Chimney sweep in Portland, OR
A chimney sweep in Portland costs about $150 to $375 for a masonry chimney with a wood-burning fireplace and $80 to $150 for a gas fireplace, going by HomeGuide's national price survey; no survey publishes Portland-only prices, so compare two written quotes against those ranges. The NFPA says to have chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional. Use the form below and we send your request to a chimney company that serves your Portland ZIP code.
Chimney sweep Portland: the local facts
| Portland, OR | |
|---|---|
| Population | 641,165 |
| Homes built in 1939 or earlier | 26.8% |
| Median year homes were built | 1966 |
| Single-family detached homes | 52.3% |
| Nights at or below freezing, per year | 32 |
| Average temperature, December to February | 42.5°F |
| Chimney fires, share of residential fires, Oregon | 10.6% |
| Oregon chimney fires in December to February | 53.4% |
Portland homes and their chimneys
26.8% of Portland's homes were built in 1939 or earlier, and half were built in 1966 or earlier. HomeGuide lists lining old and unlined brick chimneys among the most common uses of a stainless steel liner, and says clay flue tiles were traditionally used in older homes. HomeGuide's chimney repair price table puts liner replacement at $1,500 to $7,000, so in an older Portland house, ask for the liner to be checked on camera during the inspection.
Portland winters and your chimney
Portland averages 32 nights a year at or below freezing and a December to February average of 42.5°F (NOAA normals, Portland International Airport). A chimney used only on cold nights still needs the yearly check: the NFPA says to have chimneys cleaned and inspected every year, and CSIA says creosote that builds up enough can catch fire when the flue gets hot enough.
Chimney fires in Oregon
Chimney fires confined to the chimney or flue made up 10.6% of residential structure fires in Oregon fire department records for 2020 to 2024, above the national 3.4%. 53.4% of Oregon's chimney fires happened in December, January and February, a smaller winter share than the national 57.4%. State-by-state figures: chimney-fires-by-state.csv.
Local rules and resources in Portland
Multnomah County says it issues a wood burning restriction when poor air quality is expected, and that during a restriction you may not use any fireplace or wood stove; its rule list names wood and pellet stoves, fireplaces, outdoor fire pits and chimineas, while charcoal grills, smokers and wood fired ovens are ok because the ordinance does not apply to cooking food. The county lists three main grounds for an exemption: wood or pellet burning is the only way to heat the main living space (with a permanently installed and connected furnace or heating system, wood is not considered a sole source of heat), total household income is 60% or less of the Oregon median income, or emergency conditions such as a power outage, service interruption or failure of the main heating system (120 days only). Exemptions expire September 30 and must be renewed every year, the county says you must apply before using your wood stove or fireplace, and there is no cost to apply.
Portland Permitting & Development says state law requires a permit, inspection and approval from the bureau when installing a wood stove, fireplace, wood stove insert or chimney in the City of Portland. Its permit table calls for a mechanical permit to install a wood stove, fireplace wood stove insert, pellet stove or other solid fuel burning appliance, or a factory built or metal chimney, and a building permit, with fees based on the fair market valuation of the project, for construction or repair of a masonry fireplace or chimney. The same page says Oregon law (ORS 468.655) allows only wood stoves certified as new on or after July 1, 1986, that a wood stove installed, inspected and approved with a mechanical permit before September 29, 1991 is legal and can be maintained, and that replacing or relocating such a stove requires a permit, inspection and approval, with the stove either certified or antique. Oregon DEQ's Heat Smart program says that if a wood stove or fireplace insert in a home being sold was not certified, state law requires it to be removed, destroyed and disposed of, and the buyer or seller must report to DEQ that it was decommissioned.
Portland Fire & Rescue advises having your chimney inspected by a professional before the start of every heating season and cleaned if necessary, and its Home Fire Safety Assessment page says that if you need assistance with smoke alarms, it can provide and install them at no cost (Smoke Alarm Hotline 503-823-3752; leave a message 24/7 and the bureau will contact you within 3 business days).
Chimney cleaning, inspection and repair in Portland
A yearly Level 1 inspection costs $100 to $250 with a basic cleaning, according to HomeGuide, and a Level 2 inspection, which adds a video inspection, costs $250 to $600; HomeGuide recommends Level 2 when buying a home with a chimney. Common repairs such as a cap replacement or crown repair cost $200 to $850. Ask whether the sweep is CSIA certified. Details: chimney sweep cost, chimney inspection and chimney repair.
Other cities we cover
- Chimney sweep in Seattle, WA
- Chimney sweep in Roseville, CA
- Chimney sweep in San Jose, CA
- Chimney sweep in Los Angeles, CA
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates, tables B01003, B25024, B25034, B25035: data.census.gov
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991 to 2020: www.ncei.noaa.gov
- NFPA, Heating safety tip sheet: content.nfpa.org
- Chimney Safety Institute of America, "Preventing Chimney Fires": www.csia.org
- HomeGuide, chimney sweep cost, page dated February 9, 2026: homeguide.com
- HomeGuide, chimney inspection cost, page dated February 9, 2026: homeguide.com
- HomeGuide, chimney repair cost: homeguide.com
- HomeGuide, chimney liner cost: homeguide.com
- FEMA, OpenFEMA, NFIRS Annual Data, fire files 2020 to 2024, downloaded September 25, 2026: www.fema.gov
- Vent & Flue analysis, chimney fires by state (CSV): chimney-fires-by-state.csv
- Multnomah County, Wood Burning Restrictions: www.multco.us
- Portland Permitting & Development, Wood Stoves, Fireplace Inserts and Chimneys: www.portland.gov
- Oregon DEQ, Oregon's Heat Smart Program: www.oregon.gov
- Portland Fire & Rescue, Chimney and Wood Stove Safety: www.portland.gov
- Portland Fire & Rescue, Home Fire Safety Assessment Program: www.portland.gov