Flashing
Metal flashing at the roof line is checked for rust, failed sealant and gaps since it is a common leak point.
Chimney Sweeping
Chimney Inspection Millstadt, IL
A Millstadt chimney sweep can inspect your chimney from the firebox to the cap, checking the liner, damper, crown and flashing for cracks, blockages and leaks. Call (618) 476-0260 to reach a local chimney sweep.
Most chimney damage happens where you cannot see it. Cracked liner tiles, eroded mortar, a split crown and loose flashing are common, along with blockages from nests and fallen debris. Any of these can let heat reach the wood framing around the chimney, or let carbon monoxide back into the home.
The NFPA 211 standard calls for chimneys, fireplaces and vents to be inspected at least once a year. Inspections come in three levels, each one going deeper than the last. A chimney that has not changed gets a basic look, but a home sale, a relining or a chimney fire calls for a camera scan and a closer check.
Many chimney inspection calls in Millstadt also turn up a need for chimney cleaning or chimney repair.
Need chimney inspection in Millstadt? Call (618) 476-0260 to talk to a local chimney sweep.
Call nowThe process
How a chimney inspection works
Here is how a sweep typically handles a chimney inspection.
Gather the history
The technician asks what burns in the chimney, how often and whether anything has changed to decide which inspection level fits.
Check the firebox
The technician examines the firebox, damper operation and the walls above it for cracks, gaps, rust and creosote.
Camera inspection
A video scan shows cracked tiles, gaps at joints and missing mortar that a flashlight cannot reach which is the only way to see the full length of most flues.
Roof check
On the outside, the brick, mortar joints, crown, cap and flashing get a close look for cracks, spalling and gaps that let water in.
Attic check
Accessible areas around the chimney are checked for heat damage, leaks and proper clearance to combustibles before the inspection wraps up.
Written report
You get an explanation of what was found, what is safe and what needs repair so you can decide on repairs with the facts in hand.
What is included
What gets inspected
Firebox
Firebrick, refractory panels and mortar joints are checked for cracks and gaps including the hearth and the damper above it.
Crown
The top of the chimney is checked for cracking that lets water in and the cap is checked for rust and a secure fit.
Exterior brick
The chimney exterior is checked for crumbling mortar, flaking brick and leaning which can mean repointing is due.
Flue liner
Clay tile, metal and cast liners are checked for cracks, gaps, missing mortar and heavy creosote since a damaged liner lets heat reach the house.
Related service
Level 1 Chimney Inspection Millstadt, IL
The level 1 inspection is the routine yearly check for a chimney in continued, unchanged use. It looks at the easily reached parts of the system inside and out, including the appliance and how it connects to the chimney.
If nothing has changed in your Millstadt home, a level 1 inspection is normally done at the same visit as the sweep. When something looks wrong, the next step is a level 2 inspection with a camera.
Related service
Level 2 Chimney Inspection Millstadt, IL
Level 2 adds a camera scan of the full flue and a check of accessible attics, basements and crawl spaces to everything in a level 1. The standard calls for it after changes to the system, like adding an insert or changing fuels, and when property changes hands. It is also the right inspection after a chimney fire, a lightning strike, a severe storm or any malfunction that could have damaged the chimney.
If you are buying a home in Millstadt with a fireplace or stove, ask for a level 2 inspection before closing. The camera footage shows the liner joint by joint, and no permanent part of the building is removed.
Related service
Level 3 Chimney Inspection Millstadt, IL
The level 3 inspection includes everything in levels 1 and 2 and adds access to concealed parts of the chimney. Reaching those areas can require removing drywall, paneling or part of the chimney itself. It is not a routine inspection, and it is only done when a hidden problem is suspected.
A level 3 might follow a chimney fire that damaged parts hidden inside walls, or a camera scan that shows something needing a closer look.
Local help
Chimney Inspection Near Me
In Millstadt, a chimney works hard during the heating season and takes the weather the rest of the year. Older homes in Millstadt and nearby towns such as Smithton, Belleville, Columbia and Dupo often have clay tile flues and brick that has been through many winters, and water working into the masonry is behind much of the damage an inspection finds.
For chimney inspection in Millstadt, IL or nearby towns like Smithton, Belleville, Columbia and Dupo, call (618) 476-0260 to reach a chimney sweep who covers your street.
What the local climate does to a chimney
This part of the country gets long winters, heavy snow in places and stretches of bitter cold. Furnaces, wood stoves and fireplaces run hard from fall to spring, which means fast creosote buildup and a lot of stress on liners, crowns and flashing. Snow that piles up behind a chimney and melts slowly is a common source of leaks at the flashing. Most chimney cleaning in Millstadt, IL happens right before the first snow.
Why call
Why fix it now
Less damage
A chimney problem fixed early rarely spreads to the masonry, the liner or the house.
Local knowledge
Chimney sweeps in Millstadt know the chimneys and fireplaces common in local homes.
Straight answers
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Chimney Inspection FAQ
Does a home inspection include the chimney?
Most general home inspectors look at the chimney from the outside and the firebox, which leaves the length of the flue unseen. A level 2 chimney inspection with a camera scan is the way to see the liner itself.
Which chimney inspection level do I need?
Level 1 is the routine yearly check of a chimney that has not changed. Level 2 adds video of the flue and is the one for home sales, relining, new appliances and chimney fires. Level 3 adds removing parts of the building or chimney to reach concealed areas when a serious hazard is suspected.
How often should a chimney be inspected?
Fire safety guidance says once a year, every year, for every chimney and vent in the home. Even a chimney you seldom use should be checked, because nests, leaks and weather do their damage whether or not you burn.
Is it safe to use a fireplace that has not been inspected?
The answer rests on what you know about the chimney. After a suspected chimney fire, a storm hit, an animal problem or smoke spilling into the room, wait for an inspection before lighting a fire. A chimney inspected in the last year with no new problems is a much lower risk than one with an unknown history.
What does a chimney camera inspection show?
A camera on a flexible rod travels up the flue and records the inside of the liner, joint by joint. It shows cracked tiles, open joints, missing mortar, creosote buildup and obstructions.
More questions? Call (618) 476-0260
Other services that may help
Chimney Cleaning
Brushing and vacuuming the buildup from wood-burning fireplaces, stoves and inserts, to cut the risk of a chimney fire.
Learn moreChimney Repair
Repairs for the masonry, crown, flashing and flue of a damaged chimney, before small damage turns into a rebuild.
Learn moreChimney Liner Repair
Restoring a damaged chimney liner after a camera scan shows where the damage is.
Learn moreChimney Leak Repair
Finding and stopping water that gets in through the crown, cap, flashing or brick, before the water rots framing or ruins the flue.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all chimney servicesTalk to a Millstadt chimney sweep about chimney inspection
Call (618) 476-0260 to talk to a chimney sweep serving Millstadt, IL.
(618) 476-0260
Free to call. No forms to fill out.