Chimney crown
The top of the chimney is checked for cracking that lets water in since water entering here damages the whole chimney.
Chimney Sweeping
Chimney Inspection Sewickley, PA
A Sewickley chimney sweep can inspect your chimney from the firebox to the cap, checking the liner, damper, crown and flashing for cracks, blockages and leaks. Dial (412) 663-3115 to be connected with a nearby chimney sweep.
Most chimney damage happens where you cannot see it. Flue tiles crack from heat and age, mortar joints erode, water gets in at the crown and flashing, and nests or debris block the flue. Any of these can let heat reach the wood framing around the chimney, or let carbon monoxide back into the home.
Under the NFPA 211 standard, every chimney, fireplace and vent should be inspected once a year. There are three levels of inspection, and which one fits depends on what has happened to the chimney. A chimney used the same way year after year gets the basic level, while a sale, a fuel change, a new stove or a chimney fire calls for more.
Depending on what the sweep finds, chimney inspection in Sewickley, PA can go hand in hand with chimney cleaning and chimney repair.
Need chimney inspection in Sewickley? Call (412) 663-3115 and describe the problem to a chimney sweep who works in Sewickley.
Call nowThe process
How a chimney inspection works
An inspection follows the path of the smoke, from the firebox to the top of the chimney.
Ask about use
Knowing the fuel, the appliances and any recent smoke or leak problems shapes the visit which tells the technician where to focus.
Interior check
Inside, the firebox, hearth extension, damper and smoke chamber are looked over for cracks, gaps, rust and creosote.
Scan the flue
For a level 2 inspection, a camera is run up the flue to record the liner from bottom to top and you can watch it on a screen.
Roof check
From the roof or a ladder, the crown, cap, flashing and brickwork are checked since that is where most leaks begin.
Check clearances
In the attic, basement or crawl space, the chimney is checked for clearance to wood framing and signs of heat or water damage before the inspection wraps up.
Review the findings
Expect a clear rundown of the condition of each part and whether the chimney can be used in the meantime.
What is included
What a chimney inspection covers
Masonry
The chimney exterior is checked for crumbling mortar, flaking brick and leaning that point to water damage.
Liner condition
The liner is checked joint by joint for cracks, offsets and deposits because the liner protects the house from heat and gases.
Firebox
Firebrick, refractory panels and mortar joints are checked for cracks and gaps including the hearth and the damper above it.
Flashing
Metal flashing at the roof line is checked for rust, failed sealant and gaps because failed flashing causes many chimney leaks.
Related service
Level 1 Chimney Inspection Sewickley, PA
The level 1 inspection is the routine yearly check for a chimney in continued, unchanged use. The technician checks the readily accessible parts of the chimney exterior and interior, the appliance and its connection to the flue.
If nothing has changed in your Sewickley home, a level 1 inspection is normally done at the same visit as the sweep. Anything suspicious found during a level 1 check can lead to a recommendation for a level 2.
Related service
Level 2 Chimney Inspection Sewickley, PA
A level 2 inspection goes further than level 1, with video of the flue and a look at the chimney where it passes through accessible parts of the house. 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.
Home buyers in Sewickley benefit most from a level 2 inspection, since a general home inspection rarely looks inside the flue. Nothing is torn out, but the camera lets you see the flue from the inside.
Related service
Level 3 Chimney Inspection Sewickley, PA
Level 3 is reserved for situations where a level 1 or 2 inspection points to a hidden hazard. It can mean removing parts of the building or the chimney, such as a section of wall, paneling or the crown, to see what is behind them. It is never the starting point, only the next step when the evidence justifies it.
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 Sewickley, a chimney works hard during the heating season and takes the weather the rest of the year. Older homes in Sewickley and nearby towns such as Coraopolis, Ambridge, Franklin Park and Avalon 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.
Searching for chimney inspection near me from Sewickley or Coraopolis, Ambridge, Franklin Park and Avalon? Call (412) 663-3115 to talk to a chimney sweep who works in your part of town.
What the local climate does to a chimney
Winters here are long and cold, and the heating season usually runs from October well into April. The hardest thing on brick here is not the cold itself but the constant swing above and below freezing: water soaks into brick, mortar joints and the crown on a mild day, freezes overnight and expands, and each winter widens the cracks a little more. Wind driven rain from coastal storms finds any gap in flashing, too. That is why chimney cleaning in Sewickley is usually booked in the fall, before the first cold night.
Why call
Why fix it now
Less damage
Small chimney problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Local knowledge
Chimney sweeps in Sewickley know the chimneys and fireplaces common in local homes.
Clear next steps
Ask the sweep about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Chimney Inspection FAQ
Why do sweeps use a camera to inspect the flue?
A camera on a flexible rod travels up the flue and records the inside of the liner, joint by joint. Cracks, gaps, deposits and anything blocking the flue show up on the screen.
What is the difference between level 1, 2 and 3 inspections?
The three levels go from a routine check to a full investigation, starting with level 1 for an unchanged chimney. 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.
Is a general home inspection enough for 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.
How often does a chimney need an inspection?
A yearly inspection is the standard set by NFPA 211. Chimneys that are rarely used still need it, since animals, water and weather can damage a chimney that sits idle.
Can I use my fireplace before the inspection?
What has happened since the last check decides it. Smoke spilling into the room, signs of a past chimney fire or a known blockage are reasons to wait. If it was inspected within the year and nothing has changed, normal use until the next inspection is reasonable.
More questions? Call (412) 663-3115
Other services that may help
Chimney Cleaning
Sweeping soot and creosote out of fireplace and stove chimneys of every kind, 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
Fixing gaps, cracks and missing mortar inside the flue liner with resurfacing, joint repair or partial replacement.
Learn moreChimney Leak Repair
Finding and stopping water that gets in through the crown, cap, flashing or brick, instead of patching the stain on the ceiling.
Learn more
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Call (412) 663-3115 for a local chimney sweep in Sewickley and nearby towns.
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