Fireplace and chimney service in Issaquah
Issaquah has the newest housing we serve, with a median home built in 2002. That means gas fireplaces and metal chimneys, which we service and repair after a free inspection.
Issaquah began as a coal mining town in the 1890s and turned to logging when the mines ran out, but its houses are mostly recent. The Census Bureau's 2024 survey puts the median year built at 2002, the newest of any city we serve, with 32.8 percent of homes built from 2000 to 2009 and only 1.6 percent before 1940. Much of that growth went into planned communities like the Issaquah Highlands and Talus, and only 35 percent of Issaquah's homes are detached houses.
Gas heats 46 percent of Issaquah homes and electricity most of the rest. In practice that means direct-vent gas fireplaces in townhouses and condos, gas inserts, and factory-built fireplaces with metal flues on the single-family streets of Squak and Cougar mountains. The older homes around Olde Town are where we still find brick. At the free inspection we check the unit, the vent or chimney and the roof, take photos and write down the price of any work.
Wet slopes under the Issaquah Alps
Issaquah sits in a valley with Cougar, Squak and Tiger mountains on three sides, and many homes are tucked into the trees on their lower slopes. Shade and fir needles keep a roof wet, and Oregon State University Extension notes that moss holds moisture and can lift shingles, letting water reach the layers beneath. On a chimney or chase that shows up as leaks at the flashing or under a clogged chase cover. Flashing typically runs $300 to $1,800, a chase cover $300 to $700.
The Seattle Fault and Lake Sammamish
The northern strand of the Seattle Fault zone runs near Interstate 90 and under Lake Sammamish, and the fault extends east to near Fall City. Issaquah's newer houses mostly have metal chimneys, which hold up far better than unreinforced brick. The older brick chimneys around Olde Town are the ones to check, for cracks at the roofline, open joints and a shifted top. If one needs it, rebuilding the top few courses typically runs $1,000 to $3,500.
Where we work in Issaquah
Olde Town · Issaquah Highlands · Talus · Squak Mountain · Cougar Mountain · Central Issaquah
FAQ
Issaquah chimney questions
Our Issaquah Highlands townhouse has a gas fireplace. What does it need?
A yearly check of the pilot, burner, logs, glass seal and the vent cap outside. Yearly service typically runs $150 to $350. We also check that the carbon monoxide alarms are in place.
Can I add a wood stove in Issaquah?
Yes, an EPA-certified one. New wood and pellet stoves sold in Washington must meet the EPA 2020 limits. A certified wood stove installed typically runs $3,000 to $8,000, and it can run in a Stage 1 burn ban as long as there is no visible smoke.
Can I use my gas fireplace during a burn ban?
Yes. The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency allows natural gas and propane fireplaces and inserts during both Stage 1 and Stage 2 bans. Wood fireplaces cannot be used in either.
How much does a chimney cleaning cost in Issaquah?
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 Issaquah. 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.