Did you know that the CSIA recommends all owners invest in an inspection every single year? By scheduling this maintenance before the start of your burning season for your fireplace, wood stove, gas fireplace or oil or gas furnace, you’ll ensure your system stays safer for use during the cooler months ahead, and you’ll get more heat and efficiency from it, as well.

But what can you inspect when you book an inspection with our team? Well, our CSIA certified crew never cuts corners, and our thorough training sessions ensure that we never miss a thing! That being said, what we look for and what parts we examine will depend a lot on the type of appliance you have. Learn more below.

Why Is An Inspection So Important?cracked flue tile - crofton md - clean sweep aa

Whether you use your system once a year or a hundred times a year, you need to schedule annual inspections. Annual inspections are vital in keeping your chimney healthy. Just as you go to the dentist on a regular basis to make sure your teeth and mouth are not showing signs of deterioration, plaque build that can cause more problem and expensive work down the road. Or when you take your car in for its maintenance check-up. Without these inspections or visits, you would not know of any potential problems or have them perform as they should.

During our inspection of a masonry wood-burning chimney, we will inspect all the parts of the chimney and make sure they are sized correctly. We inspect the firebox, the damper, the smoke shelf and the entire length of the flue liner within the chimney. We use an internal digital camera system that allows us to view and inspect the inside of the chimney at 360 degrees, sort of a colonoscopy for your chimney! We look for the absence of voids, gaps, missing mortar joints, missing flue tile pieces and cracks. If any of these are present they can change how your system functions and the safety of the system. Remember when you are using your fireplace you are having a fire in your home and you want to make sure the fire only stays in the firebox.

When we inspect a gas appliance such as gas logs or gas insert, we inspect the electrical and mechanical components, inspect logs for deterioration, inspects the glass doors for chips, crack or if they are dirty. We inspect the interior gas ignition to make sure it is lighting properly as well inspect the valves and connections and much more.

Did you know that your oil or gas service provider does not sweep or inspect your chimney? That is where we come in. When we are inspecting an oil or gas furnace/boiler we inspect the connecting pipe of the unit to make sure it is free of holes and corrosion or deterioration. Next, we inspect the thimble and the chimney flue liner for a build-up of soot, clogs, cracks, missing flue tile and proper flue sizing for the appliance. All of these can affect the performance and safety of your chimney and allow carbon monoxide to not flow out of the home but back into the home.

With all our inspections we inspect the exterior of the chimney to make sure the exterior of the chimney is free of water entry points and that the condition of the chimney is structurally sound.

No matter what type of appliance you have the condition of your liner, and at the structural soundness of your chimney is vital in the safety and performance of your appliance as well as giving you peace of mind when you are using your system.

Creosote, Build Up & Damages

As you’ve gathered, the main things we look for the overall condition of the chimney inside and out. We also inspect for creosote or soot accumulation, built-up debris and nesting materials or clogs that need to be addressed. All of these things hinder your system’s ability to function as efficiently and safely. Cracks, holes, and build up all increase the likelihood of house fires, carbon monoxide or gas leaks.

If any issues are discovered, our team is happy to help you find the right solution for you and we can suggest some preventative maintenance measures for you to take, as well. And if you have any questions, let us know! We are happy to keep homeowners educated on fire safety, chimney maintenance, and everything else in between.

Don’t waste any more time. We Make Chimneys Healthy!