Famco Fireplace Services Nationwide

Famco Fireplace Services in Tacoma: What to Know First

Level Two Chimney Tacoma provides independent Famco fireplace services across the city, from the Proctor District’s 1920s craftsman conversions to newer gas inserts in North End basements. Most Famco jobs are diagnosed, quoted in writing, and completed within one to two visits. We do not guess at prices over the phone; we send a technician with a camera, deliver a written scope and price before any work starts, and keep the documented photo record per Clause 4 of the Haven Standard.

Call (253) 447-5982

This page is for Famco owners who need gas fireplace service, wood burning fireplace repair, insert troubleshooting, damper work, firebox repair, or a full fireplace conversion. If you own a Famco product in Tacoma and something is burning wrong, not burning at all, or burning where it shouldn’t, call (253) 447-5982. A live person answers, 24/7.

How Famco Products Fail - and How We Fix Them

• Famco FMI Direct Vent gas inserts - failed ignition modules in damp Tacoma winters. The FMI line uses a SIT 820 series valve that corrodes faster than comparable units because the pilot assembly sits low in the firebox where Pacific Northwest crawl-space humidity collects. We see this in Proctor District homes with unfinished basements. Our fix: pull the module, test resistance across the thermopile, replace with an OEM SIT or a Robertshaw equivalent if the customer prefers. We show you the corrosion on camera before quoting.
• Famco B-Vent gas fireplaces - cracked refractory panels after thermal cycling. The B-Vent line’s factory refractory is thinner than HeatShield’s spec, and Tacoma’s frequent freeze-thaw cycles stress it further. Hairline cracks widen after two to three heating seasons. We source replacement panels through our Haven buying network, or apply HeatShield Cerfractory foam for a rebuild if the damage is contained to the lower third. The camera doesn’t guess. Neither do we.
• Famco wood burning fireplaces - smoke chamber deterioration above the damper. Older Famco masonry units, common in 1960s-1980s Tacoma rambler builds, were parged with a thin mortar wash that flakes into Class III creosote, a hard, tar-like deposit that restricts draft. We parge with Chamber-Tech 2000 or spec a stainless liner from Olympia Chimney if the flue is too far gone. Corrine Halstead has mapped this exact failure pattern in homes from Fern Hill to the Eastside.
• Famco chimney-top dampers - cable seizure from salt air corrosion. The Famco top-sealing damper uses a stainless cable run through the flue, but the termination hardware is galvanized steel that rusts where Tacoma’s marine air hits it hardest, especially on waterfront properties in Ruston and along Commencement Bay. We replace the cable assembly with a Gelco all-stainless equivalent and reseal the flue collar.
• Famco fireplace inserts - improper clearances to combustibles after homeowner modifications. Tacoma’s tight housing stock leads owners to bump the insert closer to the surround for more hearth space. On the FMI 42-inch unit, this overheats the metal facing and warps the surround kit. We measure clearances to NFPA 211 spec, document with photos, and reinstall to factory tolerances using OEM Famco brackets or fabricated steel if the originals are lost.

Our Famco Fireplace Services Process

1. 1
   Call and schedule. A live person answers. We ask the model number if you have it, the symptoms, and whether the unit is gas, wood, or pellet. We do not quote over the phone.
2. 2
   NFPA 211 Level 2 inspection on arrival. Camera down the flue, draft readings, combustion analysis on gas units. We find the failure, not the symptom.
3. 3
   Written price and scope delivered before work. Haven Standard Clause 1: have it in writing. Parts listed as OEM Famco or quality aftermarket, your choice, with the price difference stated.
4. 4
   Repair with documented photo record. Clause 4 requires photos of before, during, and after. You get the file. We keep the archive.
5. 5
   Operational test and final readings. Gas pressure verified, draft measured, CO levels at the unit and in the room. No signature until numbers are in range.
6. 6
   365-Day Done Right Promise activated. Written warranty, stamped, with Corrine’s direct line if anything drifts out of spec.

Before

After

What Famco Fireplace Services Costs in Tacoma

Every estimate is free. We do not charge to show up, look with a camera, and hand you a written price. If you have a competitor’s written quote, we offer a free second opinion under the Haven Standard. Call (253) 447-5982.

Why Tacoma Homeowners Call Level Two Chimney Tacoma for Famco Work

We are independently owned and operated, not a franchise, and we are not affiliated with or authorized by Famco. As an independent Famco service provider, we work on what the inspection finds, not what a manufacturer wants to warranty.

Our technicians are background-checked, uniformed, and named to your job. You get a text when they’re en route. Materials come through our Haven buying network from Famco, DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, and Olympia Chimney, which keeps prices honest and options open. If your Famco unit needs a liner and the OEM lead time is six weeks, we can spec DuraFlex or Olympia Chimney stainless the same day.

Since 2009, we have completed more than 38,000 chimney inspections and cleanings, every one with a written price before work started and a documented record when it was done. The 365-Day Done Right Promise applies to Famco jobs exactly as it does to every other brand we touch.

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