Chimney repair in Bellingham WA - keeping water out at the crown and flashing
A stain on the ceiling near your chimney usually means water is getting in up top. We find where, and fix that spot.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
What's involved in fixing a leaking chimney, from the crown to the flashing?
Chimney repair in Bellingham is the work that stops water getting into your chimney and from there into your house, usually at the crown on top, the flashing where the chimney meets the roof and the mortar joints, and it often goes further than repointing the joints alone would.
Most people who call me have found a stain and want to know whether it means a small fix or a bigger job. The price moves with what's actually letting the water in, how much of the crown or flashing has to come out, whether any bricks need replacing and how hard the chimney is to reach on your roof. The schedule turns mostly on how much has to come apart and on getting dry days for the mortar to set, and the written estimate I leave tells you the work and the price for your chimney.
How do you know your chimney is letting water in?
Stain near the chimney
A brown ring on the ceiling or wall beside the chimney usually means water is getting past the flashing or the crown when it rains. The longer it goes, the more plaster, wood and brick it soaks, and the bigger the repair gets.
White powder in the firebox
That chalky white bloom on the brick inside your fireplace is salt left behind as water moves through the masonry. It means moisture is getting in again and again, and that keeps wearing the mortar from the inside.
Rust on the damper
If the metal plate you open to light a fire is rusty or sticks, water is likely coming down from the top of the chimney. Left alone, the damper can rust until it won't close properly, and the water keeps finding its way in.
Work that often goes with it
Tuckpointing
When the chimney's crown and flashing hold up but the mortar between the bricks has worn back, fresh joints may be the whole fix it needs.
Brick repair
Bricks that have cracked, flaked or come loose after years of soaking up water need replacing, and the same care applies to walls and steps around the house.
How we handle chimney repair
Most chimney calls start with a stain on a ceiling, so we don't just patch the spot that looks worst. We look at the crown, the flashing and the joints together to find where the water gets in, then repair that, whether it's a cracked crown, flashing that has to come out and be replaced, or joints that have worn open. I'll also tell you which metal we plan to use for the flashing and why. It's a fair thing to ask of any quote, and a brick trade group's guide recommends against galvanized steel because its life depends on the zinc coating and thicker coatings can crack when they're folded.
A leaking chimney rarely needs just one thing. If the crown and flashing are sound and it's the joints that have worn, tuckpointing may be all the chimney needs, and if bricks have cracked or flaked from years of water, we take care of them as brick repair alongside the chimney work.
Crown and flashing repair
This suits a chimney where the bricks and joints are mostly sound but water is coming in at the top or at the roof line. It's usually the smaller job, because the fix stays at the spots the water gets past.
Rebuilding the top of the chimney
This suits a chimney where water has been getting in long enough to loosen bricks above the roof. We take down the damaged rows and lay them again with mortar suited to the old brick, so the new top fits the rest of the chimney.
Get a written estimate for your chimney leak
We reply within one business day, then I come out, look at the chimney with you and leave a free written estimate with no obligation. Calling (360) 255-7006 works too.
Call (360) 255-7006Why Bellingham homeowners call Allied Bellingham Concrete and Masonry for chimney repair
I write every estimate myself
I've run this business since 2013, and I still look at each job and write the estimate myself. Our masons do the work, and I check in with them and with you along the way, so your questions go to the person who saw the chimney.
Licensed and insured in Washington
We're licensed and insured. That matters more on a chimney than on most jobs, because our masons are up on your roof working against your house.
Leaky chimneys are a regular call
We're based in Bellingham and work in many of the cities around it across Whatcom and Skagit counties, including Ferndale and Mount Vernon. Worn mortar and leaky chimneys are among the calls we get most, so we've seen most of the ways water finds its way in.
On a chimney, what matters most is finding where the water really gets in before anything gets fixed. Ask for an estimate or call (360) 255-7006, and I'll come take a look.
What happens after you call about your chimney?
Call or send a request
Call (360) 255-7006 or use the form on this page, and we'll set a time for me to come out. We answer weekdays from 8 AM to 9 PM and weekends from 6 AM to 9 PM.
I come out and look
I walk around the chimney with you, answer your questions and leave a written estimate of what I'd do and what it costs. It's yours to compare with other quotes, and nothing starts until you're ready.
We check what your address needs
Many Bellingham addresses are actually outside city limits, so before we set a start date we check with the office that covers yours and tell you what it says. If you're inside city limits, a city building inspector takes questions between 7:30 and 8:30 am at 360.778.8363.
Our masons do the work
Our masons repair the chimney while I keep you posted on what they find once things are open. When it's done, we clean up and I go over the finished work with you.
Common questions
How do I know if my chimney needs more than tuckpointing?
If you're seeing a stain near the chimney, white powder on the firebox or a rusted damper, it usually needs more than new mortar, because those signs point to water getting in over time. Worn joints on their own are a different story, since most chimneys need repointing every 25 to 50 years depending on the mortar, how exposed they are to weather and how well they were built. I can tell you which one you're dealing with once I've seen it.
How often should a chimney be inspected?
At least once a year, according to one fire safety standard as a chimney company summarizes it. That yearly check covers the chimney, the fireplace and the vents together, so it's worth planning as one visit.
How much does chimney repair cost in Bellingham?
Across the US, a cap, crown repair and waterproofing usually run about $550 to $2,300 per job, and that's the market's range, not a quote from us. A chimney with damage past the crown and flashing, like loose bricks or worn joints all the way down, can go beyond what that range covers. Your own figure goes in the written estimate after I've seen the chimney.
How do I check if a chimney contractor is registered in Washington?
Look them up in the state Department of Labor & Industries' Verify a Contractor tool, which lists registered contractors. Washington requires all construction contractors, including those who repair buildings, to register with L&I, and state law requires them to be bonded and insured. It's worth a look before you sign with anyone.
Can I use my fireplace during a burn ban in Bellingham?
Not always, because the Northwest Clean Air Agency can call burn bans when air pollution reaches unhealthy levels, and those bans affect wood heating. That holds for a freshly repaired chimney as much as an old one, so check the agency's current burn ban notices before you light a fire.
Do I need a chimney inspection when I sell my house?
Yes, a more detailed one, according to the same summary of that fire safety standard, which calls for a Level 2 inspection when a property is sold or after something likely to have caused damage. A Level 2 adds the attic, the basement and the inside of the flue where it can be reached, and a Level 3 goes into hidden parts of the chimney when a serious hazard is suspected.
Get your chimney leak looked at
When you call (360) 255-7006 or send a request, have your address and a few photos of any water stains or rust ready, so I know where to start looking before I'm up on your roof.