Chimney services in Steilacoom
On a historic chimney, the inspection matters twice: it shows what actually needs work, including what can wait or needs nothing, and it gives you the detail the Historic Preservation Officer will ask about.
- 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.
- 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 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.
- 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 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.
Chimney work in the Historic District
The Town reviews new construction and changes to the exterior of buildings within the Historic District for compliance with its historic preservation regulations, and its Historic Preservation & Review Board hears most applications for exterior changes. The Town advises meeting the Historic Preservation Officer early, and its brochure says Board approval comes before the building permit application.
The Town’s design standards are specific about masonry. They note that brick and stone were historically reserved for foundations and chimneys here, and ask that historic details be repaired rather than replaced where possible. Joints are to be repointed only where there is evidence of moisture problems or missing mortar, with new mortar matching the old in strength, composition, color, texture, joint width and profile. Brick that was not painted historically should not be painted.
The standards also note that horizontal surfaces such as chimney caps weather the most, so plan any crown or cap repair on a historic chimney with those standards in mind.
Houses outside the district, and wood burning
Town-wide, most homes are far newer than the district’s: by Census estimates the median year built is 1978, and about 4 in 10 homes went up in the 1960s and 1970s alone. Those chimneys raise questions about liners, crowns and flashing rather than historic fabric.
On the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency’s map, Steilacoom lies within its Tacoma–Pierce County Smoke Reduction Zone, where uncertified wood stoves and inserts may not be used. The town also falls under the agency’s Greater Pierce County burn bans, which stop open fireplaces at Stage 1 and all wood and pellet burning at Stage 2.
Permits in Steilacoom
Building permits come from the Town of Steilacoom’s Community Development department. Standard applications go by email to permits@ci.steilacoom.wa.us, and building inspections are arranged at 253-983-2077. The Town’s “When is a Building Permit Required?” handout reproduces the state residential code, which requires a permit to alter or repair a structure, or to install, alter or repair a gas or mechanical system, and notes that an exemption never authorizes work that violates the code.
Whether your chimney job needs a building permit is for the Town to decide. In the Historic District, historic design review is a separate step that comes first.
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.
Steilacoom chimney questions
Does chimney repair in the Historic District need Board approval?
The Town reviews changes to the exterior of buildings in the district, and its standards encourage ordinary repair and maintenance while treating alterations as a concern. Where a particular chimney repair falls is the Historic Preservation Officer’s call, so ask before scheduling.
What mortar should be used on an old Steilacoom chimney?
The Town’s standards ask for new mortar that duplicates the old in strength, composition, color, texture, joint width and profile, and for repointing only the joints with moisture problems or missing mortar. In practice that means matching the original mix, not defaulting to a stronger modern one.
Can I paint or coat a brick chimney on a historic house?
The Town’s design standards say brick that was not painted historically should not be painted. Check with the Historic Preservation Officer before applying any coating to a chimney in the district.
Is my house in the Historic District?
The Town publishes a Historic District map on its Community Development page. If you are unsure, mention the address when you request an estimate, and confirm with the Town before any exterior work.
Useful local links
- Community Development (building permits, historic preservation) — Town of Steilacoom (opens in a new tab)
- Historic District Design Standards — Town of Steilacoom Historic Preservation and Review Board (opens in a new tab)
- Building in the Historic District — Town of Steilacoom (opens in a new tab)
- Census profile: Steilacoom, WA — U.S. Census Bureau data via Census Reporter (opens in a new tab)