Chimney sweep in Seattle, WA
A chimney sweep in Seattle 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 Seattle-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 Seattle ZIP code.
Chimney sweep Seattle: the local facts
| Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|
| Population | 754,195 |
| Homes built in 1939 or earlier | 22.8% |
| Median year homes were built | 1976 |
| Single-family detached homes | 36.8% |
| Nights at or below freezing, per year | 25 |
| Average temperature, December to February | 42.9°F |
| Chimney fires, share of residential fires, Washington | 7.6% |
| Washington chimney fires in December to February | 55% |
| Wood-burning restrictions | Air quality burn bans (Stage 1 and 2) |
Seattle homes and their chimneys
22.8% of Seattle's homes were built in 1939 or earlier, and half were built in 1976 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 Seattle house, ask for the liner to be checked on camera during the inspection.
Seattle winters and your chimney
Seattle averages 25 nights a year at or below freezing and a December to February average of 42.9°F (NOAA normals, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport), so fireplaces here see a short season of use. A chimney used a few weeks a year 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 Washington
Chimney fires confined to the chimney or flue made up 7.6% of residential structure fires in Washington fire department records for 2020 to 2024, above the national 3.4%. 55% of Washington'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.
Seattle burn bans
The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency calls air quality burn bans for King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties, typically in fall and winter. During a Stage 1 ban, no burning is allowed in wood-burning fireplaces, uncertified wood stoves or uncertified fireplace inserts; during a Stage 2 ban, no burning is allowed in any wood-burning fireplace, wood stove, fireplace insert or pellet stove, certified or not.
The only exception is a home where wood is the only adequate source of heat and the agency has approved an exemption, and even then the fire cannot produce visible smoke.
Local rules and resources in Seattle
Seattle's Department of Construction and Inspections lists re-pointing a chimney among projects that usually do not require a permit, and does not require one for minor repairs costing $6,000 or less in any six-month period, but it does require a permit for any work on load-bearing supports no matter how small. Washington regulates which wood stoves can be sold, resold, exchanged or given away, and the Department of Ecology says never to install a non-certified wood stove.
The Seattle Fire Department provides and installs free combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in the homes of qualifying Seattle homeowners.
Chimney cleaning, inspection and repair in Seattle
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 Denver, CO
- Chimney sweep in Dallas, TX
- Chimney sweep in Austin, TX
- Chimney sweep in San Antonio, TX
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
- Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, "About Air Quality Burn Bans": pscleanair.gov
- Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, air quality burn ban FAQs: pscleanair.gov
- Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections, Do You Need a Permit?: www.seattle.gov
- Washington Department of Ecology, wood stove information: ecology.wa.gov
- Seattle Fire Department, Safety and Community: www.seattle.gov