Level 1 sweep and inspection to the NFPA 211 annual standard - flue, crown, cap, and flashing checked and photographed
Chimney sweep logs do not sweep chimneys. They loosen some creosote - which then falls where a brush and vacuum still have to collect it.
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterChimney Cleaning Before & After in Kirkland, WA
We’ve cleaned and inspected more than 38,000 chimneys since 2009, and we’ve photographed every one. The difference between a neglected flue and a properly swept system is stark, and it’s the kind of thing you have to see to believe. Below are real scenarios we’ve handled across Kirkland, from Houghton to Finn Hill to the Bridle Trails.
Recent Transformations
Class III Glazed Creosote Removal, Finn Hill
The homeowner in Finn Hill had been burning seasoned fir through three winters without a sweep. When we ran the camera, the flue liner was coated with Class III creosote, a hard, tar-like glaze that ordinary brushing won’t touch. We applied a mechanical de-glazing process, followed by a rotary sweep with polypropylene whips, then rescanned the full flue length. The after photos show bare terracotta liner with clean mortar joints, and the draft reading improved from 0.02 to 0.06 inches of water column. Clause 4 of the Haven Standard required us to archive both scans, which we delivered along with the written scope and warranty.
Smoke Chamber Parging, Juanita
This Juanita home had a factory-built fireplace with a severely corbelled smoke chamber, the irregular brick steps that funnel smoke from the firebox into the flue. The corbelling created turbulence that sent smoke rolling into the living room on windy days. We used HeatShield Cerfractory Foam to parge the chamber smooth, reducing the number of sharp edges where smoke could stall. The after photos show a smooth, sloped transition, and the homeowner reported no smoke spillage the following season. We provided the photo record, the material batch number from HeatShield, and our written 365-Day Done Right Promise before we packed up.
Spalling Crown Rebuild, Bridle Trails
The crown on this Bridle Trails chimney had spalled so badly that the steel reinforcement mesh was visible, and water was running straight down into the outer courses of brick. A crown is the concrete cap that sheds water off the chimney top, and this one had been poured flat with no overhang or drip edge, which is a common shortcut in Kirkland’s wet climate. We formed and poured a new crown with a 2-inch overhang and a kerfed drip edge, sealed it with a breathable silane-siloxane treatment, and photographed the pour and the cure. The after photos show water shedding cleanly, and the documented record went into the homeowner’s file under Haven Standard Clause 4.
Firebox Refractory Panel Replacement, Lakeview
The refractory panels in this Lakeview prefab firebox had hairline cracks that had opened to quarter-inch gaps, exposing the metal wrapper to direct flame. Refractory panels are the heat-resistant slabs that line factory-built fireplaces, and once they crack through, they’re done. We sourced replacement panels through Olympia Chimney’s distribution network, fitted them to the original clearances, and ran a burn-off cycle to season the new surfaces. The before photos show the cracked panels with heat staining at the gaps; the after photos show tight seams and uniform surface color. Written price before work started: $847 for panels, fitting, and the Level 2 inspection.
Chimney Cap and Spark Arrestor Installation, Totem Lake
This Totem Lake chimney had been open to the weather for years. Rainwater had degraded the flue liner, and squirrels had nested in the smoke shelf, the flat ledge behind the damper where debris collects. We evicted the nest, swept the flue and smoke chamber, and installed a Gelco stainless steel cap with an integral spark arrestor mesh and a pull-down screening for future access. The cap overhangs the flue tile by 1.5 inches on all sides, which matters in Kirkland’s fall and winter storm cycles. Before photos show the open flue with water staining and organic debris; after photos show the cap seated with proper clearances and the mesh intact. Price quoted in writing before we drove out: $340 for the cap, $180 for the sweep and camera inspection, $520 total.
Flue Liner Relining with DuraFlex, Kingsgate
The terracotta flue liner in this Kingsgate chimney had shifted at the second joint above the smoke chamber, creating a gap that vented combustion gases into the masonry cavity. Terracotta liners crack from thermal cycling, and once they shift, they don’t shift back. We installed a DuraFlex 316Ti stainless steel liner with an insulated wrap, poured a new liner top plate, and connected it to a manufactured stainless steel tee at the thimble. The camera scan afterward showed continuous smooth wall from firebox to cap, and the draft test held steady at 0.05 inches WC. We provided 47 photos, the liner gauge and alloy certification, and our written 365-Day Done Right Promise. The homeowner brought us a competitor’s written estimate for $4,200; our written price was $3,150, and we honored our Free Second Opinion commitment by walking through every line item.
Want Results Like These?
Every job above started the same way: a phone call to (425) 642-3485, answered by a live person. We book a time, arrive in a marked van with a named, background-checked technician, and deliver a written price before any work begins. The camera inspection and photo record are included as standard under Clause 4 of the Haven Standard, not sold as an upgrade. Call (425) 642-3485 for your appointment across Kirkland, from Houghton to Finn Hill to the Bridle Trails. Estimates are free, and if you have a written quote from another company, we’ll give you a Free Second Opinion with no pressure to book.
Written by Corrine Halstead, Owner at Level Two Chimney Kirkland, serving Kirkland since 2009.