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Stage 2 Creosote Cleaning in Seattle, Tacoma & Everett
Shiny, crunchy second-degree creosote needs rotary chains and whips, not a plain brush. We remove it and show you why it formed. Free quote.
- Free 2nd-opinion quotes
- Price match + 10–25% discount
- Same-day service often available
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Stage 2 creosote is the middle degree. Instead of soft soot it forms shiny black flakes and crusts with a hard, crunchy texture, like burnt cornflakes or bubbled tar. A standard brush skates over it and leaves most of it on the wall. Removing it takes a rotary drive with chain or whip heads that break the crust loose, and more passes than a routine sweep.
This page covers second-degree creosote only: how to recognize it, why it forms, and what our cleaning visit involves. For the full picture of all three degrees see chimney creosote removal. If your flue is dull and flaky, the lighter stage 1 cleaning is all you need. If the deposit is a smooth, hard glaze that does not flake at all, it has reached stage 3.
We clean stage 2 flues in masonry and factory-built chimneys across Seattle, Tacoma, Everett and the Puget Sound. The quote is free, and we price match a written quote and take 10–25% off. Call 206-453-2045.
Symptoms
Signs you need chimney cleaning stage 2
- Shiny black flakes on the damper or smoke shelf that crunch when pressed
- A crust on the flue walls that a finger cannot smudge
- Flakes that have curled edges and a glossy, tar-like surface
- A sharper, more acrid smoke smell that lingers between fires
- Smoke that drafts a little slower than it used to
- Two or more seasons since the last cleaning
- Wood that hisses or sizzles when it burns
Common causes
- Burning wet, unseasoned or softwood firewood that smokes more than it burns
- Slow, smoldering fires with the damper or air controls choked down
- A cool flue: an exterior masonry chimney, an oversized flue or a cold start that lets smoke condense
- Wood stoves and inserts run low overnight, which cool the exhaust before it exits
- Skipping a season or two of cleaning so stage 1 soot bakes into a crust
How It Works
Our chimney cleaning stage 2 process
We confirm stage 2 by texture, not by guess. From the firebox we check the damper and lower flue for that glossy, crunchy crust, then look up the flue with a light or camera to see how far it runs and whether any of it has smoothed into a true glaze. We also look at the draft path, the damper, and the firebox for the reasons it formed. If we find a glaze layer underneath the flakes, we quote the stage 3 approach before we begin.
Stage and scope
We identify second-degree creosote, map how much of the flue it covers and choose the right rotary head for the liner type.
Contain the room
Drop cloths, a sealed fireplace opening and a HEPA vacuum running the entire time, because stage 2 throws a lot of sharp debris.
Rotary chain or whip cleaning
A rotary drive spins chain or poly-whip heads sized to the flue. The heads flex against the walls and shatter the crust without damaging clay tile or stainless liner.
Repeat passes
Stage 2 rarely comes off in one pass. We work the flue section by section until the walls show liner, not crust.
Smoke chamber and shelf
The corbeled smoke chamber and the shelf collect a heavy fall of flakes; we clean both and brush the damper.
Camera check and burn advice
We look at the cleaned flue, note any liner damage, and tell you exactly what in your burning habits caused stage 2 so the next cleaning is a stage 1.
Options
Repair and service options
Stage 2 cleaning is quoted after we see the flue, because the amount of crust and the liner type set the time. What the visit can include:
- Rotary chain or whip cleaning of the full flue, with HEPA containment, as described above. This is the core of the job and costs more than a stage 1 sweep because of the tools and the extra passes.
- Smoke chamber cleaning, since stage 2 flakes pack into the ledges a flue head cannot reach; see smoke chamber cleaning.
- Stove or insert disconnection when the stovepipe and connector are crusted too, which they usually are on a slow-burning stove.
- Camera inspection of the cleaned liner, recommended when stage 2 was widespread, because the same conditions that make stage 2 can crack tiles; see Level 2 inspection.
- Fix the cause: a damper that does not open fully, a missing cap letting rain in, or a flue that is too large for the appliance. We quote those separately.
Free quote, free second-opinion quote, and price match plus 10–25% off. If you are not happy, we are not done.
Pricing
What affects the price
- How much of the flue is covered by stage 2 crust and how thick it is
- Liner type: clay tile, stainless or unlined masonry sets which heads we can use
- Chimney height and whether the flue can be worked from the firebox or the top
- Whether a stove or insert and its stovepipe must be disconnected and cleaned
- Whether a glaze layer is found underneath and the job moves to stage 3
- Whether a camera inspection of the liner is added afterward
Every chimney is different, so you get a written quote after we look at the system. Ask about our price match and free second-opinion quote.
Safety & Seattle Conditions
Safety considerations
Stage 2 creosote burns hotter and longer than stage 1 and is a common fuel for chimney fires, the kind that sound like a freight train in the flue and can crack liner tiles. If you have had a roaring or rumbling noise in the chimney, or see puffy, honeycombed deposits, stop using the fireplace and call us. Do not try to scrape the flue from the firebox or the roof; the crust is sharp, the dust is fine, and roof work is for our certified and insured crew.
NFPA 211 recommends an annual inspection. On a flue that has reached stage 2 once, that yearly look is what keeps it from reaching stage 3.
Seattle & Puget Sound conditions
Stage 2 is the Puget Sound's default creosote. Firewood here is mostly fir and other softwood, and with roughly 150–156 days a year of measurable rain at Sea-Tac it is often burned before it is dry. Wet wood makes a cooler, smokier fire, and smoke that cools on the flue wall condenses into exactly the glossy crust this page is about.
The climate works against the flue, too. Winter lows at Sea-Tac average about 37°F, and an exterior brick chimney starts each evening cold, so the first half hour of every fire condenses on the liner. Fires kept low and slow through the October-to-March wet season, about 29.65 inches of precipitation by the NOAA normals, give the flue plenty of time to build a stage 2 layer in a single winter.
Our Work
Chimney Cleaning Stage 2 in action
Shiny, crunchy creosote? That is stage 2. We have the tools for it.
Rotary chain and whip cleaning with HEPA containment. Free quote, price match plus 10–25% off. If you're not happy, we're not done. Call 206-453-2045.
☎ 206-453-2045 Request a QuoteQuestions
Chimney Cleaning Stage 2 FAQ
What does stage 2 creosote look like?
Shiny, black, crunchy flakes or crust, often with curled edges, on the damper, smoke shelf and flue walls. Press it and it crackles rather than smearing. If it smears like soot it is stage 1; if it is a hard, smooth, shiny coating that does not flake at all it is stage 3. A photo of the damper area is usually enough for us to tell.
Why will a regular brush not remove stage 2?
Because the crust is bonded to the wall, not resting on it. A poly or wire brush knocks loose flakes off but slides over the bonded layer. Rotary chains and whips spinning on a drive strike the crust with enough force to break it loose while flexing around the liner, which is why we use them for stage 2 and why it takes more passes.
Can rotary chain cleaning damage my liner?
Not when the head is matched to the liner. We use flexible chain or poly-whip heads sized to the flue and choose gentler heads on stainless or older clay tile. We check the liner before and after. If tiles are already cracked, the cleaning does not cause that, but it will reveal it, and we tell you.
How do I keep it from coming back?
Burn dry wood, ideally covered and stacked for a year or more, and burn it hot with the damper open instead of smoldering overnight. Let the flue warm up with a small, hot kindling fire before loading it. Keep a cap on so rain does not wet the flue. Then clean every year so anything that forms is caught at stage 1.
Does stage 2 cleaning cost more than the $299 sweep?
Yes. The $299 starting price is for stage 1 creosote that a standard brush removes. Stage 2 needs rotary equipment, heavy containment and extra passes, so we quote it after seeing the flue and before we start. We price match any written quote and take 10–25% off, and a second-opinion quote is free.
I have a wood stove. Is stage 2 normal?
It is common, because stoves are often run low for overnight heat and that cools the exhaust. The stovepipe and connector usually carry as much crust as the flue. We disconnect and clean them with the flue, then reassemble and check draft. A hotter burn cycle and dry wood bring most stoves back to stage 1.
Do you clean stage 2 flues in Tacoma and Everett?
Yes. We serve Seattle, Tacoma, Everett and the road-accessible Puget Sound from our Renton office, including Gig Harbor via the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. Same-day service is often available, and a second-opinion quote is free if another sweep has already looked at the flue. Call 206-453-2045 for a free quote.
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