Chimney Repair in Petaluma, CA
Petaluma has some of the oldest housing stock in Sonoma County, and chimneys are where that age shows first. Sierra West Co. has repaired fireplaces and chimneys across Northern California since 1982, and we work throughout Petaluma, from the Victorians and Craftsman homes around the historic downtown and the Oak Hill and Brewster district, to the post-war and tract neighbourhoods east of the river. California contractor’s licence #542298. Call (707) 237-3605.
What Goes Wrong With Petaluma Chimneys
Most of the chimney work we do in Petaluma traces back to one thing: a lot of these chimneys were built before the Second World War, and many were never lined.
An unlined brick flue was normal practice a century ago. It is not safe now. The mortar between the bricks erodes, the flue starts leaking heat and combustion gases into the wall cavity, and the first sign of trouble is often a smell or a stain rather than anything visible on the roof. Installing flue liners is usually the fix.
The second recurring problem is earthquake damage. Petaluma sits close enough to the Rodgers Creek and San Andreas faults that decades of small movement have left a lot of older masonry chimneys cracked at the roofline or pulling away from the house. That is structural fireplace repairs work, and it is worth taking seriously. An unbraced masonry chimney is one of the heaviest things on a house.
Third, water. Petaluma’s wet winters find every gap in a chimney crown repair, and once water is inside the brickwork, freeze and thaw does the rest.
Our Chimney Services in Petaluma
Sierra West Co. offers the following in Petaluma:
- Chimney inspections, including before a home sale
- Chimney crown repair and rebuilding
- Flue liner installation for unlined Victorian and Craftsman chimneys
- Structural repair of cracked and leaning masonry chimneys
- Chimney caps and spark arrestors
- Fireplace refacing and restoration
- Wood stove and gas fireplace installation
Working on Older Homes
Repairing a chimney on a 120-year-old Petaluma home is not the same job as repairing one on a 1990s house, and it should not be priced or scheduled as though it were. Original brick sizes and mortar mixes are often no longer standard, and matching them matters both structurally and visually, particularly on a home in one of Petaluma’s historic districts.
We have been doing this since 1982. If you are buying an older Petaluma home, a chimney inspection before you close is the cheapest money you will spend on the property.