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Alameda County • California

Chimney Sweep & Repair in Berkeley

Brown Shingle originals and strict city retrofit rules.

(888) 988-0322

Chimney service built around Berkeley homes

Berkeley's housing stock is unusually intact — Brown Shingles, Julia Morgan cottages and 1920s stucco homes with original brick chimneys that have never been relined. That charm comes with hundred-year-old mortar joints.

In the Elmwood and Claremont neighborhoods we routinely open up fireboxes where the original firebrick has eroded to a smooth curve, which lets heat reach framing. North Berkeley hill homes above Grizzly Peak have tall stacks exposed to wind-driven rain. Student rentals near campus are often the opposite problem: fireplaces that have been decommissioned incorrectly, leaving an open flue that vents heat and pests.

Berkeley sits in the same fire severity zone as the Oakland Hills along its eastern edge, so spark arrestors and clearance to vegetation matter. City permitting is also stricter than most of the East Bay — any structural chimney rebuild needs a permit, and we handle that paperwork as part of the job.

What we do most often in Berkeley

  • Historic firebox restoration with matched firebrick
  • Seismic evaluation and chimney bracing
  • Permitted masonry rebuilds
  • Proper fireplace decommissioning and capping

Berkeley chimney questions, answered

Do I need a permit to rebuild a chimney in Berkeley?

Structural masonry work above or below the roofline generally requires a building permit from the City of Berkeley. We pull it, schedule the inspection and include the cost in the written estimate so there are no surprises mid-project.

Can a hundred-year-old firebox be restored instead of replaced?

Very often it can. If the surrounding masonry is sound we reline the firebox with matched firebrick and refractory mortar, which preserves the original look of a Brown Shingle or Craftsman hearth at a fraction of a full rebuild.

We never use our fireplace. Should we still have it inspected?

Yes. Unused Berkeley chimneys are the ones most likely to hide nesting birds, rodent entry, a rusted-open damper bleeding heat, or water damage nobody noticed. A single Level 1 inspection tells you whether to restore it or cap it properly.

Is my Berkeley chimney earthquake-safe?

We measure the unbraced height above the roofline and check for stair-step cracking, which is the classic sign of prior seismic movement. Depending on findings we recommend bracing, partial reduction of the stack, or a rebuild with reinforcing steel.