Our Services
How we inspect a chimney from top to bottom
Any service your inspection leads to is 10% off when booked within 72 hours.
Hearth extension in front of the opening
The hearth extension protects the floor in front of the fireplace from embers and heat. The building code requires noncombustible material and sets how far it must extend in front of and beside the opening.
We check that the hearth is intact, suits the size of the opening and has no cracks that could let heat reach the flooring below. Tile or stone added over the years is noted when it changes the arrangement, and so is a hearth that has settled away from the firebox. Any repair is described with the material it would use.
Inspections tied to a closing date
Real estate chimney inspections often run on a tight schedule. Tell us the contract dates when you call, along with who will give access to the house.
The findings describe the chimney as it is on the day of the visit. They are not a guarantee about the sale, and they do not replace the other inspections a purchase may involve. Any recommended repair is priced in writing, line by line, so buyer and seller can discuss it with the same information in front of them.
Stucco finishes over the chimney
A stucco finish covers the masonry or framing beneath it, so damage may show only as fine cracks, stains or a hollow sound when the surface is tapped.
We look closely at the finish around the crown, along the roof line and at the corners, where movement and water meet. Where the finish is damaged, we explain whether it looks like a surface repair or a sign of water behind it. A stucco repair that seals over wet material only hides the problem, so the source of the water comes first.
Airspace between the chimney and framing
The building code keeps a masonry chimney separated from combustible framing by an airspace, which is larger for a chimney inside the house than for one built entirely outside the exterior wall.
In an accessible attic or crawl space, we look at how close joists, rafters and decking sit to the masonry and whether the gap has been filled with insulation or debris. Where framing touches the chimney, the finding explains why that matters and what a correction would involve.
