Can You Trust a Home Inspector with Your Fireplace and Chimney Inspections?

When homes are sold, home inspectors look over the house and report any issues they discover. When it comes to the fireplace and chimney, a lot of homeowners wonder if the average home inspector has the skills and knowledge to perform a complete and proper inspection.

The Chimney Guys of Pataskala, OH, would like to outline what should happen during a fireplace and chimney inspection. If you’re working with a home inspector who can do all this, keep working. If not, hire a qualified local specialist.

Real estate fireplace inspections

Most home inspectors are looking for obvious signs of trouble in a fireplace. A licensed fireplace inspector looks for much more.

Fireplace and firebox

A key element of the inspection will be a check of how the fireplace operates and the condition of the firebox. The inspector will look for cracks in the refractory panels and fire bricks and confirm that the appliance is able to draft safely into an appropriately sized chimney flue.

Damage to the firebox structure and its components can allow flames to escape and set fire to adjacent home materials. Breaks in the bricks or panels can cause smoke and deadly carbon monoxide to filter out into a home’s living spaces. Even the smallest signs of firebox damage need to be noted.

Firebox issues can be resolved with basic repair or rebuilding work. Only a skilled fireplace repair technician should do these jobs. 

Fireplace damper

The inspection will assess the fireplace damper, making sure it opens and closes completely and that it’s free from rust and built-up creosote and soot.

Most licensed fireplace and chimney inspectors are familiar with all damper styles and models, including throat dampers above the firebox and top-mount dampers that are installed on top of the masonry chimney.

These inspectors are qualified to repair or replace the damper.

Inspecting the chimney

When a home is being prepared for sale, the functionality and structural soundness of the chimney should be properly inspected.

Chimney cap and chase cover

These components keep rain and debris out of the chimney flue.

Chimney crown

The concrete crown protects the bricks beneath it and the interior spaces of the chimney from water and debris.

Masonry

Inspectors look closely at the masonry for cracked bricks and crumbling mortar as well as for signs of water intrusion.

Chimney liner

Video scanning allows the inspector to assess the condition of the chimney liner and spot cracks, breaks and other damage.

Creosote and flue obstructions

An inspection should check for the level of built-up flammable creosote inside the chimney flue. It should also check for obstructive debris buildups.

The inspection report

Your inspector will give you a report of his or her findings. If damage or malfunction exists, you’ll have specific recommendations on what to do to resolve the problems.

Have your fireplace and chimney properly inspected

We’re in no way criticizing the work of professional home inspectors, but we are saying that it’s a rare home inspector who has the training and qualifications to properly inspect a fireplace and chimney system.

If you’re selling or buying a home, contact The Chimney Guys for the type of inspection you can trust. Reach us by phone or through our contact form.