Carnation, King County
Waterproofing a Carnation chimney runs $285 to $790. Stack height, the number of faces to treat and how much cleaning the brick needs first explain the gap between those two figures. The product is a breathable water repellent, not a paint or a film, and it goes on only after the masonry has been checked and any open joints closed.
Typical investment
$285–$790
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Book your $99 inspection
$99 plus tax, deducted when you approve the repair
Not sure where to start
Pick what you're seeing at your Carnation home — we'll point you to the right fix.
What we do
The same crew, the same written quote — for Carnation homes.
A Level 1 check, or a Level 2 with a camera run through the flue when the visible parts are not enough
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Brushing of the whole flue, top to firebox, with brush heads sized to the liner
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A photographed assessment that separates cosmetic wear from structural damage
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A camera run and full measurements before any liner is ordered
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Measurement of each flue, or of the full crown for a multi-flue cap
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Cleaning and testing of the burner, the pilot assembly and the ignition
Learn moreRanges shown for orientation — the exact figure is written up on-site, after the inspection.
Carnation is the wettest of our four towns and the one with the oldest brick, which is the combination waterproofing was invented for. Roughly 30% of its housing predates 1980 by Census estimates, half of that share from before 1960. Old brick is more porous than new, and a stack that has absorbed water for sixty winters will keep absorbing it until something changes at the surface.
Above Carnation, in the Cascade foothills, a weather station at the Tolt South Fork reservoir recorded 95.20 inches of precipitation in an average year between 1962 and 2016, plus 53.4 inches of snowfall. The Tolt River brings that runoff down to town, where the city keeps watch on its gauge 5.5 miles to the northeast.
The valley floor is drier than the foothills, but it sits at the receiving end. Ground stays saturated, mornings stay humid, and brick close to grade dries slowly. On a chimney that starts at ground level we treat the full height, not only the part above the roof, and we check that soil and mulch are not piled against the lowest courses.
Every chimney waterproofing we do in Carnation includes:
Smoke coming back into the room, or a smell that won't go? Book the inspection first.
Book nowBrick behaves like a hard sponge. It takes in rain, holds it, and releases it slowly, and a chimney stands above the roofline with all four sides exposed. Repellent changes the first step only: water beads and runs off, while vapor from inside the masonry can still escape. That second point is why we refuse to use sealers that form a skin. A skin traps moisture behind it, and the brick face comes off with the first frosts. Treatment is also not a repair. Cracked crowns, open joints and loose flashing are fixed first, or the repellent simply seals water in.
Repellent needs dry masonry going in and dry weather while it cures. In Carnation, WeatherSpark locates the clearer part of the year between about June 21 and October 6, roughly 3.5 months, with July bringing only about an inch of rain.
Outside that window the odds turn quickly. By WRCC's regional account, December and January commonly log precipitation on 20 to 25 days apiece, and muggy summer heat is absent here all year, so the moisture that matters is cool-season rain and cloud. We book treatments from late June onward and stop when the fall rain sets in.
A water test with a hose, face by face, tells us whether the brick itself is taking water or whether the crown or flashing is to blame.
Growth and dirt come off with brushes and a low-pressure rinse. The stack must then dry out, which is why this job belongs to summer.
Repellent is sprayed from a low-pressure tank until the brick stops absorbing it. Mortar joints get particular attention.
After curing, a splash of water should bead on every face. We photograph that test for your records.
What this work is quoted at for Carnation homes — the exact figure comes from the $99 on-site inspection, credited toward the work.
| Service | Price in Carnation | What that covers |
|---|---|---|
| Chimney Waterproofing | $285–$790 | Breathable sealer — reapplied every 3–5 years in this climate |
| Chimney Sweep | $189–$449 | Full flue swept, Level 1 inspection included |
| Chimney Inspection | $99 plus tax | Level 1 visual; Level 2 adds a full camera scan |
| Chimney Relining | From $1,900 | Full-length stainless liner, sized to the appliance |
| Chimney Repair | From $425 | Masonry repair — brick and mortar, scoped after diagnosis |
Ranges are what these jobs are quoted at in Carnation. The exact figure is set on site after a $99 inspection (credited toward the job if you go ahead), and you approve it before any work starts.
Carnation is a small town platted as Tolt in 1902, where the Tolt River meets the Snoqualmie River, with homes with a median build year of 1993, though about one in seven dates from before 1960.
CarnationKing County, WA · 47.648, -121.914
Before and after
Illustrations of what each repair changes on a typical chimney — not photos of a specific job.
Before
After
Before
After
Before
After
Four steps, each one on paper — so you always know what happens next.
Choose a genuine opening on the crew's calendar. Confirmation is immediate.
Liner, crown, cap, flashing and masonry examined in order — each finding photographed.
One document, plain numbers, covering only the work your chimney genuinely needs.
The repair is completed, then handed over with before-and-after photos of every item.
$285 to $790, depending on height, access and preparation. Repairs that must come first are quoted separately, in writing.
Three to five years, after which a fresh coat is due. Faces that take the wind-driven rain wear out sooner than sheltered ones.
Yes. Coming out costs $99 plus tax, an amount we then take off the waterproofing bill if you accept our quote.
A $99 on-site inspection, a written quote before any work, and photos of every item we touch.
