Masonry repair on a brick chimney

Before & after

Our work, documented

Every chimney we touch is photographed before and after — so the proof is in the pictures, not in promises.

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We document every job with before-and-after photos. As we complete work across King County's North Seattle, our own real projects appear here — chimney repairs, relining, crown rebuilds, cap installs and masonry. Below them, a showcase of representative before-and-after examples shows what each service we offer typically looks like.

Service showcase — before & after

What each service looks like, before and after

For every service we offer, here's the kind of before-and-after transformation it delivers — paired with a representative scenario from North Seattle so you can picture how a typical job plays out.

An honest note: the pairs and scenarios below are representative before-and-after examples and typical situations — not photos or stories of specific customer jobs. They illustrate what each service involves. We add our own completed North Seattle County projects above as we finish them.

Before
After
Chimney Sweep
The before shows a flue and smoke chamber coated in soot and early creosote; the after shows the same masonry brushed and vacuumed back to bare surface. A clean flue draws better, smokes less into the room, and removes the fuel that feeds a chimney fire — which is why the NFPA recommends an annual sweep on a wood-burning system.
Representative exampleTypical scenario — not a specific customer job
A common job for us: a Ballard craftsman bungalow that's burned wood through the whole drizzle season with no recent sweep. By spring the century-old flue is coated in soot and early creosote, and the owners notice smoke curling back into the room when they light a fire. We'd typically scan the flue, sweep it from the smoke chamber up, and vacuum out the firebox — then point out any glazing or moisture staining worth watching. The usual result is a flue that draws cleanly again and a clear picture of what next season needs.
Before
After
Chimney Inspection
These frames are pulled from a camera scan run up the flue, where a surface glance can't reach. The after view exposes a cracked tile or gap in the liner — the kind of hidden defect that lets heat and combustion gases reach framing. A documented Level 1 or Level 2 inspection is what turns a guess into a clear, photographed scope of work.
Representative exampleTypical scenario — not a specific customer job
What this usually looks like: a buyer is closing on a brick Tudor near Ravenna Park and wants the chimney checked before the sale. From the hearth the firebox looks fine, but a camera run up the flue tells the real story — often an unlined smoke path or a crack where decades of heat and marine damp have done their slow work. We'd document each finding with photos and a written report, so the buyer walks in with an honest scope instead of a surprise after move-in.
Before
After
Chimney Relining
The before is a clay flue with cracked or shifted tiles that no longer contain heat and flue gases safely. The after is a continuous, correctly sized stainless steel liner — insulated and sized to the appliance. A sound liner is the barrier between the fire and your home's framing, and it's a code requirement when the original is compromised.
Representative exampleTypical scenario — not a specific customer job
A representative case: a 1920s four-square in Wallingford where the camera scan confirms what's common in houses this age — a flue that was never lined, or clay tiles cracked and shifted by a century of heat and damp. Either way, the smoke path no longer contains heat the way it should. We'd typically install an insulated stainless liner sized to the appliance, working within the original stack. The result is a flue that meets code and is safe to burn in again, with the old brick untouched from the street.
Before
After
Chimney Repair
The before shows spalled brick face and washed-out mortar joints where water has worked its way in. The after is rebuilt and repointed back to a sound, weather-tight stack. Catching this early keeps a cosmetic problem from becoming a structural one, where loose masonry and a leaning stack force a far larger rebuild.
Representative exampleTypical scenario — not a specific customer job
A typical north-end job: an original brick stack in Greenwood that has stood in the weather since the neighborhood's bungalow years, its face starting to spall and the top joints washed soft. Left alone, water keeps finding its way in, and each rare freeze pushes the brick a little further apart. We'd rake out the failed joints, rebuild the spalled courses, and repoint in a mortar matched to the old work so the stack sheds water again. The usual outcome is a sound, weather-tight chimney that keeps its 1920s face.
Before
After
Chimney Cap Installation
The before is an open flue with nothing over it — wide open to rain, snow, leaves and nesting animals. The after carries a stainless cap with spark-arrestor mesh. The cap keeps water out of the flue (the single biggest driver of interior chimney decay) and stops birds, squirrels and embers, for very little cost relative to the damage it prevents.
Representative exampleTypical scenario — not a specific customer job
A common find north of the Ship Canal: an open, capless flue on an older Phinney Ridge home, water stains in the firebox and the traces of a bird's nest at the top. An open flue is the easiest way for rain, marine damp and animals to ruin a chimney from the inside. We'd typically fit a stainless cap with spark-arrestor mesh, measured to the flue. The result is a chimney that stays dry and animal-free — a small part that heads off a much larger repair.
Before
After
Masonry Repair (Crown / Repointing)
The before shows a cracked crown and eroded joints at the top of the stack, where weather hits hardest. The after is a recast crown and fresh repointing that shed water away from the masonry. The crown is the chimney's first roof — once it cracks, water runs straight down into the brick and the flue, so fixing it early protects everything below.
Representative exampleTypical scenario — not a specific customer job
What this often looks like: a Green Lake homeowner spots a damp patch on the ceiling, and up on the roof the crown is cracked and the top joints of the old stack have eroded. The crown takes the full brunt of the drizzle season, and once it cracks, water runs straight down into brick and flue. We'd typically recast the crown and repoint the top courses so water sheds away from the masonry. The usual result is a watertight top protecting everything below it.
Before
After
Chimney Waterproofing
The before is porous, water-stained brick that soaks up rain like a sponge; the after is sealed with a breathable, vapor-permeable masonry repellent. The right product blocks liquid water from entering while still letting trapped moisture escape — so the brick doesn't trap water and crack apart in a freeze. It's a low-cost step that extends the life of sound masonry.
Representative exampleTypical scenario — not a specific customer job
A representative scenario: a brick chimney in Ballard, close enough to Shilshole to feel the marine air, where the masonry stays damp for months and the face has begun to flake. Porous, century-old brick that drinks the rain and then meets a cold snap is exactly how spalling starts up here. Once the masonry checks out sound, we'd apply a breathable water repellent that blocks liquid water but lets the brick dry out. The result is masonry that sheds the drizzle and stands up better to the next freeze.
Before
After
Chimney Flashing Repair
The before shows rusted or lifted flashing at the roof-to-chimney joint, the most common source of a ceiling stain near the chimney. The after is new step and counter-flashing, properly lapped and sealed. Done right, flashing is a layered metal detail — not a bead of caulk — and it's what keeps the roof watertight where two surfaces meet.
Representative exampleTypical scenario — not a specific customer job
A common job: a Wedgwood home where a ceiling stain keeps returning beside the chimney after every stretch of heavy rain. Nine times out of ten the culprit is flashing — rusted, lifted, or held together by old caulk that has finally let go. We'd typically strip the failed metal and install proper step and counter-flashing, lapped and sealed where the chimney meets the roof. The usual result is a joint that stays dry through the wet season, and a stain that finally stops coming back.
Before
After
Gas Fireplace Service
The before is a gas firebox with dusty logs, a sooty glass and a lazy, uneven flame; the after is cleaned, with burner and pilot serviced to a steady, even burn. Beyond looks, servicing checks the pilot, thermocouple and venting so the unit lights reliably and vents combustion byproducts safely. A neglected gas appliance is both a comfort and a carbon-monoxide concern.
Representative exampleTypical scenario — not a specific customer job
What this usually looks like: as the first cold drizzle arrives, a Maple Leaf homeowner goes to light the gas fireplace and finds sooty glass, dusty logs and a low, uneven flame. A damp Seattle year and a summer of disuse are hard on pilots and burners. We'd typically clean the firebox and glass, service the burner and pilot, and check the venting and safety components. The result is a fireplace that lights reliably, burns clean and even, and vents safely.
Before
After
Creosote Removal
The before shows heavy, glazed (Stage 3) creosote — the hard, tar-like buildup that an ordinary brushing won't touch; the after is back to clean masonry. Glazed creosote is highly flammable and is the fuel behind most chimney fires, so removing it with the right tools is a safety job, not a cosmetic one. It's the buildup that an annual sweep is meant to prevent.
Representative exampleTypical scenario — not a specific customer job
A representative case: an old Fremont house where several winters of wood fires — some of it unseasoned — have passed without a sweep. The flue ends up glazed in hard Stage 3 creosote that an ordinary brush slides right over, and in a house this age that fuel often sits against bare, unlined brick. We'd typically break the glazing down with the right tools, clear it back to clean masonry, and flag what's causing the buildup. The usual result is a flue that's safe to use and a plan to keep it that way.
Before
After
Dryer Vent Cleaning
The before is a vent line packed with lint; the after is a clear, free-flowing duct. A clogged line makes the dryer run hot and slow, shortens its life, and is a leading cause of house fires. Clearing it restores airflow, cuts drying time and energy use, and removes a real fire hazard — especially on long or restricted runs.
Representative exampleTypical scenario — not a specific customer job
A common job: a remodeled Northgate house with a long dryer run where clothes have started needing two cycles and the laundry room turns hot and humid. That's the classic sign of a lint-packed vent line — and a genuine fire risk. We'd typically clear the full run from the dryer to the exterior hood and check that the flap swings freely. The usual result is a dryer that runs cooler and faster, less energy burned, and a hazard gone.
Before
After
Air Duct Cleaning
The before shows supply ducts and registers coated in dust and debris; the after is cleaned ductwork with clear airflow. Removing built-up dust improves airflow, eases the load on the HVAC system, and reduces what gets recirculated into the rooms. It's most worthwhile after renovation work, a pest issue, or visible dust blowing from the vents.
Representative exampleTypical scenario — not a specific customer job
What this often looks like: new owners settle into an older Wallingford home — or finish a renovation — and notice dust blowing from the registers and settling fast on every sill. Decades of debris in the ductwork get pushed back into the rooms each time the furnace runs. We'd typically clean the supply and return ducts and the registers, clearing the accumulated dust. The usual result is cleaner airflow, less recirculated dust, and a system that doesn't have to fight its own ducts.

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