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Annual Chimney Sweep Seattle, WA
One sweep a year, booked before the rain starts, keeps a wood fireplace safe all winter. Sweep and inspection starting at $299. Same-day often available.
- Free 2nd-opinion quotes
- Price match + 10–25% discount
- Same-day service often available
Request a Free Chimney Annual Sweep Quote
Tell us what's going on — we'll confirm a time by phone or text.
An annual chimney sweep is the once-a-year appointment regular wood burners put on the calendar the way they schedule a furnace tune-up. The work is a standard sweep: creosote and soot off the flue walls, smoke chamber, shelf and damper, with HEPA containment and a look over the system before we leave. What makes it annual is the timing and the habit: done at the same point each year, before the first fire of the season, so the flue starts every winter clean.
Timing matters more in the Puget Sound than most places. The burning season here lines up with the wet season, and once the rain sets in every sweep company is booked out. The best window is late summer into early fall, when the fireplace is cold, the roof is dry, and any problem we find, such as a cracked crown or a missing cap, can be fixed before November instead of during it.
If this is your first sweep in years, or the flue is blocked or smells, start with chimney cleaning instead. For what a sweep involves in detail, see our main chimney sweep page.
Symptoms
Signs you need chimney annual sweep
- You burn wood most evenings from October to March
- Last year's sweep was done mid-season, after the fireplace started smoking
- You keep forgetting to book until the first cold snap
- The fireplace is your backup heat when the power goes out
- You burn some wood that is not fully seasoned
- A full burning season has gone by since the last sweep
Common causes
- Every season of fires leaves a new layer of creosote on the flue walls
- Cool, slow fires in a damp climate produce more creosote per cord than hot, dry fires
- Waiting for a symptom (smoke, smell, sluggish draft) means the buildup is already heavy
- Fall and winter scheduling backs up across the region, so late bookings slip into the burning season
How It Works
Our chimney annual sweep process
Each annual sweep includes a visual inspection, and because we see the chimney at the same time every year the comparison is useful: is the creosote stage the same as last year or worse, which tells us whether your wood or burning habits changed; has the damper loosened; has the crown or cap deteriorated over the winter. It goes into a short written summary so next year's visit starts from a record, not a blank slate.
Book the slot
Call in late summer, or ask us to put you on a standing reminder so we call you each August.
Protect and contain
Drop cloths from the door to the hearth, a sealed opening, and a HEPA vacuum running throughout.
Sweep the system
Flue, smoke chamber, smoke shelf and damper, with brushes sized to your chimney.
Inspect and compare
A visual check of the firebox, damper, flue and chimney top, compared against last year's notes.
Summary and free quote
A short written record of condition plus a free quote on anything to handle before the season starts.
Options
Repair and service options
The annual sweep pairs naturally with the other once-a-year items:
- Sweep and inspection (starting at $299): the standard annual visit for a single wood-burning flue, visual inspection included.
- Sweep plus annual inspection: the yearly inspection as its own documented service, which is what NFPA 211 recommends every year and what insurers and buyers ask to see.
- Pre-season top check: while the roof is dry we confirm the cap, crown and flashing are ready for the rain; small fixes such as a cap or a crown seal are easiest in September.
- Standing reminder: ask us to call you each year at the same time. No contract, no automatic charge.
Any repair we quote is price matched plus 10–25% off, and our guarantee applies to every visit: if you're not happy, we're not done.
Pricing
What affects the price
- Creosote stage (light annual buildup versus a season burned hard)
- Single flue versus multiple flues
- Masonry versus factory-built chimney
- Whether a stove or insert must be pulled to reach the flue
- Chimney height and roof access
- Whether the standalone annual inspection is added
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
Creosote is the fuel for a chimney fire, and a yearly sweep removes it before a season's worth of fires can ignite it. The annual rhythm also catches the slower hazards, such as a damper that no longer seals or a cap that has rusted open to the rain, while there is still dry weather to fix them. Our certified and insured crew handles all roof and chimney-top access; please do not attempt to sweep from the roof yourself.
Seattle & Puget Sound conditions
Seattle's rain is the reason for the late-summer booking. Sea-Tac's NOAA normals show July at 0.60 inches and August at 0.97 inches, the two driest months, while November is the wettest at 6.31 inches and November through January together average about 17.8 inches, roughly 44% of the annual total. A sweep in August or September happens on a dry roof, before the fireplace gets its heaviest use.
Many of the homes we sweep are older wood burners: Seattle's median home was built in 1976 and Tacoma's in 1967. Those flues have seen decades of fires, and an annual sweep on a fixed date is the cheapest way to keep them safe.
Our Work
Chimney Annual Sweep in action
Book your annual chimney sweep before the rain
Sweep and inspection starting at $299, free quote, price match plus 10–25% off. Call 206-453-2045 or ask for a yearly reminder.
☎ 206-453-2045 Request a QuoteQuestions
Chimney Annual Sweep FAQ
When is the best time of year for a chimney sweep in Seattle?
Late summer into early fall. July and August are the driest months at Sea-Tac, the fireplace has been cold for months, and schedules are open. Once November's rain arrives and the burning season starts, appointments across the region fill up and any repair we find has to be done in wet weather.
Is once a year enough?
For most households that burn seasoned wood a few evenings a week, yes. NFPA 211 recommends an annual inspection, and the inspection we do with each sweep tells you whether your buildup rate calls for a mid-season visit. Heavy daily burners or anyone burning damp wood may need two sweeps a year.
What is the difference between an annual sweep and a regular chimney sweep?
The work is the same; the difference is the cadence. An annual sweep is a standing yearly appointment, booked pre-season, with notes that carry over so we can see trends. A one-off sweep is usually booked in reaction to smoke or a smell, which means the buildup is already heavy and the schedule is already full.
Does the $299 special cover the annual sweep?
The sweep and inspection special starts at $299 for a routine sweep of one wood-burning flue with HEPA containment and a visual inspection. Multiple flues, an insert that must be pulled, or a flue burned very hard may cost more, and we tell you before we start. The quote is free.
Can you remind me each year?
Yes. Ask us to put you on a yearly reminder and we will call or text at the same time each year to book your slot. There is no contract and nothing is charged until a visit happens. Many customers pick August.
What if you find a problem during the annual sweep?
You get a free written quote, and because we are there in dry weather there is time to fix it before the season. The most common pre-season finds are a missing or rusted cap, a cracked crown and a damper that will not seal. Chase cover replacement starts at $299 and a crown rebuild starts at $299.
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