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Fireplace Repair in Seattle, Tacoma & Everett
Smoke in the room, a stuck damper, a loose hearth or a firebox falling apart: we diagnose the fireplace first, then fix the right part. Free quote.
- Free 2nd-opinion quotes
- Price match + 10–25% discount
- Same-day service often available
Request a Free Fireplace Repair Quote
Tell us what's going on — we'll confirm a time by phone or text.
Fireplace repair covers everything from the hearth to the top of the smoke chamber: the firebox walls and floor, the damper and its frame, the lintel above the opening, the hearth and hearth extension, the smoke shelf and smoke chamber, and the draft problems that come from any of them failing. It is the service to call when something about the fireplace itself is wrong, as opposed to the chimney above the roof.
This page is for homeowners with a wood-burning fireplace that smokes, will not draw, has a damper that is stuck open or shut, has bricks or mortar falling out, or simply has not been used in years and needs to be made safe again. It also fits buyers and sellers who had a fireplace flagged on a home inspection and need a clear answer on what it actually needs. If you already know the problem is a crack in the firebox, our fireplace crack repair page covers that job and its starting price.
We start with a diagnosis because fireplace symptoms overlap, and fixing the wrong part wastes your money. Call 206-453-2045 for a free quote, or a free second-opinion quote if you already have one.
Symptoms
Signs you need fireplace repair
- Smoke rolls into the room instead of going up the flue
- Damper is stuck, rusted, warped or missing its handle
- Fire is hard to start or dies down unless the door is cracked open
- Bricks or mortar loose in the firebox, smoke shelf or hearth
- Hearth cracked, sunken or separating from the floor
- Lintel above the opening sagging or rusted
- Cold air pours in from the fireplace when it is not in use
Common causes
- Damper plate and frame rusted from years of rain down an uncapped flue
- Mortar joints in the firebox and smoke chamber failed from heat and moisture
- Smoke chamber built with rough corbeled brick that disrupts draft
- Flue blocked by creosote, nesting or debris
- Fireplace opening too large for the flue, or a house too airtight to feed the fire
How It Works
Our fireplace repair process
We look at the whole fireplace before we name the repair: the damper through its full travel, the lintel and the brick above the opening, the firebox walls and floor, the smoke chamber by light and camera, the hearth extension for movement, and whether the flue is open and sized for the opening. We also ask how the fireplace behaves when it smokes, because the pattern usually points to the cause.
Free diagnostic quote
We inspect the firebox, damper, smoke chamber, hearth and flue, explain what is failing and why, and give you a written quote for the repair.
Clear the flue if needed
Draft problems caused by creosote or debris are resolved with a sweep or cleaning before any masonry work, so we fix the real cause.
Repair the failed component
Damper repair or replacement, lintel repair, smoke chamber parging, firebox repointing or hearth repair, depending on what the diagnosis found.
Address the draft
If smoke is the complaint, we correct the cause: a damper that opens fully, a smooth smoke chamber, a properly sized opening, or a cap that stops downdraft.
Test fire and walkthrough
We confirm the damper, draft and repair work as they should and show you how to operate the fireplace so the repair lasts.
Options
Repair and service options
Fireplace repairs are priced per component. The common ones:
- Damper repair or replacement: free a stuck throat damper, replace a rusted plate, or install a top-sealing damper at the top of the flue that also stops cold air and rain.
- Smoke chamber parging: coat the rough corbeled brick of the smoke chamber with a smooth refractory parge so smoke flows up instead of eddying back into the room.
- Firebox repointing or rebuild: repack failed joints with refractory mortar or rebuild the firebox walls when most of the brick has failed. Spot crack sealing is covered on the crack repair page.
- Lintel repair: replace a rusted or sagging steel lintel and reset the brick above it.
- Hearth repair: reset or replace cracked hearth brick, tile or stone.
- Draft correction: smoke guards for an oversized opening, a cap to stop downdraft, or flue work where the chimney is the problem.
Every job comes with a free quote and a price match plus 10–25% off any written quote.
Pricing
What affects the price
- Which component has failed (damper, lintel, smoke chamber, hearth, firebox)
- Throat damper versus top-sealing damper
- Size of the smoke chamber and condition of the existing brick
- Amount of firebox masonry that needs repointing or rebuilding
- Whether the flue must be swept or cleaned first
- Hearth material (brick, tile, stone) and matching needs
- Access to the fireplace and flue
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 fireplace that smokes, has a damper that will not open fully, or has loose masonry should not be used until it has been looked at. Smoke in the room means combustion gases are in the room too, and loose brick can let heat reach framing you cannot see.
If your fireplace is gas, do not try to adjust the valve, relight the pilot or move the logs; tell us it is gas when you call. NFPA 211 recommends an annual inspection of chimneys and fireplaces, and a Level 2 inspection when a home changes hands.
Seattle & Puget Sound conditions
Most fireplace damage around Puget Sound traces back to water. Sea-Tac's NOAA 1991–2020 normals show 40.34 inches of rain a year, about 73% of it October through March. An uncapped flue takes that rain straight onto the damper plate and smoke shelf, which is why rusted dampers and crumbling smoke chambers are so common here.
The housing stock makes it worse. Tacoma's median home was built in 1967, Shoreline's in 1969 and Seattle's in 1976, so many wood-burning fireplaces in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties have seen decades of wet winters. Seattle has about 60 days a year touching 32°F with daytime thaws, so water in smoke chamber joints freezes and thaws repeatedly each winter.
Our Work
Fireplace Repair in action
Fireplace smoking, stuck or falling apart? Start with a free diagnosis.
Free quote, free second-opinion quote, price match plus 10–25% off, same-day service often available. If you're not happy, we're not done. Call 206-453-2045.
☎ 206-453-2045 Request a QuoteQuestions
Fireplace Repair FAQ
Why does my fireplace smoke into the room?
The usual causes are a damper not opening fully, a flue blocked by creosote or nesting, a rough smoke chamber, an opening too large for the flue, or a house too airtight to feed the fire. Each has a different fix, so we diagnose before we quote. Sometimes the answer is a chimney cleaning, not masonry.
Can you fix a damper that is stuck?
Usually. Many stuck dampers are rusted or packed with debris and can be freed, cleaned and lubricated. If the plate is warped or the frame is rusted through, we replace it. A top-sealing damper at the top of the flue is a popular replacement because it also blocks cold air and rain.
What is smoke chamber parging?
The smoke chamber is the funnel between the firebox and the flue. Many older masonry fireplaces have a rough, stepped brick chamber that slows smoke and collects creosote. Parging coats it with a smooth refractory layer. A chimney inspection with a camera shows whether yours needs it.
Is fireplace repair the same as chimney repair?
No. Fireplace repair is the firebox, damper, smoke chamber, lintel and hearth, the parts inside the house. Chimney repair covers the structure above the roof: crown, cap, chase cover, flashing and masonry. Water problems often start above and end up in the fireplace, so we check both on the free quote visit.
My home inspector flagged the fireplace. What do I do?
Call us for a free quote visit. We inspect the firebox, damper, smoke chamber and flue and tell you what the note actually means, what must be fixed before use, and what can wait. NFPA 211 recommends a Level 2 inspection when a home is sold, and we can provide that with the repair quote.
How much does fireplace repair cost in Seattle?
It depends on which component failed, which is why we diagnose first. Firebox crack sealing starts at $299; damper, lintel, smoke chamber and hearth work are quoted after inspection. Every quote is free and in writing, and we price match any written quote plus 10–25% off.
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