Chimney and Fireplace Service in Auburn, Washington
Auburn grew up between the Green and White rivers and reaches across the county line into Pierce. We inspect chimneys and fireplaces across the city for free.
The Muckleshoot people lived in the Green River Valley before settlers arrived in the 1850s, and the Muckleshoot Reservation lies just south and southeast of the city today. The town incorporated in 1891 under the name Slaughter, which residents disliked, and the legislature renamed it Auburn in 1893. The Northern Pacific ran a roundhouse here until 1987, and BNSF still keeps a rail yard. The 2020 census counted 87,256 people. Most of Auburn is in King County, with a small part in Pierce County, including some of Lakeland Hills.
Auburn's housing is the youngest in South King County that we serve. Census figures (ACS 2024) put the median year built at 1991, with under 3 percent of homes from before 1940 and about 22 percent from the 1960s and '70s. Gas heats about 39 percent of homes and electricity 56 percent. So we see a lot of factory-built fireplaces and gas units on Lea Hill and in Lakeland Hills, and older brick in the valley. The free inspection covers both, with photos and a written price.
Two counties, two sets of burn-ban triggers
The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency uses different triggers on each side of the county line. In King County a ban is called when fine-particle pollution is forecast to pass 35 µg/m³ within 48 hours. In Pierce County the trigger is 30 µg/m³ within 72 hours, and a ban can cover only part of the county. So a neighbor in the Pierce County part of Lakeland Hills may be under a ban on a night you aren't, or the other way round. Check the agency's status page for your own county before you light a wood fire.
The Tacoma-Pierce County Smoke Reduction Zone, where uncertified stoves are banned outright, is a Pierce County rule. On the agency's zone map, Auburn sits outside the boundary. If your home is in the Pierce County part of the city, check the map at pscleanair.gov to be sure.
Factory-built and gas fireplaces in newer Auburn homes
Most houses built since the 1980s have a factory-built fireplace: a metal firebox and flue inside a framed chase, topped with a sheet-metal chase cover. When that cover rusts or sags it holds water, which runs into the chase. A new chase cover typically runs $300 to $700 and a cap $250 to $850.
Gas fireplaces need a yearly check of the pilot, burner, glass seal and vent. That service typically runs $150 to $350. A pilot, thermocouple or igniter repair runs $100 to $350, and a gas valve or control board $300 to $1,000.
Where we work in Auburn
Downtown · North Auburn · Lea Hill · West Hill · Lakeland Hills · River's Bend · Hazelwood · Terminal Park · Forest Villa · South Auburn · West Valley
FAQ
Auburn chimney questions
Which burn-ban rules apply to my Auburn home?
That depends on the county your home is in. Most of Auburn is in King County, and part of the south end is in Pierce County, where bans use a lower trigger and can cover part of the county. The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency's status page shows both.
Is Auburn in the Tacoma-Pierce Smoke Reduction Zone?
On the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency's zone map, Auburn sits outside the boundary. If you live in the Pierce County part of the city, confirm your address on the map at pscleanair.gov before relying on that.
How much does it cost to clean my chimney in Auburn?
We price the cleaning at the free inspection, after we have looked at the fireplace, the flue and how much buildup there is. You get the price in writing before any work starts.
My gas fireplace pilot won't stay lit. What does that repair cost?
A pilot, thermocouple or igniter repair typically runs $100 to $350. If the gas valve or control board has failed, it is more like $300 to $1,000. We find which part it is before we quote.
Book online
Book in Auburn. The inspection is free.
Free inspection in a 3-hour window: 8 to 11, 11 to 2, or 2 to 5. We call to confirm before we arrive.