Fireplace and chimney service in Bellevue
Bellevue grew up in the 1950s, 60s and 70s, and nearly half its homes heat with gas. We service gas fireplaces, fix old chimneys and price everything at a free inspection.
Bellevue was mostly farmland until the first floating bridge opened in 1940, and it incorporated only in 1953. The building came fast after that: the Census Bureau's 2024 survey finds 10.6 percent of Bellevue's homes built in the 1950s, 17.1 percent in the 1960s and 17.2 percent in the 1970s, with the median at 1982. Crossroads was annexed in 1964 and Lake Hills in 1969. Many of those mid-century houses have a brick fireplace, now fifty to seventy years old, and a lot of them have been converted to gas.
Gas is the main fuel here. Utility gas heats 45.7 percent of Bellevue homes, against under a third in Seattle, and fewer than half the homes in the city are detached houses, so a big share of our Bellevue work is glass-front gas fireplaces, gas inserts and factory-built units in condos and townhouses. Each needs a yearly check of the pilot, burner, glass seal and vent. The inspection is free, and we write down the price of anything that needs doing before we start.
Bellevue's permit rules for fireplaces and gas
Bellevue's permit center states that a permit is required to install a zero-clearance fireplace, a fireplace insert, a pellet stove and similar devices, and that a new gas line or a change to an existing one needs a permit too, with gas fireplace logs given as an example. That covers most upgrades people ask us about: gas logs in a brick fireplace, a gas insert, or replacing an old prefab fireplace.
Typical ranges: gas logs $500 to $2,000, a gas insert $2,000 to $8,000, a wood-to-gas conversion $1,500 to $8,000. Gas fireplace service and repair runs $150 to $1,000, and yearly service $150 to $350.
The Seattle Fault runs under the south end
The northern strand of the Seattle Fault zone lies close to Interstate 90, through Bellevue's south end, and continues under Lake Sammamish. Unreinforced brick chimneys are what FEMA calls extremely vulnerable in an earthquake, and many of Bellevue's 1950s and 1960s houses have one. At the inspection we check the brick above the roofline for cracks, open joints and a shifted top, and photograph what we find.
Where we work in Bellevue
West Bellevue · Downtown · Crossroads · Lake Hills · Wilburton · Woodridge · Factoria · Eastgate · Somerset · Newport Hills · Bridle Trails · Cougar Mountain
FAQ
Bellevue chimney questions
Do I need a permit for gas logs or a gas insert in Bellevue?
Yes. Bellevue requires a permit to install a fireplace insert or zero-clearance fireplace, and a permit for any new or changed gas line, with gas logs given as an example. Its permit center is at 425-452-4898.
Our condo has a gas fireplace that won't light. Can you fix it?
Usually. A pilot that won't stay lit is most often a worn thermocouple, a dirty pilot assembly or a failed igniter, typically $100 to $350 to replace. A valve or control board runs $300 to $1,000. We diagnose it and write the price down before we start.
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 Bellevue?
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 Bellevue. 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.