Twin Cities Chimney and Fireplace Inspections

Having your chimney and fireplace inspections are crucial to the safety of your home. You can trust The Twin Cities Chimney Sweep for a CSIA Certified Chimney and Fireplace Inspection in Minneapolis – St. Paul MN. Did you know, on average, 25,400 homes are damaged or destroyed by chimney related fires each year? Chimney related fires account for almost ¼ of ALL residential fires. Having your fireplace and chimney inspected on a regular basis is your best preventative action.

Be Smart…Be Sure…Get Inspected!

 

Some chimney defects are obvious. Missing, broken, or spalling bricks, rust staining water damage on interior ceilings and walls, however, other problems such as broken flue tiles, missing mortar joints in the flue liner, flue blockages, these are not so easily recognized and requires a chimney inspection professional to identify them.

When you call Twin Cities Chimney Sweep to inspect your chimney you get a full Level 2 inspection by a CSIA Certified Chimney Technician. Other companies charge a hundred dollars or more just to come out and do a visual inspection, which just doesn’t cut it. Call Twin Cities Chimney Sweep and for the same price, or a couple dollars more, we will do an inspection that YOU can watch right along with us. Don’t depend on someone looking at your fireplace and chimney with a flashlight if you really want to be safe! Call and request an appointment with Twin Cities Chimney Sweep and let us show you what your chimney looks like.

Buying a Home?
Get the Chimney Inspected by Twin Cities Chimney Sweep BEFORE You Sign On the Dotted Line.

The National Fire Protection Association-211 Code Book States: (2013 ed., sec. 15.4.1 (3)): “A Level 2 Inspection Shall Be Conducted Under The Following Circumstances: (3) Upon Sale or Transfer of Property.”

I can’t tell you how many times we have been the bearer of bad news when people move into their new home. They go through the purchase process, have everything inspected, spend hours in the closing, and then they move in. They have a bottle of wine chilling, firewood stacked next to the fireplace, it’s Friday evening and you’re getting the chimney cleaned just like the inspector told you to do, and your going to celebrate your new home after a long work week and drink away the stress of moving, all in front of a soothing fire. We come in and sweep the chimney, do a Level 2 video inspection, and NOW that the creosote is cleaned out we can see everything. The liners are cracked from top to bottom. We put everything away, tell you the fireplace is unsafe to use, and hand you an estimate for the repairs. You look at us like we have 5 eyes in our head, the home inspector just said it needed to be cleaned, you just spent your last 2 dollars getting into the house and you don’t have the money to fix a fireplace; this can’t be happening. The seller said, “Everything worked just fine.” You put away the bottle of wine, throw the firewood out the door, and start going through your stack of paperwork to see if there’s any way to get this fixed without YOU paying for it. We have seen this over and over and over. If there’s ever a time to get your chimney inspected, it’s “Before” you sign the papers to buy your new home.

Home inspectors have their place, however, it’s common for them to tell you; “The chimney looks good, it just needs to be cleaned.” If the chimney needs to be cleaned, no one can do an inspection because the defects are hidden by creosote. Don’t leave yourself open to disappointment, call Twin Cities Chimney Sweep and get your fireplace and chimney inspected “Before” you sit through the closing. Twin Cities Chimney Sweep works with realtors on a regular basis, saving their clients thousands of dollars and countless headaches.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) on Chimney and Fireplace Inspections

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) now recognizes three (3) different types of chimney inspections, Level 1—Level 2—and Level 3. Below, please find the “Basic” explanation of what each level of inspection is and when it’s suggested.

Level 1 inspection: This level of inspection is a “Visual” inspection. If you haven’t made any changes to your burning system, plan to use it in the same method you have in the past, and have not experienced any unusual problems. This is the minimum inspection requirement. Basically, this is going to tell you if your chimney is still standing and isn’t going to fall over.

Level 2 inspection: Twin Cities Chimney Sweep includes this with every inspection request, or cleaning and inspection. This level of inspection is required when changes have been made to your system, or you plan to use your burning unit in a different method than you have in the past. Additionally, a Level 2 inspection is required upon the sale or transfer of the property or after an operation malfunction or external event that is likely to have caused damage to the chimney. This level of inspection is more in-depth; however, there are no specialty tools (i.e. demolition equipment) required to open doors, panels or coverings in performing a Level 2 inspection. A Level 2 inspection shall also include a visual inspection by video scanning or other means in order to examine the internal surfaces and joints of all flue liners incorporated within the chimney. No removal or destruction of permanently attached portions of the chimney or building structure or finish shall be required by a Level 2 inspection. When a Level 1 or Level 2 inspection suggests a hidden hazard and the evaluation cannot be performed without special tools to access concealed areas of the chimney or flue, a Level 3 inspection is recommended.

Level 3 inspection: A Level 3 inspection includes all the areas and items checked in a Level 1 and a Level 2 inspection, as well as the removal of certain components of the building or chimney where necessary. Removal of components (i.e., chimney crown, interior chimney wall) shall be required only when necessary to gain access to areas that are the subject of the inspection. When serious hazards are suspected, a Level 3 inspection may well be required to determine the condition of the chimney system.

No matter what Level of chimney inspection you require, Twin Cities Chimney Sweep is here to service your needs.

Having your chimney inspected, and cleaned if necessary, by Twin Cities Chimney Sweep is the best way to prevent chimney fires and maintain a safe fireplace/chimney for your family to enjoy.

Contact Twin Cities Chimney Sweep today at 651-214-3822 to schedule your Minneapolis – St. Paul – or Wisconsin chimney inspection service.

Twin Cities Chimney Sweep reserves the right to withdraw any proposal at any time with or without cause or reason.