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Chimney Inspection in Kent, WA
Camera inspection with photos for Kent brick and prefab chimneys. Buying or selling on East Hill? Ask about a Level 2. Free quote.
- Serving Kent & King County
- Free 2nd-opinion quotes
- Price match + 10–25% discount
Free Chimney Inspection Quote in Kent
We'll confirm a time by phone or text.
Kent's housing is at the age where a chimney inspection finds things. The 1960s-80s ramblers and split-levels on East Hill and West Hill have clay tile flues that are 45-60 years old, typically with cracked tiles, eroded joints between sections, and a smoke chamber that was never smoothed. Because so many of those chimneys run up an exterior wall, the flue is also cold and damp, which ages the tile faster. The 1990s-and-later plats out toward Lake Meridian and Covington, and the valley apartments, have factory-built fireplaces whose refractory panels, metal flue joints, caps and chase covers are now around 30 years old.
We run a camera up the full flue, check the firebox, damper, smoke chamber, crown or chase cover, cap and flashing, and give you the photos with a plain summary of what needs attention now and what can wait. For Kent home sales, NFPA 211 recommends a Level 2 inspection, and we write those up for your agent or lender. Kent is about 15 minutes from our Renton office down SR 167, so we can often inspect the same day. The quote is free, and if another company already inspected and handed you a long list, we will give you a free second-opinion quote.
Symptoms
Signs Kent 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
Kent Conditions
Why this happens in Kent
Kent's median home was built in 1985, so the city has both 45-60-year-old brick flues and 30-year-old prefab systems, and both degrade quietly under the weather. The Sea-Tac normal is 40.34 inches of rain a year, with November through January alone bringing about 17.8 inches; water that gets past a crown or chase cover during those months works inside the chimney where you cannot see it from the living room. Winter lows average 37.1F in December and 37.7F in January, and the Brick Industry Association identifies saturated masonry under repeated freeze-thaw as the condition that cracks and spalls brick, which applies to clay tile liners as well.
The exterior chimneys on East Hill split-levels have an extra issue: the flue never warms up on the outside wall, so condensation and creosote collect on cold tile. That is typically where the camera shows the first cracked tiles, about halfway up, which is impossible to see with a flashlight from the firebox.
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 Kent?
Call now or request a free quote — we confirm by phone or text.
☎ 206-453-2045 Request a QuoteQuestions
Chimney Inspection in Kent — FAQ
I'm buying a 1970s split-level on Kent's East Hill. Should I get the chimney inspected before closing?
Yes. NFPA 211 recommends a Level 2 inspection on a sale, and a 1970s exterior tile flue is exactly where we find cracked or missing tile sections that a general home inspector cannot see. We camera the flue, photograph it, and give you a written report to use in negotiation. The quote is free.
Do you inspect gas fireplaces in Kent?
We inspect the venting, firebox and exterior of gas fireplaces and can tell you if the flue and cap are sound. We do not work on gas lines, valves or pilots; for those you need a gas fitter. If your gas unit is in a prefab chase, we also check the chase cover, which is a common leak point on 1990s Kent homes.
How soon can you do chimney inspection in Kent?
We confirm a time by phone or text after you request a quote; same-day service is often available for urgent problems in Kent and the rest of King County.
Other services in Kent
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