Level 1 sweep and inspection to the NFPA 211 annual standard - flue, crown, cap, and flashing checked and photographed
Chimney sweep logs do not sweep chimneys. They loosen some creosote - which then falls where a brush and vacuum still have to collect it.
Fast, Reliable Chimney Repair Across Auburn
Chimney repair in Auburn typically costs $450-$2,800 depending on whether you need mortar repointing, crown rebuilding, or full chimney reconstruction, and most inspections are scheduled within 48 hours. We dispatch crews to Auburn from our Seattle office, so West Hill, Lea Hill, and downtown neighborhoods are all within our regular service rotation. Call (253) 323-5667 to book a Level 2 camera inspection with a written price before any work starts.
We’ve worked on Auburn chimneys since 2009 - more than 38,000 inspections and cleanings across the metro, many of them right here in the valley. Our Chimney Repair team knows the difference between a Lea Hill subdivision factory-built metal chimney from 1985 and a downtown Auburn brick stack built before WWII. That distinction matters because the repair path, the materials, and the safety risks are completely different. We don’t guess. We run a camera, show you what we found, and quote a written price before anyone picks up a trowel.
Why Level Two Chimney Puyallup Is Auburn’s Preferred Chimney Repair Company
Auburn homeowners aren’t looking for a sales pitch. They’re looking for someone who can explain why their crown cracked again after two winters and show them the proof. We built our company on that expectation.
Our 365-Day Done Right Promise means if a repair fails, we make it right - no argument, no invoice. Every job carries a written scope, a written price, and a written warranty delivered before work begins (Haven Standard Clause 1). Our technicians are background-checked, uniformed, and named on your appointment - you’ll get a text when they’re en route. Live phone support runs 24/7, not voicemail.
Here’s what separates us in Auburn specifically: we document everything. Clause 4 of the Haven Standard requires a photo record on every job, and we’ve done that since 2009 - years before insurers or regulators asked for it. When we recommend repointing your downtown Auburn brick chimney or replacing a factory-built cap on West Hill, you’ll see the camera footage that led to that call. No footage, no quote. That’s the standard Corrine Halstead established when she founded this company, and it’s never changed.
We also offer a Free Second Opinion on any competitor’s written estimate. Bring us another company’s quote and we’ll review it against what our camera shows - no charge, no obligation.
Our Chimney Repair Services in Auburn

Mortar Repointing
Repointing in Auburn runs $18-$28 per square foot of joint surface, with most residential jobs falling between $650 and $1,400. On pre-WWII brick chimneys near Auburn Way S and downtown, we see mortar so eroded that joints are finger-deep before we ever run a brush. That debris sheds into the smoke chamber and firebox, creating a fire hazard no sweep can fully remove. We repoint first, then clean - and we show you the joint depth on camera before quoting. For 1970s-90s homes on Lea Hill and West Hill, repointing is less common but still critical where valley moisture has found its way into chimney shoulders and freeze-thaw has begun popping faces off brick.

Spalling Brick Repair
Spalling repair in Auburn typically costs $400-$1,200 depending on how many brick faces have fractured and whether the underlying structure is sound. The Green River Valley’s saturated marine air keeps masonry wet for seven months, and the rare hard freeze turns that trapped water into a wedge that pops brick faces clean off. We’ve replaced spalled brick on downtown Auburn chimneys where the same exposure on a Kent hillside would have dried out weeks earlier. If the spalling is extensive, we’ll quote partial rebuilding rather than patchwork - and we’ll show you the difference on camera.

Chimney Waterproofing
Waterproofing a masonry chimney in Auburn runs $350-$650 for application after repairs are complete, or $800-$1,400 if we need to install or replace a cricket (the peaked diversion that keeps roof runoff from pooling behind the stack). Auburn’s valley-floor position makes waterproofing more critical here than in higher-elevation neighbors. A chimney on West Hill might dry between storms; one downtown or along the Green River Valley edge stays damp for weeks. We use breathable silane-siloxane sealers that let vapor escape while blocking liquid water - critical in this climate, because trapping moisture inside the brick would accelerate the very damage you’re trying to prevent.

Flashing Repair
Flashing repair in Auburn costs $300-$750 for standard step-flashing replacement, or $900-$1,600 if the chimney saddle, counter-flashing, and surrounding shingles all need work. Valley moisture works its way under loose flashing faster here than in drier parts of the metro, and once water tracks down the flue it stains ceilings, rots framing, and rusts out metal fireboxes. We inspect flashing with the camera during every Level 2 exam - not from the roof with binoculars, but from inside the flue where leaks first show themselves as rust streaks and efflorescence on the liner.

Chimney Rebuilding
Partial or full chimney rebuilding in Auburn ranges from $2,200 for a shoulder-down rebuild on a small residential stack to $6,500+ for a full teardown and reconstruction on a pre-WWII downtown chimney with multiple flues. We don’t quote rebuilds lightly. On a recent job off Auburn Way S, we repointed, crowned, and lined a chimney that another company had said needed full reconstruction - the camera showed the structure was sound, just neglected. When rebuilds are necessary, we source brick and materials matched to the original, and every rebuild includes a new crown poured with expansion joints and a waterproofing treatment before we leave.

Tuckpointing
Tuckpointing - the cosmetic and structural renewal of mortar joints - runs $15-$25 per square foot in Auburn, with most jobs between $550 and $1,100. On older Auburn brick where original lime mortar has eroded to sand, we match replacement mortar to the existing hardness to prevent future damage. Hard Portland cement repointed onto soft historic brick traps moisture and accelerates spalling; we see this mistake frequently on downtown Auburn chimneys where previous owners or inexperienced crews used the wrong mix. Our technicians specify the mortar type on the written scope before work begins.

What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
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You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Before
AfterTrusted Brands We Service in Auburn
We repair and install using materials from Olympia Chimney, Famco, and Copperfield - sourced through Haven’s buying network to keep customer prices honest. For flue liners, we use HeatShield and DuraFlex products rated for the specific appliance and fuel type. Auburn homeowners with factory-built metal chimneys from the 1980s and 90s often need replacement caps, storm collars, or joint gaskets that aren’t stocked at big-box retailers; we carry common sizes for Heatilator, Superior, and Majestic factory-built units and can order same-day for less common configurations. No waiting two weeks for a part that should be on the truck.
Common Chimney Repair Problems We See in Auburn Homes

- Crown cracking from freeze-thaw saturation. Downtown Auburn chimneys sit in the valley’s persistent fog layer, so crowns that might last 20 years in Federal Way crack in 8-12 here. Water enters hairline fractures, expands overnight when temperatures drop below freezing, and turns a $400 crown repair into a $2,000+ rebuild.
- Factory-built metal chimneys past rated service life. West Hill and Lea Hill subdivisions from the 1970s-90s are full of Heatilator and Superior metal chimneys with 25-30 year ratings now expiring. Joints loosen, caps rust through, and homeowners don’t know the system was never designed for indefinite use.
- Glazed creosote from under-seasoned wood. Auburn’s constant rainfall means cord wood stacked outdoors rarely drops below 25% moisture. Burning wet wood through a 7-month heating season deposits stage-2 and stage-3 glazed creosote that rotary brushing won’t touch - chemical pre-treatment is required before safe cleaning can proceed.
- Gas appliances vented into unlined masonry. We regularly find furnaces and water heaters vented into original clay-tile flues or unlined brick chimneys never designed for condensing appliances. The acidic condensate eats mortar from the inside while the homeowner sees no external warning until a Level 2 camera inspection reveals the damage.
Pricing for Chimney Repair in Auburn, WA
| Service | Typical Range in Auburn |
|---|---|
| Mortar Repointing | $650 - $1,400 |
| Spalling Brick Repair (localized) | $400 - $1,200 |
| Chimney Waterproofing | $350 - $650 |
| Flashing Repair | $300 - $750 |
| Tuckpointing | $550 - $1,100 |
| Chimney Rebuilding (partial) | $2,200 - $4,500 |
| Chimney Rebuilding (full) | $4,500 - $6,500+ |
These ranges reflect Auburn’s market specifically - labor rates, material costs, and the additional time required to address moisture-damaged masonry that’s more common here than in drier eastern suburbs. Every quote is itemized in writing before work begins: labor, materials, disposal, and warranty terms. No verbal estimates, no post-work invoice surprises. If a competitor has given you a written quote, we’ll review it free as part of our Second Opinion program.
Call (253) 323-5667 for your exact estimate - inspections are free, and the written price comes before any repair starts.
We Also Serve Cities Near Auburn

Our crews regularly work in Auburn and surrounding communities including Federal Way, Milton, Kent, and Puyallup. Scheduling and dispatch are coordinated from our Seattle office, with local technicians assigned to minimize drive time and keep appointment windows reliable. Whether you’re in a downtown Auburn bungalow or a Lea Hill subdivision, the same Level 2 camera inspection, written pricing, and documented photo record apply.
Serving Auburn, WA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Auburn area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs - Chimney Repair in Auburn

Factory-built metal chimneys from that era typically carry 25-30 year service ratings, so most West Hill units from the 1970s are at or past design life. We won’t clean a factory-built chimney without a Level 2 camera inspection that examines the inner liner, joints, and cap for corrosion or separation. If the unit is sound, we’ll clean it and document the condition; if it’s deteriorated, we’ll quote replacement with a written price before any work proceeds. Call (253) 323-5667 to schedule - estimates are free.
Auburn’s Green River Valley floor holds saturated marine air from October through May, so chimneys on lower-elevation blocks like downtown and the valley edge stay wetter than rooftops up on Lea Hill or West Hill. That persistent moisture saturates masonry for months, then rare hard freezes expand trapped water and fracture crowns and mortar joints that drier, better-drained chimneys survive. We’ve repointed and re-crowned downtown Auburn stacks that showed damage in 8 years, while similar construction up the hill remained sound at 15. The repair is the same - but the maintenance interval is shorter, and waterproofing is more critical here. Call (253) 323-5667 for a camera inspection and written quote.
Stage-3 glazed creosote cannot be removed by rotary brushing alone; the deposit is baked onto the liner like enamel, and mechanical removal risks damaging clay tile or stainless steel. Auburn’s wet climate produces this condition faster than drier areas because homeowners burn under-seasoned wood that never fully dries in valley rainfall. Chemical pre-treatment with a powder or spray applicator breaks the glaze bond over 12-24 hours, after which mechanical cleaning can proceed safely. We quote the chemical step as a line item with a written price before application. Skipping it leaves a fire hazard in place. Call (253) 323-5667 for an exact quote - estimates are free.
Only after a Level 2 camera inspection confirms the flue is properly sized, structurally sound, and lined with material rated for the appliance’s efficiency and fuel type. Many older Auburn masonry chimneys - especially pre-WWII downtown brick - were built for open fireplaces, not condensing gas appliances. The acidic condensate from high-efficiency furnaces eats unprotected mortar and clay tile from the inside. If the chimney is unlined or the liner is damaged, we’ll quote a stainless steel or HeatShield liner sized to the appliance, with a written price and warranty before installation. We never approve a venting change without camera evidence you can see. Call (253) 323-5667 to schedule.
Yes - moisture damage progresses regardless of use. Auburn’s wet climate means crowns crack, flashing lifts, and mortar erodes through spring and fall even if the fireplace never lights. A chimney that sits unused can actually deteriorate faster because there’s no drying heat to drive moisture out. We recommend annual Level 2 inspections for all Auburn masonry chimneys, and every two years for factory-built metal units that are weather-tight. The inspection includes camera footage, a written condition report, and a written price for any recommended repairs. Call (253) 323-5667 to book - estimates are free.
Written by Corrine Halstead, Owner at Level Two Chimney Co., serving Auburn and the greater Seattle metro since 2009.





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