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Chimney Liner Rebuild in Seattle, WA
Rebuilding the flue itself: cast-in-place liners and tile reconstruction for old brick chimneys that need structure, not just a pipe. Free quote.
- Free 2nd-opinion quotes
- Price match + 10–25% discount
- Same-day service often available
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Most relining work drops a stainless steel pipe inside the old flue and leaves the masonry as it is. A chimney liner rebuild does something different: it rebuilds the flue wall in place. Either the failed clay tiles are taken out and reset as a new tile stack, or a cast-in-place liner is poured, a masonry mix formed around an inflatable former inside the flue that hardens into a new seamless liner bonded to the brick. The poured version also fills voids and stiffens a chimney whose mortar and tile have lost their strength.
That is who this page is for: owners of older brick chimneys in Seattle, Tacoma and Shoreline where the camera shows broken tile and the masonry around it is soft, cracked or leaning. A stainless liner in a chimney like that makes the flue safe but does nothing for the structure. A rebuild does both. Where the masonry is sound and only the liner has failed, the simpler answer is chimney liner replacement, and we will tell you so.
The camera survey and written quote are free, and so is a second opinion if another company has already quoted you. We work from Renton across King, Pierce and Snohomish counties.
Symptoms
Signs you need chimney liner rebuild
- A camera report showing broken tile plus cracks, gaps or missing mortar in the brick behind it
- An old chimney that leans, bows or has a visible crack running up the stack
- A flue so irregular, offset or narrowed that a stainless liner cannot be run through it
- Brick that sheds sand or flakes when touched near the flue or in the attic
- A historic home where the owner wants the original masonry chimney kept, not sleeved
- Water staining on interior chimney brick that points to a flue wall leaking through
- A stainless reline that was quoted but refused because the flue is too tight or too rough
Common causes
- Chimneys built before clay tile or with tile set in mortar that has washed out over decades
- Years of wet-season rain soaking the stack and freeze-thaw cycles breaking tile and brick together
- Flue gas acids and heat eroding the inner brick where tile was never installed
- A chimney fire that cracked tile and loosened the surrounding masonry in one event
- Earthquake or settling movement that shifted the stack and opened joints through the full wall
How It Works
Our chimney liner rebuild process
A rebuild quote needs more than a liner survey. We run the camera the full length of the flue to map broken tile and gaps, and we also assess the masonry itself: sounding the brick from inside the attic and firebox, checking the stack above the roof for lean, cracks and soft mortar, and measuring the flue for the former size a cast-in-place liner would need. That tells us whether the chimney needs structure as well as a liner, and whether a poured liner, a tile rebuild, or a stainless liner with separate masonry repair is the right plan. You get the footage, the findings and a free written quote.
Camera and masonry survey, free quote
We map the flue by camera, sound and inspect the brick and stack, and write a quote that states whether a rebuild, a poured liner, or a simpler reline fits your chimney.
Clear and prepare the flue
Creosote, debris and loose tile fragments are removed so the new liner bonds to clean masonry, and any broken tile that must come out is broken out from above.
Rebuild the liner
For a tile rebuild, new flue tiles are set in refractory mortar section by section. For cast-in-place, an inflatable former is positioned in the flue and the liner mix is pumped around it, filling cracks and voids as it goes, then the former is removed after curing.
Repair the stack where needed
Open joints, loose brick and a cracked crown are addressed as part of the job so the rebuilt flue is not undermined from outside.
Camera check, terminate and document
A final camera pass confirms a smooth, continuous liner, a new top plate or crown seal and cap go on, and you get before-and-after footage.
Options
Repair and service options
A liner rebuild takes one of a few forms, and the survey tells us which:
- Cast-in-place liner: a poured masonry liner formed inside the flue. Seamless, insulating, and it bonds to the brick and fills voids, which is why it is the choice when the chimney needs reinforcement as well as a liner.
- Tile rebuild: broken sections of clay tile removed and new tiles set in refractory mortar. Keeps a tile flue where only the upper sections have failed and the stack below is sound.
- Rebuild plus stack repair: the liner rebuild paired with repointing or brick replacement on the same visit when the outside of the chimney is failing too.
- Upper rebuild with liner: when the stack above the roof is too far gone, a chimney stack rebuild with a new liner tied into the existing flue below.
- Stainless instead: when the masonry is sound and the flue is straight enough, a stainless liner replacement is faster and less expensive, and we quote that rather than a rebuild.
Every option comes with a free itemized quote, and we price match any written quote plus 10-25% off.
Pricing
What affects the price
- Cast-in-place versus tile rebuild, and how much of the flue height is involved
- Flue size and shape, which set the former size and the volume of liner material
- How much broken tile and debris must be removed before the rebuild
- Condition of the surrounding brick and mortar, and the stack work folded into the job
- Crown and cap work at the top termination
- Whether the flue serves a fireplace, wood stove, furnace or more than one appliance
- Distance from Renton for outlying Pierce and Snohomish addresses
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
A chimney that needs a liner rebuild usually has two problems at once: a flue that can leak heat and gases into the house, and masonry that may be losing strength. Stop using the fireplace or appliance once a camera inspection has shown open flue walls, and if the stack leans or has a crack you can see from the ground, keep people away from the area below it until we have looked at it.
Please do not go on the roof to inspect a leaning or cracked stack, and do not try to remove loose brick or tile yourself. Where the flue serves a gas appliance, leave the gas valve, pilot and line alone; if you ever smell gas, leave the house and call the gas utility or 911 from outside. A rebuild on a chimney may need a permit; we will tell you if yours does and handle it.
Seattle & Puget Sound conditions
Liner rebuilds cluster in the region's oldest neighborhoods, because the brick and the tile have aged together. Tacoma's median home was built in 1967 and carries a large share of pre-1940 Craftsman and bungalow stock; Shoreline's median is 1969, Lakewood's 1975 and Seattle's 1976, with Seattle's pre-war bungalows and 1920s-40s cottages still standing on brick chimneys. Many of those flues are unlined or lined with original tile.
The climate has been working on them every winter. Sea-Tac's NOAA 1991-2020 normals show 40.34 inches of precipitation a year, about 73% of it October through March, and about 60 days a year at or below 32F while winter lows average around 37F. The Brick Industry Association notes that repeated freeze-thaw of saturated masonry causes cracking, spalling and disintegration. A cast-in-place liner answers that from the inside.
Our Work
Chimney Liner Rebuild in action
Old brick chimney with a failed flue? Ask about a liner rebuild.
Free camera and masonry survey, free second opinion, price match plus 10-25% off. Call 206-453-2045 for Seattle, Tacoma and Everett.
☎ 206-453-2045 Request a QuoteQuestions
Chimney Liner Rebuild FAQ
What is the difference between a liner rebuild and a liner replacement?
Replacement puts a new stainless steel liner inside the old flue and leaves the masonry alone; it is the right job when the brick is sound. A rebuild reconstructs the flue wall itself, by resetting tile or pouring a cast-in-place liner that bonds to the brick and fills voids. It is the right job when the chimney needs structural help as well as a liner. See liner replacement for the simpler case.
What is a cast-in-place chimney liner?
It is a masonry liner poured in place. An inflatable former is positioned inside the flue, a cement-based liner mix is pumped around it, and once the mix cures the former is removed, leaving a smooth, seamless, insulating flue bonded to the surrounding brick. Because it fills cracks and gaps as it goes, it also stiffens a chimney whose mortar and tile have weakened.
When is a rebuild better than a stainless liner?
Three situations: the masonry itself is cracked, soft or leaning and needs reinforcement; the flue is too tight, rough or offset for a stainless liner to pass; or the home is historic and the owner wants the original masonry flue kept rather than sleeved. If none of those apply, stainless is faster and less expensive, and we quote it instead.
Will a liner rebuild fix a leaning or cracked chimney?
A cast-in-place liner reinforces the stack from the inside and is often paired with repointing or brick replacement outside, which together handle most cracked or weakened chimneys. A stack that has leaned or separated badly above the roof usually needs a stack rebuild, with the new liner tied in. We tell you which your chimney needs after the survey.
How long does a chimney liner rebuild take?
Longer than a stainless reline. A cast-in-place liner typically takes a day to prepare and pour plus curing time before the former comes out and the flue is used; a tile rebuild depends on how many sections are involved. Any stack or crown work adds to it. The quote gives you the timeline, and if you are not happy with the result we re-do it at no charge.
Do I need a permit for a chimney liner rebuild?
A rebuild may need a permit depending on the city and the scope, particularly when the stack above the roof is rebuilt or an appliance is changed. We tell you during the quote whether yours does and take care of the paperwork as part of the job. Call 206-453-2045 and we will start with the free camera and masonry survey.
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