Types of Services
The purpose of a chimney inspection is to help inform you of any potentially unsafe condition. We have built our reputation on adhering to accepted building, fire and mechanical standards, as well as manufacturer’s technical requirements to protect all parties involved. In providing this, a proper inspection details both, the obvious as well as important fine points of a problem chimney / fireplace.
Cracks or voids in a chimney can lead to heat transfer and result in a chimney fire – so it is one of the most important issues with masonry chimneys. Equally, metal chimneys can suffer material failure, as well as installation errors that result in chimney fires. With both types of chimney, these areas are difficult to see so the process of the inspection should include digital documentation and/or a video scope to examine the hidden areas, as best as possible.
The clients and agents are advised to be present so that any questions could be easily answered and should problems be found it could be explained to full clarity. The report should cover the conditions of the chimney, violations, fire hazards and recommendations for any needed repairs or safety tips.
Comprehensive Inspection
In order to fully understand and best assess the condition of your fireplace/chimney, we perform Level II and Level III inspections, documenting areas of trouble with digital and/or video scope equipment along with examining all readily accessible portions of the chimney to compile a comprehensive report.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA 211) has delineated the standards and Levels of Inspection. A Level I inspection is too cursory for what we need to do as an independent inspection service. In order to fully understand and best assess the condition of your fireplace(s) we perform Level II and Level III inspections. Our inspection will document areas of trouble with digital and/or video scope equipment (internal scope of the chimney) along with examining all readily accessible portions of the chimney. The report will cover areas of concern, which range from material failure, sudden damage from a natural disaster, construction defect, installation error, design flaw or improper use. Along with the documentation of any problems the report covers the recommended or needed corrections.
Level II inspections are the standard for real estate listings or pre-listings. The same goes for private homeowners trying to determine the overall condition of their fireplace system, whether it be a masonry chimney or a prefabricated system. Newer gas-only fireplace systems get into a Level III inspection due to the need for special tools and the fact the system needs to be opened to perform basic evaluations.
Professional Consultation
Professional Consultation may be needed on new fireplace installations or during the repair process of an existing chimney/fireplace. This service may be needed during a design phase or when dealing with a conflict.
We are often contracted to consult on new fireplace installations, which typically requires multiple visits during the stages of the construction. Our consultation service covers a broad range of topics from new system installations, the repair process, design review, product analysis, industry standards to review of conflicting repair contracts or other company inspection reports. Our consultation service would be used on some types of re-inspections, after repairs have been performed following our initial evaluation.
Expert Support
Expert Support caters to the documentation and resolution of conflicts with troubled chimneys/fireplaces through mediation, arbitration or other professional practices.
This service includes any or all of the following: location visit to fully evaluate the system(s) in question, report compilation, digital documentation or video presentation, testing or design review, evaluation of manufacturer specifications and installation requirements, evaluation of prior inspection reports or contracts, code review or compliance based on date specifications. This service would include any necessary meetings, depositions or trial testimony.