Chimney Inspection
Inspecting the chimney, flue and fireplace
Clear findings from a locally owned company, with nothing hidden in the price.
Three questions behind every chimney inspection
NFPA 211, the national standard for chimneys and fireplaces, frames an inspection around soundness, freedom from deposits and correct clearances. Those three questions shape how our team works through the system, from the cap on top to the hearth in front of the opening.
Organizing the findings this way keeps them useful. You hear whether the structure holds together, whether anything inside the flue needs cleaning and whether combustible material sits too close to the heat. Each answer comes with the evidence behind it, so a recommendation never rests on a general impression of the chimney.
Firebox walls and floor
A masonry firebox is lined with firebrick, and a factory-built fireplace uses refractory panels. We look for cracked brick, missing mortar, loose panels and gaps where the firebox meets the hearth.
Small cracks can often be repaired, while a panel that has broken through or a wall that has lost its mortar may need replacement. For a factory-built unit, the maker's instructions decide what counts as acceptable wear on a panel. We explain which condition you have and whether the fireplace should be used before the repair is done.
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.
Checks after roof work
Roofers remove and replace the flashing around the chimney during a reroof. The new base flashing and the counterflashing above it need to overlap correctly, and the masonry joints that hold the counterflashing need to be sound.
From the roof, the finished joint is examined for sealant used in place of metal, and any damage to the brick or crown from the work is noted. Clear findings help you settle any issue with the roofer while the job is recent. Where the chimney itself needs work, it is priced separately from anything the roofer should correct.
