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Chimney Inspection in Burien, WA
Camera inspection for Burien's 1940s-60s brick chimneys and newer prefab flues, with photos you can hand to a buyer or insurer.
- Serving Burien & King County
- Free 2nd-opinion quotes
- Price match + 10–25% discount
Free Chimney Inspection Quote in Burien
We'll confirm a time by phone or text.
Burien sees a steady turnover of post-war homes, and a large share of the inspections we do here are tied to a sale. A buyer of a 1950s rambler in Gregory Heights or a bluff view house above Seahurst Park wants to know whether the original tile flue is intact before closing, and a general home inspector cannot see more than the first few feet. We run a camera the full length of the flue, check the firebox, damper and smoke chamber, and look at the crown, cap and flashing from the roof. Near Three Tree Point we pay extra attention to the windward face of the chimney, where wind-driven rain off the Sound does most of its damage. In the newer townhomes off SR 518 and Ambaum Boulevard the inspection is about the prefab system: pipe joints, the chase cover, and whether the firestop spacers are in place.
You get a written report with photos the same day, labeled for buyers and insurers. The quote is free, our sweep and inspection starts at $299, and if another company has already told you the chimney needs a big repair, we offer a free second-opinion quote. Burien is about 20 minutes from our North Renton office, which makes same-day scheduling realistic when a closing date is tight.
Symptoms
Signs Burien homeowners notice
- You are buying or selling a home and the home inspector did not scope the flue
- You do not know if the chimney is safe to light
- Water stains on the ceiling or wall next to the chimney
- White mineral deposits, flaking brick or loose mortar on the outside of the stack
- You are switching from wood to gas, or adding a stove or insert
- There was a chimney fire, even a small one that burned itself out
Burien Conditions
Why this happens in Burien
Burien chimneys carry more moisture than most. The Sea-Tac weather station on the city's eastern edge shows a 1991-2020 normal of 40.34 inches of rain a year over roughly 150-156 days, with about 73 percent of it falling October through March. On the Sound side of the city that rain arrives on the wind, and the exposed faces of a Seahurst or Shorewood chimney stay saturated for weeks. Winter lows average just above freezing, 37-38 degrees in December through February, so the brick freezes at night and thaws by noon on many of the roughly 60 days a year that reach 32 degrees. That cycle is what opens hairline cracks in tile liners and crowns, and it is invisible from the ground. A camera inspection is the only way to know whether a 70-year-old Gregory Heights flue is still continuous, and the best time to find out is before the November storms, when the normals jump to 6.31 inches.
How It Works
Our chimney inspection process
Tell us why you need it
Annual check, home sale, new appliance, a leak, or a chimney fire. The reason sets the inspection level, which we confirm before we quote.
Interior check
Firebox, damper, smoke chamber, hearth and clearances, plus the accessible flue from below.
Camera scan (Level 2 and up)
We run a recorded camera up the flue so cracked tiles, missing mortar joints, offsets and creosote stage are documented, not guessed at.
Exterior and roofline check
Crown, cap, chase cover, flashing, brick, mortar and any staining or moss. Our crew handles all roof access.
Written report and free quote
A plain-language summary with photos, what needs attention now versus later, and a free written quote for any repair.
Full details, options and pricing factors on the main Chimney Inspection page.
Need chimney inspection in Burien?
Call now or request a free quote — we confirm by phone or text.
☎ 206-453-2045 Request a QuoteQuestions
Chimney Inspection in Burien — FAQ
I'm buying a 1950s house in Gregory Heights. Does the chimney need its own inspection?
We recommend it. A general home inspector looks at the firebox and the exterior, but not inside a 70-year-old tile flue, which is where cracks and missing mortar show up. A camera inspection takes about an hour, produces a photo report you can attach to your negotiation, and Burien is close enough to Renton that we can usually fit one in before your contingency deadline.
Will an inspection tell me if my Burien chimney is safe to use after a windstorm?
Yes. Wind off the Sound can shift a cap, crack a crown or drop a section of loose brick into the flue. We check the top from the roof and the inside with a camera, and if the flue is clear and the liner is intact we say so in writing. Please do not light a fire until it has been checked.
How soon can you do chimney inspection in Burien?
We confirm a time by phone or text after you request a quote; same-day service is often available for urgent problems in Burien and the rest of King County.
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