Chimney services in Mountlake Terrace
- Chimney InspectionA close look at the flue, firebox, masonry and roof flashing, with photos you keep and a plain account of what’s urgent, what can wait and what can be left alone.
- Chimney Sweeping & CleaningCreosote, soot and debris cleared from the flue, smoke chamber and firebox, with before-and-after photos and a plain account of what the cleaning turned up.
- Masonry Repair & TuckpointingRepointing worn mortar joints and replacing spalled brick on chimneys, using new mortar matched to the old so the repair does not harm the brick around it.
- Chimney Crown RepairSealing, resurfacing or recasting the slab on top of your chimney, with a real overhang, a drip edge and a flexible joint around the flue.
- Chimney Leak & Flashing RepairTracing where water really gets in around your chimney, then repairing the flashing, crown, cap or masonry responsible, with a written scope before any work.
- Chimney Cap InstallationChimney caps measured to your flue, single or multi-flue, to help keep rain, animals, debris and embers out, with the crown checked before anything is fitted.
Postwar houses, and a lot of them before 1980
The city’s own history says Mountlake Terrace began with the speculative construction of homes for returning World War II veterans and their families, and it incorporated in 1954. Census estimates bear that out: the median year built is 1973, about 6 in 10 homes predate 1980, and nearly a quarter predate 1960 (American Community Survey, 2020–2024).
Chimneys from those decades were commonly built with clay tile flue liners and a mortar crown. Both can crack with age, and a chimney that has gone through many wet winters may also have mortar joints worn back from the brick face. An inspection shows which of these, if any, applies to yours, and masonry repair and tuckpointing deals with the joints if they need it.
Heating has shifted as well. Nearly two thirds of homes now heat mainly with electricity and about a third with gas, by the same estimates. Where a house changed systems, the old chimney may still be venting a water heater on its own, which is worth a look.
On the county line, burn bans can differ from Shoreline’s
Mountlake Terrace is in Snohomish County, and its southern edge is the King County line with Shoreline and Lake Forest Park beyond. Air quality burn bans are declared by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency one county at a time, so one side of the line can be under a ban while the other is not, or at a different stage.
The trigger differs too. For Snohomish County, a Stage 1 ban follows a forecast 24-hour average of 30 micrograms of fine particles per cubic meter; for King County the figure is 35. When checking the agency’s status page, look at Snohomish County, not a Seattle-area headline.
Permits in Mountlake Terrace
Permits at a Mountlake Terrace address come from the city’s Community Development office. Residential mechanical permits and other building permits are applied for through the city’s online permit portal, and questions go to its permit specialists through the Ask a Permit Specialist form.
The city’s construction permit FAQ lists roofing among home improvements that always require a permit, and says changes or additions to an existing mechanical, plumbing or electrical system need the matching permit. Whether a particular chimney repair needs one is the city’s decision, so describe the work to a permit specialist if you are unsure.
What you can tell us about
You do not need to know the cause. These are things homeowners describe when they get in touch — each one is something to assess on site, not a diagnosis.
Water where it should not be
Drips in the firebox, stains on a ceiling or wall beside the chimney, or a damp smell after rain.
Leak & flashing repairLoose mortar or damaged brick
Crumbling joints, brick faces flaking off, or bits of masonry on the roof or in the gutter.
Masonry repairA missing or damaged cap
No cap on the flue, a bent or rusted one, or signs that birds or animals have been getting in.
Cap installationSmoke or draft trouble
Smoke rolling into the room, a fire that is hard to keep going, or odors when the fireplace is not in use.
Chimney inspectionBuildup and a sweep that is overdue
You cannot remember the last cleaning, or you have bought a house and do not know the chimney's history.
Chimney sweepingA gas fireplace that will not light
A pilot that will not stay lit, ignition trouble, or soot on the glass. If you smell gas, leave the house and call 911 or your gas utility from outside.
Gas fireplace service
How a visit works
- 1Send the short form or call. Say what you have noticed; photos you took are welcome when we talk.
- 2We arrange a time with you, look at the chimney, and photograph what we find.
- 3You hear plainly what is urgent, what can wait, and what does not need doing.
- 4Repair work comes with a written scope and price. Nothing starts until you approve it.
- 5We photograph the finished work from the same angles, and the photos are yours to keep.
What affects the price
Prices come after the chimney has been seen, in writing. These are the things that move them:
- Condition
- What the inspection finds, and whether the cause of the damage is still active.
- Access
- Roof pitch, height, how many stories up the chimney sits, and whether staging is needed.
- Chimney size
- Height above the roof, width, and how many flues the stack carries.
- Materials
- Brick and mortar matched to what is there, crown and cap materials, liner type.
- Scope
- One targeted repair, several at once, or rebuilding part of the stack.
- Permits
- Whether the work needs a permit from the city or county that has jurisdiction at the address.
Mountlake Terrace chimney questions
We are re-roofing. Does new chimney flashing change the permit picture?
Roofing already needs a permit in Mountlake Terrace, according to the city’s construction permit FAQ, so the city will be involved either way. Flashing is often replaced along with the roof, and a re-roof is a good moment to have the chimney looked at while the roof is open. Ask the city whether any chimney masonry work you plan needs its own permit.
Our furnace went electric, but the gas water heater still vents into the chimney. Is that a problem?
It can be. A masonry flue sized for a furnace and water heater together can be too large for the water heater alone, which may leave it drafting poorly and let condensation form inside the flue. An inspection checks how the remaining appliance vents and whether the flue needs a liner sized to it.
Does a chimney from the 1950s or 60s already have a liner?
Many from that period were built with clay tile liners, but tiles crack and joints separate over the years, and a liner cannot be judged from the top of the chimney alone. The inspection tells you whether the existing liner is intact or whether relining is worth considering.
Who pulls the permit, me or the contractor?
Mountlake Terrace’s permit FAQ says the property owner is responsible for obtaining the proper permits, and that a registered contractor or an agent can obtain them on the owner’s behalf. Agree on who is handling it before work starts.
Useful local links
- Building Permits — City of Mountlake Terrace (opens in a new tab)
- Construction Permit Frequently Asked Questions — City of Mountlake Terrace (opens in a new tab)
- FAQs: Air Quality Burn Bans — Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (opens in a new tab)
- Census profile: Mountlake Terrace, WA — U.S. Census Bureau data via Census Reporter (opens in a new tab)