After shakingEarthquake Inspections
A camera run through the flue plus a close look at the brick above and below the roof, so you know if hidden cracks are there.
- Video scan of every flue
- Roofline and attic check
- Photo report for insurance
Open 24/7 · all of SF
Old Chimneys, Shaky Ground,Steady HandsSeismic chimney work, brick repair and fireplace conversions for San Francisco's Victorians, Edwardians and Marina-style homes
A lot of San Francisco chimneys are a century old, built from soft brick and lime mortar, and they've already ridden out more than one big quake. Some came through fine. Others are cracked inside the walls where nobody can see. From our shop on Wallace Ave we inspect, brace, rebuild and convert them, block by block from Bayview to the Richmond.
1906·1989quakes our chimneys survived
94124Bayview shop
24/7real people answer
Rooftop check · Bayview
9:41
SF
SF Chimney
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What we do
Chimney work built for San Francisco houses
Narrow lots, steep roofs, shared walls and hundred-year-old brick. We work on them every week.
After shaking
Brace or rebuildSeismic Rebuilds & Bracing
Loose chimney tops taken down and rebuilt with reinforcement, or replaced above the roof with a lighter framed chase.
- Reinforced brick rebuilds
- Lightweight framed chases
- Steel bracing and roof ties
Burn any dayGas Inserts & Conversions
Swap a drafty wood fireplace for a sealed gas insert or gas logs, with a properly sized liner run to the top.
- Direct-vent gas inserts
- Gas log sets
- Liners and gas-line coordination
Soft brickVictorian & Edwardian Brick
Repointing with lime-based mortar that suits old, soft brick, plus matched replacement units where faces have crumbled.
- Lime mortar repointing
- Salvaged brick matching
- Firebox and hearth repair
Fog & rainCaps, Crowns & Leaks
Constant fog and winter storms soak open flues. Caps, new crowns and flashing keep the water and the pigeons out.
- Stainless and copper caps
- Crown rebuilds
- Flashing on steep roofs
Flats & TICsSweeping & Emergencies
Clean sweeps in occupied flats with HEPA vacuums and drop cloths, and a line that's answered at any hour.
- Multi-unit buildings and TICs
- Smoke and odor calls
- Emergency tarps after storms
Unreinforced brickMost at risk
Braced or rebuiltReady for the next one
Earthquake country
How quakes damage SF chimneys
Snapping at the roofline
The part above the roof sways on its own and tends to crack right where it leaves the house.
Hidden flue cracks
Clay tiles inside can break while the outside looks perfect, letting heat and gases reach wood framing.
Pulling away from the wall
A gap opening between chimney and siding means the ties have failed and it's leaning on its own.
Loose bricks on top
Old lime mortar weakens with time and fog, so the top courses can drop onto a roof, a neighbor or the sidewalk.
Our retrofit process
From wobbly brick to quake-ready
Every house is different, but most seismic chimney jobs in the city follow the same four steps.
SCAN
Look inside
Camera through the flue, plus the attic and roofline, to see what the shaking did.
PLAN
Pick the fix
Brace it, rebuild with reinforcement, or swap the top for a light framed chase.
PERMIT
Paperwork
We handle the city permit side, so the work is on record when you sell.
BUILD
Make it solid
Rebuild, tie into the framing, cap it and leave the roof watertight.
Seven by seven miles
From Bayview to the Avenues
Our Wallace Ave shop sits right off 101 and 280, so the whole city is close. Tap a neighborhood to see the drive.
Crew toBayview
About4 min
Neighborhoods
Call picked up, day or night
Crew leaves Wallace Ave
Heads-up text en route
Inspect, explain, fix
Drive times are estimates from 1505 Wallace Ave. Parking on steep blocks and 101 traffic can add time, so we confirm on the phone.
Spare the Air winters
Why so many SF fireplaces are going gas
Bay Area air rules ban burning wood on winter Spare the Air alert days. Plenty of San Franciscans have stopped fighting the calendar and switched.
Use it on alert nights
Gas fireplaces aren't affected by wood-burning bans, so a cold, still night is fine.
Real heat, not a draft
A sealed insert heats the room instead of pulling warm air up an old open flue.
Less weight up top
Many conversions vent through a liner or a lighter chase, which pairs well with a seismic rebuild.
No ash, no smoke smell
Nicer for flats with neighbors above and below, and nothing to haul down the stairs.
Open wood fireplaceOff on alert days
Gas insertAny night you like
Where we work
Every San Francisco neighborhood
Plus the towns just south of the county line.
- Bayview
- Bernal Heights
- Noe Valley
- Mission
- Potrero Hill
- Dogpatch
- Glen Park
- Excelsior
- Visitacion Valley
- Castro
- Haight-Ashbury
- Pacific Heights
- Marina
- Richmond
- Sunset
- Daly City
- Brisbane
Do you really answer at 2 in the morning?
Yes. Our line is staffed around the clock, including holidays. Bricks falling after a quake, smoke coming into the house or water pouring through a chimney all get a crew sent out. If bricks are down near a walkway, keep people clear until we arrive.
Should I get my chimney checked after an earthquake?
After any shaking you clearly felt, it's wise to have it looked at before your next fire. Damage often hides inside the flue or at the roofline, and a cracked flue can leak heat and fumes into the walls.
Can an old brick chimney be made earthquake-safe?
Usually it can be made much safer. Options include bracing, rebuilding the top with steel reinforcement, or removing the brick above the roof and replacing it with a lightweight framed chase and metal flue.
Can I burn wood on a Spare the Air day?
Not when a winter wood-burning ban is in effect, unless it's your only source of heat. Gas fireplaces and inserts aren't covered by the ban, which is a big reason people convert.
Do you work on flats and TIC buildings?
All the time. We coordinate with each unit, protect shared stairs and hallways, and give one report covering every flue in the building.
Why does my fireplace smell musty in summer?
Fog and damp air soak into soot and old mortar, then the smell drifts into the room. A sweep, a cap and a tight damper usually fix it.
Which neighborhoods do you cover?
All of San Francisco, from Bayview, Bernal and the Excelsior to the Sunset, Richmond, Marina and Pacific Heights, plus Daly City and Brisbane.
Built to last a century. Let's keep it standing.
San Francisco Chimney & Masonry answers around the clock, 365 days a year, for inspections, rebuilds, conversions and emergencies.
(415) 259-5167 Call SF Chimney
San Francisco Chimney & Masonry
1505 Wallace Ave, Suite 104
San Francisco, CA 94124
(415) 259-5167
Get directions →
San Francisco, CA 94124
(415) 259-5167
Get directions →
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |