What we look at
- Firebox: cracked or missing firebrick and open mortar joints
- Damper: whether it opens, closes and seals
- Smoke chamber and flue: buildup, cracks and anything blocking the way out
- Crown and cap: cracks, rust and missing pieces
- Flashing: the metal seal at the roofline, and whether it has pulled away from the brick
- Brick and mortar: worn joints, flaking faces and loose courses near the top
Adding a camera
Parts of a flue can't be seen with a light from either end. For $99 we run a camera up the flue, and you can watch the footage with us. It's worth adding when you're buying a house, after a chimney fire, or before a liner is quoted.
When to book one
NFPA 211 calls for a yearly inspection, plus a more detailed one, camera included, when a house is sold or after something like a chimney fire. In practice, people call us:
- When buying or selling a house
- Following a chimney fire, a bad storm or a lightning strike
- Before switching to a new insert, stove or furnace
- When a fireplace has sat unused for several seasons
What turns up most often around here
Most of what an inspection finds in Metro Detroit comes from freeze and thaw: cracked crowns, joints worn open near the top, and flashing that no longer seals. Inside, it's usually creosote buildup, a damper that leaves a gap when shut, or cracked clay flue tiles in older houses.
What you get
You hear the results on the spot and get a written copy. Any repair we suggest is quoted separately, in writing, and the choice is yours. Nothing gets done on the same visit unless you ask for it.
