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.

Licensed & insured
Free on-site inspection
Every job documented

We document every job with before-and-after photos. As we complete work across King County's Eastside, 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 the Eastside 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 the Eastside 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 typical job for us: a post-war rambler up in the Renton Highlands that's burned wood all winter with no sweep on record. By spring the flue is coated in soot and early creosote, and smoke starts rolling back into the room when the fire gets lit. We scan the flue, sweep from the smoke chamber up, vacuum the firebox, and flag any glazing or moisture staining worth watching. The result: a flue that draws clean again, and a straight answer on 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 closing on an older Renton home wants the chimney checked before signing. From the firebox everything looks fine — then the camera goes up the flue and finds a cracked tile or a gap that decades of heat and damp left behind. We photograph every finding and hand over a written report. The buyer walks into the deal knowing exactly what the stack needs, instead of finding out 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 1950s brick chimney near the Cedar River where the camera turns up cracked, shifted clay tiles. Seventy wet winters and their freeze-thaw cycles have done their work, and the old liner can't contain heat safely anymore. We pull the failed tile where needed and run an insulated stainless liner sized to the appliance. The flue meets code again, and the family can burn without thinking twice about it.
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 south King County job: a brick stack in Benson Hill with spalled faces and mortar joints washed hollow near the top. Left alone, the rain keeps getting in and every freeze pushes the brick further apart from the inside. We rake out the dead joints, rebuild the spalled courses, and repoint with matched mortar so the stack sheds water again. Sound, tight, and fixed before it turned into a rebuild.
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 down in Kennydale: an open, capless flue with water stains inside the firebox and a bird nest starting up top. An uncapped flue is an open drain into the middle of the chimney — rain, damp and animals all take the invitation. We fit a stainless cap with spark-arrestor mesh, sized to the flue. Small part, quick job, and it heads off the water damage that costs real money later.
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 homeowner near the Cedar River spots a damp patch on the ceiling, and up on the roof the crown is cracked with the top joints eroded. The crown is the chimney's own roof — once it splits, rain runs straight down into the brick and the flue below. We recast the crown and repoint the top courses so water sheds off instead of soaking in. The stain quits coming back, and everything under that crown stays dry.
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 Maple Valley home from the late 90s where the chimney's weather face stays dark and damp for weeks after the rain quits, with the first flakes of spalling showing. Brick that drinks water and then freezes is exactly how spalling starts out here. Once the masonry checks out sound, we apply a breathable repellent that keeps rain out but lets the brick dry. The masonry sheds water and stands up to the next freeze season.
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 one: a two-story house up on Snoqualmie Ridge where a ceiling stain by the chimney comes back after every hard storm. Up on the Ridge, wind-driven rain finds any flashing that's rusted, lifted or living on old caulk. We strip the failed metal and install proper step and counter-flashing, lapped and sealed into the roof. The joint stays dry through the next storm cycle, and the stain finally stops.
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: first cold week of fall in a Newcastle hillside home, and the gas fireplace won't behave — sooty glass, dusty logs, a lazy uneven flame. A damp Northwest off-season is hard on pilots and burners. We clean the firebox and glass, service the burner and pilot, and check the venting and safety components. It lights on the first try, burns even, and vents the way it's supposed to.
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: a wood-burning household out toward Lake Wilderness that's run years of slow fires — some of it unseasoned wood — with no sweep in between. The flue is glazed in hard Stage 3 creosote that a brush just slides over, and that glaze is the fuel behind most chimney fires. We break it down with the right tools, get back to clean masonry, and explain what's causing the buildup. Safe to burn again, with 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 newer Maple Valley two-story where the dryer sits deep in the floor plan and the vent run is long. Clothes start taking two cycles and the laundry room runs hot — the classic lint-packed line, and a real fire risk. We clear the full run from the dryer to the exterior hood and make sure the flap swings free. The dryer runs cooler and faster, and the hazard is 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: a family moves into an older Renton home — or wraps up a remodel — and dust starts blowing out of the registers faster than anyone can wipe it down. Years of buildup in the ductwork gets recirculated every time the furnace kicks on. We clean the supply and return runs and the registers, clearing the accumulation out. Airflow comes back, the dust settles down, and the system stops fighting itself.

Want your chimney documented like this?

Every job we complete is photographed before and after. Book a free inspection and we'll document yours too.

Book a free inspection See services & pricing

Chimney and fireplace guide for south King County homeowners

Ready when you are

Want your chimney done right — and documented?

Book a real open slot on our crew's calendar. Every job comes with before-and-after photos and a written quote first.

Book online About us