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 West 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 West 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 West 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 one for us: an older beach cottage a few blocks off Alki that has burned wood straight through the wet season with no sweep in between. Come spring the flue is coated in soot and early creosote, and the first fire of a chilly evening smokes back into the room. On a job like that we would typically scan the flue, brush it out from the smoke chamber up, and vacuum the firebox — then flag any glazing or moisture staining worth watching. The usual result is a flue that pulls hard 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 a Craftsman up in Admiral or Seaview wants the chimney checked before signing. From the hearth the firebox looks fine, but a camera run up a typical older stack tells another story — a cracked tile, or a gap where decades of heat and salt-tinged damp have done their quiet work. We would document every finding with photos and a written report, so the buyer walks in with a clear, honest scope instead of a surprise the first winter.
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 mid-century home on the Gatewood hillside where the camera scan finds cracked, shifted clay flue tiles. Between wind-driven rain off the Sound and the odd hard freeze, the original liner has slowly given up and no longer contains heat the way code demands. We would typically clear the failed tile where needed and feed in an insulated stainless liner sized to the appliance. The result is a flue that meets code and is genuinely safe to burn in again.
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 peninsula job: a brick stack that has faced the weather side for decades, its Sound-facing face starting to spall and the top joints washed hollow. Left alone, the water keeps finding its way in and each freeze pries the brick a little further apart. We would rake out the failed joints, rebuild the spalled courses, and repoint in a matching mortar so the stack sheds rain the way it was built to. The usual outcome is a sound, weather-tight chimney caught well before the rot reaches the framing.
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 near the water: a capless flue on a Fauntleroy home close to the ferry dock, water stains inside the firebox and a gull or starling clearly nesting up top. An open flue is the fastest way for rain, salt air and animals to ruin a chimney from the inside out. We would typically fit a stainless cap with spark-arrestor mesh, sized to that flue. The result is a chimney that stays dry and animal-free — a small part that heads off a much bigger 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 damp patch appears on a ceiling in Seaview, and up on the roof the crown is split and the top mortar joints have gone soft. On the exposed rooflines above Lincoln Park, that crown takes the full push of the southwesterlies, and once it cracks, water runs straight down into the brick and flue. We would typically recast the crown and repoint the upper courses so water sheds clear of the stack. The usual result is a watertight top protecting everything under 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 on a view home along the Admiral ridge, where the masonry stays damp for weeks and the weather face has begun to flake after a few rough winters. Porous brick drinking wind-driven rain and then catching a freeze is exactly how spalling starts on this peninsula. Once the masonry checks out sound, we would apply a breathable water repellent that turns away liquid water but still lets the brick dry through. The result is masonry that sheds the rain and holds up to the next cold snap.
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 call: a home on the bluff where the same ceiling stain creeps back beside the chimney after every big blow off the Sound. On a wind-exposed roof like that, the culprit is almost always flashing — corroded by salt air, lifted, or held together by old caulk that finally let go. We would typically strip the failed metal and install proper step and counter-flashing, lapped and sealed where chimney meets roof. The usual result is a joint that rides out the next storm dry, and a stain that finally quits.
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: the first cool evening of fall in a Junction-area bungalow, and the gas fireplace greets the season with sooty glass, dusty logs and a low, lazy flame. Months of marine damp and a summer of sitting idle are hard on pilots and burners. We would typically clean the firebox and glass, service the burner and pilot, and go through the venting and safety components. The result is a unit that lights on the first try, burns clean and even, and vents the way it should.
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 — often working through less-than-seasoned fuel — that has gone several winters without a sweep. The flue ends up armored in hard, glazed creosote that a standard brush just skates over, and that glaze is the fuel behind most chimney fires. We would typically bring in the rotary tools to break the glazing down to clean masonry, then explain what is causing it. The usual result is a flue that is safe to light and a plan that keeps the buildup from returning.
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 High Point townhome with a long vent run where laundry has started needing two cycles and the laundry closet runs hot and muggy. That is the classic signature of a lint-packed line — and a genuine fire risk hiding in plain sight. We would typically clear the full run from the dryer back to the exterior hood and confirm the flap swings free. The usual result is a dryer that runs cooler and faster, a lighter power bill, and one hazard off the list.
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 Genesee bungalow, or wrap up a remodel near the Junction, and notice dust streaming from the registers and resettling within a day. Years of debris parked in the ductwork gets pushed back into the rooms every time the furnace kicks on. We would typically clean the supply and return runs plus the registers, clearing out the accumulation. The usual result is cleaner airflow, far less recirculated dust, and a system that stops working against itself.

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