Fireplace Remodel in Santa Monica: Written Report, Licensed Technicians

Late last October, a homeowner on a hillside lot near the Kanan Dume corridor noticed something off after three days of Santa Ana winds. Small branches, dry leaves, and gritty sediment had blown past her chimney cap and collected inside the firebox. The cap itself was visibly tilted. She hadn't used the fireplace since the previous winter and assumed everything was fine, but the debris made her hesitant to light a fire. She also mentioned that several neighbors along Latigo Canyon had dealt with similar cap failures after the same wind event. Her concern was straightforward: could she safely use her fireplace, or did the whole surround and cap system need work before the holidays?

During our phone call, she described the fireplace as a standard 1970s Brentwood wood-burning setup with a dated brick surround and a painted wood mantel that was starting to split. She'd been thinking about a remodel for over a year but hadn't committed. The wind damage pushed the timeline. We scheduled a visit for the following week. Her real question wasn't just about the cap. She wanted to know whether it made sense to fix one component or remodel the full fireplace while the system was already being opened up. That's a common pattern we see along the Encinal Canyon hillsides, where aging fireplace assemblies accumulate small problems until one event forces the decision. If you're weighing a similar choice, take a look at our gas log conversion options as part of a full remodel.

We ran a Level 2 inspection per NFPA 211, which includes a camera scan of the full flue interior. The cap had lost two of its four mounting screws to corrosion, and the screen mesh was torn in a way that let wind-driven debris pass right through. Inside the flue, we found light second-degree creosote deposits and a hairline crack in one clay tile liner section, likely from earthquake micro-movement common in Brentwood's hillside homes. The existing brick surround was cosmetically worn but structurally sound. We recommended replacing the cap and damaged liner section, then moving forward with the surround remodel she'd been considering. Because she also wanted to convert from wood to gas, we sized the opening per current California mechanical code requirements for modified fireplace openings, which differ from the original 1970s specs her home was built under.

The finished remodel replaced the old brick with a stacked natural stone surround and a reclaimed wood mantel, both popular choices in Brentwood right now. We installed a new stainless steel chimney cap rated for high-wind exposure, which matters for homes along the Kanan Dume corridor and Latigo Canyon where Santa Ana gusts regularly exceed 50 mph. The gas conversion included a CSIA-compliant venting evaluation and new gas log set. Total project time was six working days. If you're exploring insert options instead of a gas log setup, we install those as well. For more on choosing cleaner-burning fireplace options during a remodel, the EPA has a useful resource.