Video Inspections Allow Us To Get Up Close & Personal With Your Chimney System
Depending on your chimney system’s individual circumstances, Blue Sky Chimney Sweeps will recommend one of three industry standard levels of annual chimney inspection. A Level 1 visual inspection will be the most fitting option if your venting system hasn’t changed since our last visit (i.e. you’re using the same appliance with the same fuel, venting through the same chimney and liner).
If we need to take a closer and more thorough look into your chimney system, however, we’ll recommend a Level 2 video inspection, using a state-of-the-art camera system that was specifically developed for chimney inspections. With this camera, we’ll capture video and still images along the entirety of your flue, and we’ll be able to more accurately gauge whether or not hazards are hiding in the interior of your appliance or chimney.
During a Level 2 video inspection, Blue Sky Chimney Sweeps’ technicians will follow the steps included in a Level 1 visual inspection, closely looking at all of the readily-accessible portions of your appliance, the chimney’s exterior and interior, and the connectors that join the two. But we’ll also inspect attics, crawl spaces, and basements. Throughout the process, we’ll be:
- checking to see if there are cracks, gaps, or other signs of damage in the masonry
- checking for proper installation
- looking for water damage
- evaluating the extent of creosote buildup
If potential hazards are found during a Level 2 video inspection, we may recommend a Level 3 inspection, which requires us to remove parts of your chimney system or the walls or ceilings around it (like doors, drywall, or other permanent parts of the structure), in order to get a closer look at the area in question. Sometimes a Level 3 inspection is the only way to truly evaluate the damage and how it affects the safety of your system.
When Would I Need A Level 2 Video Inspection?
If the home is being bought or sold, a Level 2 video inspection is recommended. With the transfer of property, there should be no surprises — you wouldn’t want to purchase a home, only to find out a few months later that a dangerous and expensive problem was missed by a building inspector.
We’ll also recommend a video inspection if you’ve had a new appliance installed to be used with an existing chimney; if you’ve relined your chimney; or if you’ve switched to a different fuel (for instance, if you have installed gas logs in your previously wood-burning fireplace). If there’s been a chimney fire, or if weather or an earthquake has or may have caused damage, a Level 2 video inspection is the best choice as well.
If you’re not sure what level of inspection is best for your home, call Blue Sky Chimney Sweeps or click here to schedule an appointment online — we’d love to help you decide what’s right for your situation.
Don’t wait to schedule your chimney inspection, “Bless Your Hearth” today!
It may be that all you need is a visual inspection, so that is the chimney inspection we will provide. Call on Blue Sky Chimney Sweeps for all your chimney needs.
