's local amendments to the 2021 International Residential Code (ORD 2023-10009, Village Council report dated 10/3/2023) require chimney portions passing through habitable spaces or closets to be enclosed in a drywall chase. Downers Grove's 2021 International Residential Code amendments (ORD 2023-10009) require the frame cavity around a factory-built fireplace firebox on an outside wall to be insulated like the adjacent walls. Downers Grove's local amendment adding IRC Section R1005.4.3 (ORD 2023-10009) requires a fireplace chase on an outside wall or next to an unheated area to be insulated like the adjacent walls up to the firestop. Downers Grove's local amendment adding IRC Section R1005.4.2 (ORD 2023-10009) requires firestops inside the chase of a factory-built chimney at each ceiling level the chimney passes through. Source: Village of Downers Grove - Report for the Village Council, ORD 2023-10009: Adoption of 2021 ICC Building and Fire Codes; Village of Downers Grove - ORD 2023-10009 building code adoption and local amendments.
Fireplace installation in brief
Fireplace installation means fitting a new fireplace into the home. That covers choosing a unit that suits the room and its venting, preparing or framing the opening, setting the firebox, running the chimney or vent, and finishing the surround so the fireplace is ready to use. We install wood-burning and gas units and work on all major brands. The fireplace installation service page covers the full process, from the first estimate to the finished fireplace.
If you're leaning toward gas, the venting type changes what has to be built. Our guide to direct vent vs ventless gas fireplaces explains the difference before you choose.
When a new fireplace is the right job, and when it isn't
- A new fireplace fits when the room has none, or when you want one in a new location, such as an exterior wall or an addition.
- An insert may fit better when you already have a working masonry fireplace and want more efficient heat from the same opening.
- Repair may be enough when an existing fireplace has a worn firebox, damaged panels or a draft problem but is otherwise sound.
- Masonry work comes first when the existing chimney has cracked brick, loose mortar or a damaged crown. Start with chimney masonry repair in Downers Grove before adding or replacing a fireplace that vents through it.
Planning your installation
For the step-by-step detail, read how fireplace installation works. For everything else we handle locally, from cleaning to inspections and repairs, visit our Downers Grove area page. When you're ready, request an estimate.
Sources (1)
The sources of the Downers Grove facts on this page.
- 1Village of Downers Grove - Report for the Village Council, ORD 2023-10009: Adoption of 2021 ICC Building and Fire Codes; Village of Downers Grove - ORD 2023-10009 building code adoption and local amendments
