Should You Trust a Home Inspector to Inspect Your Fireplace and Chimney?
In most U.S. jurisdictions, a home inspection is required by law when the home is being sold. Most of the time, the inspection is handled by an independent home inspector.
American Chimney & Fireplace of Louisville, KY, is often asked if a “typical” home inspector is qualified to inspect fireplaces prior to the sale of a home. The answer we usually give is, “It depends on what you expect from the inspection.”
Here are some things you’ll want to know about fireplace inspections if you’re planning to sell your home in the near future. The same applies to chimney inspections.
The job of a home inspector
The average home inspector has quite a bit to do when looking at all the systems, equipment and spaces in a home that’s going up for sale. He or she will perform a basic visual inspection of the fireplace and chimney, but it won’t be anything close to what a professional chimney technician will do.
Home inspectors simply don’t have the training to understand the materials and performance of masonry fireplaces, manufactured fireplaces, fireplace inserts and heating stoves. They aren’t experts in gas line connections and components, and they aren’t skilled in evaluating the condition of a chimney flue.
The home inspector’s job is to report obvious damage. When it comes to your fireplace and chimney, you could do pretty much the same thing.
This is to take nothing away from the value a home inspector brings to the job. We’re just saying that for specialized appliances like fireplaces and their connected chimneys, you should raise the inspection bar to a higher standard.
Professional fireplace and chimney inspections
Many chimney service companies specialize in fireplace and chimney inspections performed by trained service personnel who are intricately familiar with how these systems work and should look.
During a real estate chimney inspection, you should expect your technician to assess multiple areas of your fireplace and chimney system.
- Refractory panels and fire bricks in the firebox
- Gas line connections and all components of a gas fireplace or stove
- Fireplace damper
- Smoke chamber just above the damper
- Chimney flue liner, which will be inspected with a specialized camera
- Chimney masonry – bricks and mortar
- Chimney chase for manufactured fireplaces
- Chimney cap, flashing and crown
- Chimney chase top
The inspector will evaluate the level of built-up flammable creosote in the flue. He or she will also look for tree and animal debris that could impede the drafting of smoke and combustion gases.
The bottom line of fireplace and chimney inspections
The point of a proper fireplace inspection is to spot signs of damage or malfunction so the problems can be fixed. Chimney technicians know what to look for and can often spot issues that the average homeowner (and most home inspectors) can’t.
For this reason, if you’re selling your home or buying a new one, it’s in your best interests to engage the services of an experienced fireplace and chimney inspector.
Learn more about the inspection process and how it can benefit you by calling American Chimney & Fireplace. You can also get in touch through our handy contact form.
