The chimney blog
Answers to the questions Puget Sound homeowners ask most, with local rules, Northwest weather and real prices.
Can I use my fireplace during a burn ban in Seattle?What Stage 1 and Stage 2 burn bans mean for wood fireplaces, certified stoves, pellet stoves and gas fireplaces in King, Pierce, Snohomish and Kitsap.
Do I have to remove an old wood stove before selling my Washington home?Washington does not require removing an uncertified wood stove before a home sale. What Form 17 asks, the Tacoma zone exception, and your options.
Tacoma's old wood stove rule and the $500 recycling paymentSince 2015, uncertified wood stoves are illegal to use in the Tacoma-Pierce Smoke Reduction Zone. How to check the zone and claim PSCAA's $500 payment.
What the 2001 Nisqually earthquake did to Seattle brick chimneysThe 2001 Nisqually quake damaged brick chimneys from Bremerton to Mercer Island. Why unreinforced chimneys fail, signs to check, and the repair options.
Seattle's chimney repair rule, Director's Rule 5-2004, explainedSeattle's Director's Rule 5-2004 in plain English: the $4,000 permit line, the top-2-feet exception, bracing, the five repair options and what to ask SDCI.
Why Seattle chimneys leak: moss, flashing and crownsSeattle's 156 rain days a year find every gap. Where chimney leaks start, what moss does to the roof around a chimney, and what each repair typically costs.
Repointing a Craftsman chimney: why soft mortar mattersOld Seattle brick needs mortar softer than the brick. What the National Park Service says about repointing, signs it is time, and typical 2026 prices.
Gas fireplace won't light? The common causes in Seattle homesWhy a gas fireplace will not light or stay lit: pilot, thermocouple, thermopile, igniter and batteries. What to check first and what repairs typically cost.
Should you remove an unused chimney in Seattle?When removing or cutting down an unused brick chimney makes sense in Seattle, what to check first, the rules that apply and what removal typically costs.
Is my wood stove EPA-certified? How to tellHow to tell if a wood stove or insert is EPA-certified: where the label is, clues without one, and why it matters for burn bans, Tacoma and home sales.
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