If you’re unclear about what happens during a chimney inspection and maybe even putting it off because you’re unsure of how intensive it is, read on to see what to expect.
We’re always telling our customers to take advantage of our chimney inspection services, but not all know what that entails. Before and after winter are great times to look into this service to keep your fireplace safe, energy-efficient, and functioning as expected.
If you’re unclear about what happens during a chimney inspection and maybe even putting it off because you’re unsure of how intensive it is, read on to see what you should expect when you schedule this necessary chimney maintenance routine.
What Happens During Chimney Inspection?
Typically, a chimney inspection involves looking at a chimney’s interior and exterior to see if there are any signs of damage. This could include cracks, decaying mortar, or even loose flashing—blockages or potential spots where creosote is building up that could lead to a chimney fire.
However, not all chimney inspections look pretty the same. Depending on what’s going on with your chimney inspection (and how long it’s been since you’ve last had it), it may be necessary to do a more or less intensive inspection. Generally, that can fall into three camps.
Initial Inspection
If you have a newer chimney that’s in great condition and hasn’t had any obvious damage done to it, this is probably all it will take. Your chimney inspector can help clean the chimney out and remove creosote, debris, or animal nests. They also take a look at other components like the smoke chamber, damper, and firebox. Beyond that, they can look at your flue liner and chimney exterior to make sure there are no signs of masonry damage or cracks.
A Further Look
When we perform these kinds of inspections, it’s usually because it is difficult to tell if there is damage. That’s why we bring a video camera to help finish the job. This is a good option if you’ve had any new appliance installations like a switch in fuel use, or if you already know that your chimney has likely experienced some damage.
Complete Inspection
You’ll likely know you’ll need this kind of inspection if it ever comes up. That’s because we do the most thorough inspections after something like a chimney fire or partial collapse, both of which can involve serious damage to the integrity of your chimney. And, as such, we may need to remove parts of the chimney to get in there and completely inspect it, so it’s quite the involved process.
Schedule Your Chimney Cleaning from Champion Chimneys, Inc.
When you need a trusted company for your chimney inspection and chimney cleaning, you can trust our team. Champion Chimneys, Inc. is a fully licensed, bonded, and insured chimney service company that has served customers in Baltimore County, Howard County, and Anne Arundel County, Maryland, since 2001. Our team is trained and certified by Certified Chimney Professionals, Inc. (CCP, Inc.). We specialize in all aspects of your chimney system. Whether you need chimney and flue cleaning service or a full chimney rebuild or inspection, contact us at 443-Chimney today and let us fix all your chimney problems. Also, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.