Our Company Blog

How Often Should I Have My Chimney Inspected?

When owning a home with a chimney and fireplace system, it is the responsibility of the homeowners to have it professionally swept and inspected at least once a year. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and other national non-profit fire safety organizations recommend having you chimney professionally swept and inspected annually. This is one of the most important home maintenance as it is related to the safety of your family. For over 25 years, Atlas Chimney has provided quality professional chimney maintenance, which includes repairs and installation services to residents across the Austin area. You can trust our CSIA-certified chimney technicians to ensure your chimney is in top working condition and will remain safe and efficient throughout the year. Chimney inspection is vital, and we would like to tell you more about what you’ll expect from our professionals.

Why do I need to have my chimney professionally inspected?

The national chimney experts recommend every homeowner to schedule this particular professional maintenance service at least once a year to ensure there are no flue blockages or any other type of damages, which could lead to dangerous fire hazards or other problems. With Atlas Chimney, we include a basic Level 1 inspection with your annual chimney sweeping appointment. However, if you are buying or selling a home or if you have made any changes to your fireplace since your previous chimney inspection, then you will need a Level 2 inspection. Our Level 2 inspection includes the attic, basement, and crawl spaces around the chimney. This will also be the inspection required after an earthquake, tornado, lightning strike, chimney fire or other events that may have damaged the chimney. If you suspect any problems that need more extensive investigation, a Level 3 inspection would be recommended. This level requires the removal of components such as a wall of the chimney – in order to determine the source of the problem that could lead to a devastating house fire – if neglected.

What can I expect from a chimney inspection from Atlas Chimney?

When sweeping your chimney, our CSIA-certified professionals will be doing a courtesy check to ensure nothing is blocking the inner flue. We will also keep an eye out for any damages to the liner. Both of these issues could lead to a potential carbon monoxide leak into your home. After sweeping your chimney, we will inspect the condition of the bricks and mortar joints on the exterior of your chimney. If we do find any damaged or missing masonry, we will provide photographs of the damages in our inspection report along with an honest estimate of the repairs that will be needed to get your chimney back to working safely.

Take advantage of our less busy off-season right now! Contact us today to schedule your professional chimney inspection.

Things About Your Chimney A Home Inspector Can Miss

When you are buying or selling a home, one of the most important steps in this process is the home inspection. However, if the home has a chimney and fireplace system, you should know that this inspection does not sufficiently examine its condition. In fact, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends having a Level 2 chimney inspection of any home involved in a real-estate transaction.

Atlas Chimney provides all levels of professional chimney inspection services by our Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) certified technicians. This way, you know can trust us to tell you exactly how safe the chimney really is! Home inspectors must be trained and certified in their field. However, they are not required to undergo professional training on how to inspect chimneys and fireplaces. Unfortunately, this means they could miss a potential chimney issue! We would like to tell you about a couple of things about a chimney that the CSIA noticed were missed by a home inspector.

CHIMNEY HEIGHT

What is one of the main reasons why a Level 2 professional chimney inspection is required when buying or selling a home? It’s to make sure the chimney and fireplace system meets all local building codes and standards, including the correct height of the chimney. The International Residential Code (IRC) enforces the 3-2-10’ chimney height rule. This means all chimneys should be at least two feet higher than any part of the building within 10 feet. In addition, is not less than three feet above the point where the chimney meets the roof. Home inspectors do not always check this requirement. This is unfortunate, because its essential for your chimney to draft properly!

CONDITION OF CHIMNEY COMPONENTS

In the CSIA article, “What the Home Inspector Missed, The Chimney Sweep Caught,” a damaged chimney chase cover was not discovered in the home inspection. This problem could lead to extensive and expensive water leak damage to the chimney and the rest of the home.  That is exactly why its important to be noted in a real-estate transaction. A home inspector rarely examines the condition of the different parts of a chimney. Parts such as a chase cover, chimney cap, and liner. However, a CSIA-certified chimney sweep includes every part of the chimney in a Level 2 inspection. This guarantees there are no problems lurking within or on top of your chimney!

Buying or selling a home? Contact us at Atlas Chimney today to schedule an appointment for a Level 2 chimney inspection!