Chimney Inspections
A sweep cleans what it can reach. An inspection tells you what is actually going on inside the structure, from the firebox to the crown, and puts it in writing.
Written report with photographs on every inspection we carry out.
You need one when
- You are buying or selling the house
- The chimney has had a fire, or you suspect one
- A storm, a tree or an earthquake hit the roof
- You are changing or adding an appliance
- Nobody has looked at it in over a year
The three levels, in plain English
Chimney inspections are graded under NFPA 211 into three levels. Knowing which one you need saves you money, and knowing which one you were sold protects you.
| Level | What it covers | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Readily accessible parts of the chimney, structure and appliance connection. Visual, no dismantling. | Annual check on a system that has not changed and is working normally. |
| Level 2 | Everything in Level 1 plus accessible attics, crawl spaces and basements, and a video scan of the internal flue surfaces. | Property sale or transfer, appliance change, after a chimney fire or a weather event. |
| Level 3 | Everything above plus removal of parts of the building or chimney where a serious hazard is suspected. | Only when a Level 1 or 2 has found something that cannot be evaluated any other way. |
The failures that matter
- Cracked, spalled or missing clay flue tiles
- Gaps in the liner where mortar joints have failed
- Creosote grade and distribution through the flue
- Blockages: nests, leaves, fallen tile, collapsed brick
- Firebox condition and refractory panel cracking
- Smoke chamber parging and corbelling
- Damper operation, seal and rust
- Crown cracking, slope and overhang
- Cap presence, sizing and screen condition
- Flashing seal at the roof line
- Mortar joint condition above and below the roof
- Clearance to combustible framing where it can be seen
Real estate inspections in Chester County
A general home inspector will look at the chimney from the outside and from the hearth. That is a Level 1, and it is not what a transfer calls for. NFPA 211 puts a property sale squarely in Level 2 territory.
For buyers
A chimney that needs relining is a five-figure surprise after closing and a negotiating point before it. We schedule around inspection contingencies and turn the written report around fast.
For sellers
Knowing what your chimney needs before it appears in someone else's report puts you in control of the conversation. Many issues we find are inexpensive to fix in advance.
For agents
We work with a number of Chester County agents and understand what a deadline means. Report, photographs and a repair quote in one document.
Why the inspection is not optional
Chimney fires are frequently quiet. Many homeowners never know they had one, and the first evidence is what an inspection turns up afterwards: puffy or honeycombed creosote, warped damper metal, cracked or displaced flue tiles, discoloured roof cladding, or pieces of tile lying on the smoke shelf.
The reason this matters is that a chimney fire compromises the liner, and a compromised liner will let heat and combustion gases reach the framing on the next ordinary fire you light. Insurance carriers routinely require a Level 2 inspection after a suspected chimney fire before a claim moves forward.
- Loud cracking or popping from the chimney, or a low roaring sound
- Dense smoke or a strong hot smell coming from the flue
- Flakes of creosote or tile found on the roof or in the gutters
- Cracked or discoloured crown, or damaged roof surface near the chimney
Every inspection, whichever level
Level 1
- Visual inspection of readily accessible components
- Firebox, damper and appliance connection checked
- Roof-level look at cap, crown and flashing
- Usually carried out alongside the annual cleaning
Level 2
- Everything in Level 1
- Full internal video scan of every flue in the stack
- Accessible attic, crawl space and basement runs
- Written report with photographs for a sale or a claim
Free estimates on any repair work we find, quoted before anything is done, and you are never obliged to have us carry it out.
Inspections, answered
Is an inspection the same as a cleaning?
No, although they are usually done in the same visit. A cleaning removes deposits. An inspection evaluates the condition and safety of the whole system and produces a record of it. A chimney can be spotlessly clean and unsafe to use.
Does my home inspector's report cover the chimney?
Partly, and rarely to the depth a chimney needs. General home inspectors are not required to scan the flue internally, and most do not carry the camera to do it. Their scope is closer to a Level 1.
How long does a Level 2 take?
Usually somewhere between one and two hours depending on how many flues the chimney serves and how much access there is to attic and crawl space runs.
Will you quote repairs you find?
Yes, and you are never obliged to use us for them. The report stands on its own and you are free to take it elsewhere. We would rather you trust the findings than feel steered by them.
Do I need an inspection for an unused chimney?
If it is genuinely sealed and serving nothing, it is lower priority. If it still vents a furnace, a water heater or a gas appliance, then yes, and it matters more than the fireplace does, because that flue carries carbon monoxide every day of the winter.
Everything else we handle on the chimney
Most of our visits turn up more than one thing. Because we do the cleaning, the masonry, the liner work and the waterproofing ourselves, you are never handed off to a second contractor.
Serving Chester County and the surrounding townships
We work out of Chester County and cover the boroughs, townships and rural stretches around it. Pick your town for local detail, or call and we will tell you straight away whether you are on our route.
Get it in writing before you need it
Level 1 and Level 2 inspections across Chester County, with photographs and a written report on every visit.