Exterior brick
The chimney exterior is checked for crumbling mortar, flaking brick and leaning which can mean repointing is due.
Chimney Sweeping
Chimney Inspection Park Forest, IL
A chimney inspection in Park Forest tells you whether your fireplace or stove is safe to use, checking the liner, damper, crown and flashing for cracks, blockages and leaks. Call (708) 708-7348 to reach a local chimney sweep.
A chimney can look fine from the yard and still have serious problems inside. 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.
Fire safety guidance from NFPA 211 is a yearly inspection for every chimney and vent, whatever the fuel. The industry uses three levels of inspection, and the right one depends on the situation rather than on preference. Unchanged chimneys get the basic level, and changes or damage step it up.
Many chimney inspection calls in Park Forest also turn up a need for chimney cleaning or chimney repair.
Need chimney inspection in Park Forest? Call (708) 708-7348 to talk to a local chimney sweep.
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.
Start with questions
The technician asks what burns in the chimney, how often and whether anything has changed to decide which inspection level fits.
Inside the fireplace
The technician examines the firebox, damper operation and the walls above it for cracks, gaps, rust and creosote.
Camera inspection
A camera on a flexible rod shows the inside of the liner, joint by joint and the recording can be reviewed with you.
Check the exterior
On the outside, the brick, mortar joints, crown, cap and flashing get a close look since that is where most leaks begin.
Check clearances
Where the chimney passes through accessible attics and basements, the technician looks for scorching, water stains and gaps to make sure heat is not reaching the structure.
Explain the results
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 a chimney inspection covers
Flashing
The step and counter flashing where the chimney meets the roof is checked for gaps and lifted edges for signs of water getting in.
Chimney crown
The crown is checked for cracks, shrinkage and gaps around the flue tile along with the cap and its screen.
Flue liner
Clay tile, metal and cast liners are checked for cracks, gaps, missing mortar and heavy creosote because the liner protects the house from heat and gases.
Firebox
The firebox walls and floor are checked for loose brick, open joints and cracked panels along with the hearth extension in front.
Related service
Level 1 Chimney Inspection Park Forest, IL
A level 1 inspection is the basic annual check for a chimney that is being used the same way it has been, with no changes and no known problems. It looks at the easily reached parts of the system inside and out, including the appliance and how it connects to the chimney.
For most Park Forest homes that burn the same way every year, a level 1 inspection paired with a cleaning is all that is needed. If the technician sees something that needs a closer look, the inspection can be stepped up to level 2.
Related service
Level 2 Chimney Inspection Park Forest, 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.
For anyone buying a house in Park Forest, a level 2 inspection is the way to know the flue is sound before you own it. The camera footage shows the liner joint by joint, and no permanent part of the building is removed.
Related service
Level 3 Chimney Inspection Park Forest, IL
Level 3 is reserved for situations where a level 1 or 2 inspection points to a hidden hazard. It may involve opening a wall, removing a crown or taking apart part of the chimney to reach concealed areas. It is not a routine inspection, and it is only done when a hidden problem is suspected.
Common reasons include suspected damage after a chimney fire or building fire, structural damage, or a level 2 scan that shows a problem the camera cannot fully explain.
Local help
Chimney Inspection Near Me
Around Park Forest, chimneys deal with winter fires on the inside and rain, snow and sun on the outside. Older homes in Park Forest and nearby towns such as South Chicago Heights, University Park, Olympia Fields and Richton Park often have clay tile flues and brick that has been through many winters, and freeze-thaw cycles, wind and water slowly open cracks in the crown, mortar and flue.
Searching for chimney inspection near me from Park Forest or South Chicago Heights, University Park, Olympia Fields and Richton Park? Call (708) 708-7348 to talk to a chimney sweep who works in your part of town.
What the local climate does to a chimney
Winters here are cold and long, with lake effect snow in many towns and deep cold snaps that can last for days. Heating systems and wood stoves work nearly nonstop for months, so flues collect creosote fast and liners and crowns see a lot of heat and cold. Snow that piles up behind a chimney and melts slowly is a common source of leaks at the flashing. Most chimney cleaning in Park Forest, IL happens right before the first snow.
Why call
Why not wait
Smaller repairs
A chimney problem fixed early rarely spreads to the masonry, the liner or the house.
Familiar with local homes
Local sweeps see the same chimney types and weather wear across Park Forest and nearby towns.
Straight answers
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Chimney Inspection questions
Can I use my fireplace before the inspection?
What has happened since the last check decides it. 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. If it was inspected within the year and nothing has changed, normal use until the next inspection is reasonable.
What does a chimney camera inspection show?
The camera shows the inside of the flue from the smoke chamber to the top. It reveals cracked or shifted flue tiles, gaps in mortar joints, heavy or glazed creosote and blockages.
Which chimney inspection level do I need?
Each level builds on the one before, and level 1 is the routine yearly check. A level 2 includes a video scan and is needed after changes, sales and events like chimney fires or storms. Level 3 is reserved for suspected hidden damage and may mean removing part of a wall or the chimney.
How often should a chimney be inspected?
The NFPA 211 standard calls for an inspection at least once a year, whether or not you use the fireplace much. Chimneys that are rarely used still need it, since animals, water and weather can damage a chimney that sits idle.
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. The level 2 inspection is built for this situation, since the sale of a home calls for one.
More questions? Call (708) 708-7348
Other services that may help
Chimney Cleaning
Cleaning the flue, smoke chamber and firebox of wood-burning fireplaces, stoves and inserts, to cut the risk of a chimney fire.
Learn moreChimney Repair
Chimney repairs from the cap and crown down to the firebox, matched to what an inspection actually finds.
Learn moreChimney Liner Repair
Restoring a damaged chimney liner so smoke and gases stay sealed inside the flue.
Learn moreChimney Leak Repair
Finding and stopping water that gets in through the crown, cap, flashing or brick, whether the drip shows up in the attic, the ceiling or the firebox.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all chimney servicesTalk to a Park Forest chimney sweep about chimney inspection
Call (708) 708-7348 to talk to a chimney sweep serving Park Forest, IL.
(708) 708-7348
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