Fireplace and chimney service in Kirkland
Kirkland is mostly 1960s to 1980s houses and newer condos, with gas in nearly half its homes. We fix leaks, service gas fireplaces and price everything at a free inspection.
Kirkland was founded in 1888 by Peter Kirk, who planned a steel town and built brick business blocks and homes for the mill workers. The mill never produced steel, and most of today's Kirkland came much later. The Census Bureau's 2024 survey puts 14.7 percent of its homes in the 1960s, 22.6 percent in the 1970s and 18.1 percent in the 1980s, with the median year built at 1984. Only 2.4 percent predate 1940. Downtown around Moss Bay is now mostly condos and apartments built since the 1990s.
That housing mix means mostly gas fireplaces, factory-built fireplaces and the occasional brick chimney on an older house. Gas heats 48.5 percent of Kirkland homes, one of the highest shares in the metro. Kirkland also grew by about 33,000 people and nearly 7 square miles in 2011, when Finn Hill, North Juanita and Kingsgate joined the city. The inspection is free, and we write down the price of any work before we start.
Factory-built fireplaces and leaking chases
A 1970s or 1980s Kirkland house often has a factory-built fireplace: a metal firebox and flue inside a framed, sided chase on the roof. The chase cover on top is what keeps the rain out. When it rusts or holds water, the leak runs down inside the chase and shows up as a ceiling stain or soft framing. A new chase cover typically runs $300 to $700 and leak repair $300 to $2,500, depending on what the water has reached.
Older factory-built fireplaces also wear out inside. If the firebox panels are cracked, a gas insert or a new direct-vent unit is often the better route, and we will tell you which at the inspection.
Gas fireplaces in condos and townhouses
Most of the newer homes around downtown and Totem Lake have glass-front gas fireplaces. Once a year the pilot, burner, logs, glass seal and vent termination should be checked, and since July 26, 2009, Washington has required carbon monoxide alarms in homes sold before the buyer moves in. Yearly service typically runs $150 to $350, and a pilot, thermocouple or igniter $100 to $350.
Where we work in Kirkland
Moss Bay · Market · Norkirk · Highlands · Everest · Central Houghton · Lakeview · Juanita · Finn Hill · Evergreen Hill · Totem Lake · Rose Hill
FAQ
Kirkland chimney questions
Water is staining the ceiling near our fireplace. Is it the chimney?
Often it is the chase cover or the flashing where the chimney meets the roof. On a factory-built fireplace a rusted chase cover lets water run down inside the chase. We find where it gets in at the free inspection and photograph it.
Can you replace an old prefab fireplace in Kirkland?
Yes. Depending on its condition, we fit a gas insert, a new direct-vent gas fireplace or a certified wood unit. A gas insert typically runs $2,000 to $8,000.
Can I use my fireplace during a burn ban in Kirkland?
A gas fireplace, yes; the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency allows gas and propane units in both stages. A wood fireplace, no. In Stage 1 only EPA-certified stoves and inserts may burn, without visible smoke, and in Stage 2 no wood burning is allowed.
How much does a chimney cleaning cost in Kirkland?
We price the cleaning at the free inspection, once we have seen the flue and how much buildup there is. You get the price in writing before we start. We book Sunday to Friday in 3-hour windows and call to confirm.
Book online
Book in Kirkland. 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.