Trust Us for Professional Chimney Inspection Services
It’s that time of year when things start cooling off and holiday items start showing up in stores. Is your fireplace ready for countless cozy nights indoors? Make sure your don’t face smoke in your space, inefficient heating, potential fire hazards, and more by booking a chimney inspection with us.
Let’s get started – call or book online with us today.
How We Inspect Your Chimney
Simply put, our focus is on doing the inspection right – from start to finish. We offer three levels of chimney inspections, so no matter your needs or your fireplace system’s current condition, we can set you up right.
What are the three levels?
- Level 1: Level 1 inspections are the least intrusive. Essentially, the tech checks over all easy-to-access areas of the chimney, without using any tools to take pieces of your setup apart. That said, here at Billy Sweet, we do use a camera to get a thorough assessment of your flue (which isn’t the norm for most companies doing a level 1 inspection). If you’ve been operating your fireplace correctly, investing in annual maintenance, and avoiding any major changes, this should be all you need before kicking off your burning season.
- Level 2: Level 2 chimney inspections are a bit more complex. As with our level 1 inspections, we utilize camera equipment to get the most accurate overview of your chimney and fireplace system, as well as remove any necessary coverings or doors to get into every nook and cranny. These inspections are necessary after a major event (like a chimney fire, lightning strike, natural disaster, etc.), before buying/selling a home, and after any major renovations have been made on the fireplace (like a change in fuel type, a retrofit, a new liner install, etc.).
- Level 3: The least common of the three, a level 3 inspection is only done when a level 2 inspection couldn’t reveal the cause of your chimney or fireplace issue(s). In these cases, pieces of the chimney, fireplace, or surrounding wall may need to be removed or demoed to find out what’s really going on. We’ll always discuss this with you before taking any action forward.
Does Billy Sweep Perform Real Estate Chimney Inspections?
Yes! If you’re moving into a new home – or looking to sell your current one – we can perform a level 2 chimney inspection (also known as a real estate chimney inspection) to ensure all is well before any final documents are signed. And if all isn’t well? Then, you can negotiate that into the final price point of the home or ensure all issues are resolved before move-in day.
Questions? We’re here to help. Reach out today.
We Sweep Every Chimney We Inspect
Even dust will hide cracks, and our experience tells us that a swept chimney allows for the most proper, thorough, and safe chimney inspection possible. In fact, even if a customer just wants us to sweep the chimney, we still inspect it when we’re done – and at no additional cost, we test for excess levels of carbon monoxide at every inspection. We think it’s the right thing to do to ensure the safety of your family and home – and the right way to conduct our business.
Why Is Camera Equipment Needed for a Chimney Inspection?
For years, many chimney sweeps have been relying on a bright flashlight, their intuition, and experience to gauge the condition of a chimney and its maintenance needs. But doing it right means a much closer – and much more detailed – look.
The only way to truly see the inside of your chimney is to crawl inside the flue with a digital camera, or use the trusted, cutting-edge chimney camera technology that we use on every single inspection.
Our certified chimney sweeps use the Chim-Scan® camera system and the Wohler Vis2000-Pro to properly inspect and document your chimney. We then share with you what those cameras find, so you can make informed decisions about our recommendations. We want you to see what we see inside your chimney, because we believe our customers value an honest, detailed inspection.
Why Have Your Chimney Inspected?
Your chimney plays a vital role in keeping you and your family safer. Its job is to contain harmful byproducts coming from your fireplace, stove, and heating appliances – like any gases, smoke, tar fog, unburned wood particles, etc. – and then transport those harmful elements outside your home.
But without proper care and maintenance, a lot can go wrong. As those heated byproducts flow up the relatively cooler chimney, condensation occurs, resulting in a residue called creosote. Creosote is highly combustible, and can result in chimney fires. Cracks in chimneys can leak carbon monoxide and other harmful gases into your home, as well, putting you and your family and friends at risk.
Proper inspections will keep you informed of your chimney’s state, and aware of whether it needs to be serviced, repaired or restored. Knowing what maintenance is needed, and getting that maintenance taken care of properly and efficiently, will keep your home and your loved ones safe and warm.
When To Have Your Chimney Inspected
We recommend having a chimney inspection performed annually by a certified chimney sweep – the same recommendation you’ll find from the National Chimney Sweeping Guild (NCSG), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the American Lung Association. It’s also stated that chimneys should be inspected every year and swept as needed in the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 211 code (Standard for Chimneys, Fireplaces, Vents and Solid Fuel Burning Appliances). We follow the code – and sweep each chimney every time we inspect it.
Ready to Schedule?
Don’t put off your next chimney sweep and inspection service. Call us now or reach out online to make an appointment and ensure that your chimney is in top shape before lighting your next fire. We’d love to hear from you soon.
Chimney and masonry repairs don’t have to be a nightmare. Our chimney services teams know exactly what to do.