Chimney Rebuilding & Earthquake Repair in the San Francisco Bay Area

Do not light a fire until it has been inspected. Seismic movement cracks flue tiles and opens joints inside the flue where you cannot see them, and those cracks let heat and gases reach the timbers in the chimney breast. A Level 2 camera inspection is what settles it.

Usually not. Damage is most often concentrated above the roofline where the stack is unbraced, and rebuilding that section is a much smaller job. The assessment tells us how far down sound masonry starts.

That depends entirely on your policy, and standard homeowner policies in California generally exclude earthquake damage unless you carry separate cover. We document the condition and the work thoroughly so you have what you need to make the claim, but the cover question is one for your insurer.