Protect Your Home and Investment 

We take a “fix it right the first time” approach.

Portland Fireplace and Chimney Inc services the greater Portland metro area. We are your one stop shop contractor for everything fireplace. We start by performing NFPA 211 inspections and cleaning service. Then we take the time to educate you about the history of your home related to your fireplace. We provide the highest quality inspections by getting in the attic, crawlspace and taking at least 25-30 high resolution photos and a video camera inspection of the interior firewall as necessary. All to ensure your education of three vital aspects of a chimney in the PNW. 

Fireplace and Chimney Services 

As a full-service contractor, Portland Fireplace and Chimney, Inc. has expertise across all trades of Chimney repair, fireplace inspections, masonry, historic restoration, and more. 

About Portland Fireplace and Chimney 

The faces of Portland Fireplace and Chimney, the best team in town! 

Certified to help you with all your fireplace and chimney needs!

Portland Fireplace and Chimney Inc. is licensed, bonded and insured, and has a history of providing excellent service to all our customers. Our family has been living in the northwest and servicing people with not only chimney needs but many other areas of construction such as roofing, foundation, and forensic leak determination. It is our passion, our livelihood and our love of the community around us that inspires the excellence in trade knowledge and customer service.  Owner Louis Lee is a  second generation entrepreneur, born and raised in Portland and has been restoring Portland homes his entire professional career. He loves preserving the historical integrity of the Portland Metro area.

Louis Lee – Owner, Certified Chimney Sweep 

Kylie Marble – Certified Chimney Sweep 

Chimney Repair

Chimney repair can be troublesome, let us take on the challenge for you and give you peace of mind. Portland Fireplace and Chimney Inc. is fully qualified to meet all your chimney repair needs.

We are certified to perform the following (Not limited to)

• Firebox Repair 

• Spalling Brick 

• Chimney tuck-point (re-mortaring)

• Cracked or Crumbling Crowns 

• Seismic Reinforcement (to bring your chimney up to current earthquake code standards)

• Flue lining, masonry tile or custom stainless and aluminium for per-existing gas appliances.

• Foundation and base rebuild reinforcement. (This is needed when your chimney foundation has settled) 

Fireplace and Chimney Inspection

National Fire Protection Association recommends you have your fireplace and chimney cleaned and inspected annually. Yes, every year! 

Inspecting your fireplace and chimney is essential to keeping them running properly and safely.

Portland Fireplace and Chimney Inc performs NFPA Level 2 Fireplace and Chimney inspections. Not only is the care of your chimney important to us, but so is the care of your home. To ensure that we are protecting your home from any damage or discomfort, drop cloths will be used to protect all surface areas near the fireplace. During the inspection, our certified technicians use cleaning as a tool to uncover any hidden dangers under creosote build up. We use commercial grade rotary brushes and equipment, along with the best chimney vacuum on the market, a Triple Hepa Filter Vacuum. We ensure that no dust or allergens enter the air in your home.

We are nationally certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA). We regularly attend continuing education classes and seminars to stay up-to-date with the latest innovations and technology related to our industry.  Our owner Louis Lee is the President of the Oregon Chimney Sweep Association (OCSA), and a member in good standing of the Chimney Sweep Guild.

We strictly adhere to the NFPA 211 code on fireplaces and chimneys. Widely used by architects, installed, equipment manufacturers, AHJ’s, and building owners. The NFPA 211 provides guidelines for construction projects involving chimneys, fireplaces, vents, and solid fuel burning appliances. You can read more about the NFPA 211, here. The following levels of chimney / fireplace inspections are as follows 

LVL 1 Inspection

A level 1 inspection is a minimum requirement. This inspection is recommended for a chimney under continued service, under the same conditions and with the continued use of the same appliance. In a level 1 inspection, the readily accessible portions of the exterior, interior, and accessible portions of the appliance and the chimney connection should be examined. We will be looking for the basic soundness of the chimney structure, and flue as well as the basic appliance installation and connections. We will also verify the chimney is free of obstruction and combustible deposits.

LVL 2 Inspection

A level 2 inspection is required when any changes are made to the system. Changes include a change in the fuel type, changes to the shape of, or materials in the flue, or the replacement or addition of an appliance of a dissimilar type, input rating, or efficiency. Additionally, a level 2 inspection is required upon the sale or transfer or a property or after an operation malfunction or external event that is likely to have caused damage to the chimney. Building fires, chimney fires, seismic events, as well as weather events are all indicators that this level of inspection is warranted. There are no specialty tools required to open doors, panels, or coverings in performing a level 2 inspection. A level 2 inspection shall also include a visual inspection by video scanning or other means in order to examine the internal surfaces and joints of all flue liners incorporated in the chimney. No removal or destruction of permanently attached portions of the chimney or building structure or finish shell shall be required by a level 2 inspection. 

Chimney Caps 

Chimneys Caps are Vital in the Pacific Northwest 

90% of the repairs we provide our customers is repair to chimneys above the roofline. 

Spalling (Cracking) Bricks

A chimney in the PNW gets hit so hard with rain, the chimneys become saturated, then if temperatures drop below freezing, the bricks and mortar of your chimney expand and contract. This causes chimneys to crack at the crowns, around the flue tiles, the mortar begins to fall out of the chimney onto the roof, also we find bricks themselves going through decomposition. This is when you see the brick face sheer off because it is filled with water and literally bursts like a frozen ice cube. This is known as spalling bricks. These cracked areas are open waterways and cause all kinds of leaks and water damage into the home. We have seen it all, rotten roof, falling ceilings, leaking fireplace face, rusted dampers, rotting floors, and…

Mold! MOLD! MOLD! 

We have found customers suffering from mold allergies for years not knowing it was coming from their chimney! This is called Masonry saturation Decay. With no chimney cap or the wrong cap this decay is accelerated in our Pacific Northwest climate.  If a chimney has never had a proper cap. It is likely you will need some repairs. 

All of this decay is preventable. I think of a proper chimney cap as a crucial piece of flashing, we all know how important flashings can be. The proper chimney cap is a very important water diverting flashing for the chimney and everything below it. 

Get a Proper-Fitting Chimney Cap

We can provide a proper-fitting chimney cap to shelter and protect your chimney from excessive water accumulation and further damage.  If your Chimney had a proper cap since the start of its existence it would not need as much repair.  Our chimney caps and water seal treatments help customers fully protect their home from PNW masonry saturation decay.  With applicable repairs, curing, water seal treatment and proper chimney caps installed we guarantee no leaks.

Contact us today for an in-depth NFPA Level 2 Fireplace and Chimney inspection so we can educate you on your chimneys history and condition! 

Chimney Cap History

The history of the chimney cap begins of course with the chimney, which in considering human history is a relatively new concept when compared to other architectural functions.  They are really only a few hundred years old, much younger than gutters. Since man began to live in houses, the main solution for warmth was an open hearth.  Often walls or ceilings would have holes to promote circulation though most were not very air tight to begin with.

After the Norman invasion (around 1000 BC), second story homes began to appear, making a hearth on the bottom floor a bit more difficult.  Fires were moved into walls and holes and/or flues were constructed to vent them.  Romans used tubes inside the walls to draw smoke out of bakeries but chimneys only appeared in large dwellings in northern Europe in the 12th century. The earliest extant example of an English chimney is at the keep of Conisbrough Castle in Yorkshire, which dates from 1185 AD.  Chimney caps immediately began to make an appearance then.

Chimney Cap Comin a Variety of Colors 

Fireplace Remodel and Design 

Portland Fireplace and Chimney Inc are experts at fireplace remodelling and design. We will work with you and our material contacts to build your custom dream hearth. We are dedicated to quality, creativity, and innovation in the custom fireplace arena.  

Working with our in house design team, we have seen the demand for unique projects increase through the ambition and creativity of today’s manufacturers looking to make their own unique mark in your home. With a lifetime of experience in the industry, we are well positioned to collaborate with you in making your unique fireplace ideas become a reality. 

Our Specialties

Portland Fireplace and Chimney Inc specialises in installing all types of hearth appliances:

• Gas inserts, gas stoves, gas log sets

• Wood inserts, wood stoves

• Pellet stoves

• Manufactured fireplaces

• Traditional wood burning fireplace

Our certified technicians can help you choose the appliance that is right for your family’s needs.

Chimney Rebuild and Full Construction

Portland Fireplace & Chimney are the pros when it comes to rebuilding and constructing new chimneys. Whether you have questions on materials or designs, let us be your guide to aiding in the wellbeing of your home. 

Chimney rebuilds and construction is an important aspect of house maintenance, both in terms of finances and the health and safety of everyone who lives within that home. Portland Fireplace & Chimney is here to help guide you through the various different materials, designs, and maintenance options available. Not only do we pride ourselves in our work and craftsmanship, but also in allowing you to make informed decisions when it comes to your chimney needs.

Masonry Restoration

Full Exterior Masonry Restoration/Renovation

Wood Stoves and Inserts

Portland Fireplace and Chimney Inc. offers a great selection of wood stoves, fireplace inserts, glass doors and more! Our certified technicians can help you choose the appliance that’s right for you and your families needs. You can follow the links below to see some of what is available, then call us at 503-758-4710 to discuss how we can assist you in getting the most warmth and enjoyment out of your fireplace or stove.

Napoleon is an ISO9001 – 2008 registered company and operates with 1,200,000+ square feet of manufacturing space and over 1000 employees.

Regency Fireplace Products is a premier manufacturer of traditional and contemporary quality fireplaces, freestanding stoves and inserts for existing fireplaces.

Jøtul is one of the world’s oldest producers of stoves, inserts and fireplaces. Building on a proud Norwegian heritage, we have combined fine craftsmanship with the art of coping with the cold for 160 years.

Timberwolf Fireplaces is an ISO9001 – 2008 registered company and North America’s largest privately owned manufacturer of quality wood and pellet (inserts and stoves).

Gas Fireplaces and Inserts

Portland Fireplace and Chimney Inc. offers a great selection of gas stoves, fireplace inserts, glass doors and more! Our certified technicians can help you choose the appliance that’s right for you and your families needs. You can follow the links below to see some of what is available, then call us at 503-758-4710 to discuss how we can assist you in getting the most warmth and enjoyment out of your fireplace or stove.

Regency Fireplace Products has proven to be a world leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of hearth products.  

A Napoleon Gas Fireplace Insert is the perfect solution to improve your heating efficiency for a warmer cozier home that saves you money.

Lopi is a world class manufacturer of high quality wood burning stoves and fireplace inserts. (Made in Washington State!)

We’re also happy to offer other great brands such as Morso, Heat-n-Glo, Majestic, Kuma, Quadra-Fire, Malm, Kozy Heat, RSF Fireplaces, and more! Have a question about a unit you don’t see listed? Give us a call at 503-758-4710!