Chimney Inspection in Northwest Indiana
A flashlight shows you the first three feet of a flue. The damage that matters is usually above that.
By Mark Jason, owner of NWI Chimney Sweep · inspecting to NFPA 211
| Level 1 | Level 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| When it applies | Routine yearly check; same appliance, same use, no known problems | Sale or transfer of the home, after a chimney fire or malfunction, new appliance, fuel change, relining |
| Flue interior | What can be seen from the firebox and the top | Camera run the full length, every tile joint on screen |
| Areas entered | Firebox, damper, accessible exterior, cap and crown | All of Level 1 plus attic, basement and crawlspace where the chimney passes through |
| Clearances to framing | Not checked beyond what is in plain view | Checked wherever the chimney is accessible |
| Tools | Light, mirror, probe | Inspection camera on rods, light, moisture meter, level |
| What you receive | Verbal findings and a written note | Written findings with still images from the scan |
What the camera finds that eyes cannot
An inspection camera shows cracked tiles, open mortar joints, shifted liners and evidence of past chimney fires that cannot be seen from the firebox. Clay flue tiles are two feet long and stacked with a thin mortar joint between them. From below you see the bottom tile and a dark tube. On screen, the same flue shows up joint by joint, and these are the things Mark stops the camera for:
- Vertical cracks in tile. Usually thermal shock: a chimney fire, or years of hot fires in a cold exterior chimney. A crack lets flue gas and heat reach the brick and, beyond it, the framing.
- Open or washed-out mortar joints. Acidic condensate eats the joint first, leaving a gap you could slide a coin into.
- Offset or shifted tiles. A ledge inside the flue catches creosote and narrows the draft path.
- Puffed, honeycomb creosote. Creosote that has expanded and looks like grey foam has already burned. That is the fingerprint of a past chimney fire.
- White staining and flaking. Water is getting in from the crown or the brick face and working on the liner from behind.
Cracked or gapped tile usually leads to a conversation about relining the flue in stainless steel; water entry points toward masonry and flashing repair.
Signs that call for an inspection before the yearly one
Call for a chimney inspection ahead of schedule if you find tile fragments, smoke staining, water in the firebox or a new odor. The same applies after any chimney fire, however small it seemed, and before the first fire in a house you have just bought.
The home sale inspection
A home sale chimney inspection is a Level 2: NFPA 211 calls for it whenever a property is sold or transferred. A general home inspector looks at a chimney the way they look at everything else: from where they stand, without specialty tools. Their report will often say only that the flue could not be fully seen and should be evaluated by a chimney professional. That is the Level 2. Buyers use it to learn what they are taking on before closing; sellers use it to answer the question before it stalls a deal. Either way the scan is the same, and so is the write-up, whoever is paying for it.
Where Level 2 stops
A Level 2 does not open walls or remove a chase cover, crown or sections of the chimney. If the scan points to hidden damage that can only be confirmed by taking part of the structure apart, that is a Level 3, and it is planned as its own job with your consent.
Our routine on site
A chimney inspection runs outside first, then the firebox, then the camera scan, then the attic and basement. On the exterior we check cap, crown, brick faces, flashing line and the lean of the stack against a level. Indoors, the firebox, lintel, damper and smoke chamber are checked by hand and light. For a Level 2 the camera then travels the flue from the bottom up while the picture is watched live; if soot hides the tile surface, the flue has to be swept first or the footage proves nothing. Attic and basement passes follow, looking for scorched framing, missing firestops and water trails. We aim to go through the footage with you on screen before the visit ends.
Inspection is finding and documenting. It does not include cleaning, and it does not include repair, although a sweep can be paired with a Level 1 in a single visit through our chimney sweeping service.
What affects the cost of a chimney inspection
Chimney inspection cost depends on the level, the number of flues, and whether the flue must be swept before the camera can see it. A Level 2 takes longer than a Level 1 because of the scan and the attic and basement passes. Each additional flue is scanned separately, and tall chimneys, steep roofs and tight crawlspaces add time. A Level 3 is priced per job because it involves opening the structure. Starting prices for Level 1 and Level 2 are on the chimney inspection price list.
Chimney inspections are available throughout the service area, including homes in Highland, newer builds in St. John and home sales in Valparaiso.
Chimney inspection questions
Do your inspections follow NFPA 211?
Yes. NFPA 211, the Standard for Chimneys, Fireplaces, Vents, and Solid Fuel-Burning Appliances, is the standard we work to. Its definitions decide what a Level 1, 2 or 3 inspection includes, and it is the reason a Level 2 from us always comes with a video scan of the flue interior. It is a standard we follow, not a credential anyone holds.
Is a Level 2 needed when buying or selling a house?
NFPA 211 calls for a Level 2 on the sale or transfer of a property. Lenders and contracts vary, so it may not be demanded on paper, but it is the only inspection that puts the inside of the flue on record before ownership changes hands.
What does a cracked flue tile look like on camera?
A thin dark line running up the tile wall, often passing straight through a mortar joint into the next tile. Hairlines can look harmless, yet they open wider when the flue heats up, which is exactly when gases are moving through it.
When does an inspection become a Level 3?
Only when a serious hidden hazard is suspected and cannot be confirmed any other way, such as fire damage inside a wall the chimney passes through. It involves removing parts of the chimney or building, so it is rare and always agreed in advance.
How would I know a chimney fire already happened?
Many are slow and quiet. Clues include puffy grey creosote, a warped metal damper or cap, flakes of creosote on the roof or lawn, and cracked tile. A camera scan is how those clues get confirmed or ruled out. NFPA 211 calls for a Level 2 inspection after any chimney fire.
Does the inspection cover the furnace and water heater flue too?
It can. Many NWI homes have a second flue in the same stack serving a gas furnace or water heater, and it deserves the same scan, especially after a furnace upgrade. Tell us when you call so the visit is planned for both flues.
Can the flue be scanned without sweeping it first?
Only if it is already clean. A layer of soot hides hairline cracks and joint gaps, so a dirty flue is brushed before the camera goes up. Otherwise you would be paying for a video of soot. That is why a chimney inspection and a sweep are often scheduled together.
We have not used the fireplace in ten years. Does it still need inspecting?
Before the first fire, yes. Idle chimneys collect nests, lose mortar to freeze-thaw and can have a damper rusted shut. A long gap in use is one of the more common reasons a first fire fills a room with smoke.
Closing date coming up? Call and get the flue on camera.
A person answers the phone from 7am to 9pm, every day of the week.
Call (219) 203-9797