Inspections are critical to the health of your fireplace and chimney system. Not only do they help you determine if your chimney is clean enough, inspections also help you realize if there are any issues within your chimney that need to be addressed. However, did you know that there are three levels of chimney inspections outlined by The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA)? The level of chimney inspection that we here at Hale’s Chimney & Fireplace Solutions perform on your chimney is determined by a number of variables. That’s why it is important for you to know what is required for each chimney inspection level. If our customers have knowledge of inspection guidelines, it can help us determine what level of inspection that we should perform on your chimney.
Level 1
A level 1 chimney inspection is a basic chimney inspection. This type of inspection takes place if there have been no major changes to your chimney system since your last periodic inspection. During this type of inspection, a chimney technician will first check to see if the structural integrity of your chimney and fireplace is okay. Once that is complete, they will inspect the accessible parts of your chimney, looking for blockages and creosote buildup in your chimney. Once this is complete, the technician will conduct a final check of your chimney and all its other components including, but not limited to, the flue, damper, and chimney cap.
Level 2
There might be a number of reasons you need a level 2 chimney inspection. If there have been any major changes to your chimney since the last inspection you will need this level of inspection. These changes can include, but are not limited to changes in your fuel system, tuckpointing, masonry work or changes to any other appliance component. A level 2 inspection also takes place if you are transferring ownership of your home to someone else, or if there has been a major natural event nearby such as an earthquake, fire, sinking foundation, or a tornado. This type of inspection is similar to a Level 1 inspection, except that it also requires performing a video scan as well. Chimney technicians use video scanners to closely inspect the inside of your chimney. Video scanning is an important tool for finding small cracks that may have occurred during a major event.
Level 3
Level 3 inspections are only performed if there is a suspected hazard associated with your chimney. This type of inspection includes checking all the areas checked in both level 1 and level 2 inspections, however, level 3 inspections allow for the use demolition tools to check areas where there is a suspected hazard.
When scheduling any type of chimney inspection, the most important thing to do is hire a CSIA certified chimney technician. At Hale’s Chimney & Fireplace Solutions our CSIA certified chimney technicians have been trained to perform all levels of chimney inspection. If you haven’t scheduled your periodic inspection, the new year is a wonderful time to do it! To schedule an appointment, call Hale’s Chimney and Fireplace Solutions today at 972-563-6851 or contact us online to talk with one of our chimney experts today!