Buying a home with a fireplace

Why the chimney deserves its own inspection

Chimney problems tend to be hidden. Cracked flue tiles, a damaged liner from a past chimney fire, deterioration from years of furnace condensation, water damage under the crown, or a firebox that was never built to standard usually are not visible from the living room or the driveway.

The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) explains that under NFPA 211 a Level 2 inspection is required upon the sale or transfer of a property. The reasoning is straightforward: a new owner does not know how the chimney has been used, maintained or repaired, and may plan to use it differently.

Home inspection vs. chimney inspection

A general home inspector looks at the whole house in a few hours. For the chimney, that usually means what is visible from the ground or roof edge, the firebox and the damper, and the attic where accessible. Many home inspection reports recommend further evaluation of the chimney by a chimney specialist, and that recommendation deserves to be followed.

A Level 2 chimney inspection, as CSIA describes it, adds:

• A video scan of the internal surfaces and joints of all flue liners.
• The accessible portions of the chimney in the attic, crawl space and basement.
• The appliance and its connection to the chimney.

CSIA's Level 2 procedure for masonry chimneys also covers clearances to combustibles where visible, the crown, flashing and cap, and signs of water entry. See Chimney inspection levels 1, 2 and 3 and What a chimney camera inspection shows.

Inspect every flue, not just the fireplace

Many New Jersey homes have more than one flue in the same chimney: one for the fireplace and one for the furnace, boiler or water heater. Some have a second fireplace in the basement or a bedroom. Each flue serves a different appliance and can have a different problem.

Gas and oil appliance flues are easy to overlook because there is no fire to look at. They can deteriorate from acidic condensation, especially when a newer, more efficient appliance vents into an old masonry flue. When an older furnace is removed and a water heater is left venting alone into a large flue, it may not draft properly. See The orphaned water heater problem.

When you schedule, list every fireplace, stove, insert and appliance that vents into a chimney so all of them are included.

Questions to ask the seller

• When was the chimney last swept and inspected, and is there a report?
• How often has the fireplace or stove been used, and what was burned in it?
• Has there ever been a chimney fire, lightning strike or storm damage?
• Has the chimney been relined, rebuilt or repaired? Are there invoices, permits or product information?
• Have there been leaks, stains or odors around the chimney?
• Was the fireplace converted to gas, or an insert or stove added? Was it permitted?
• Has the furnace, boiler or water heater been replaced recently? Does it still vent into the chimney?
• Has there been any animal problem in the chimney?
• Is the fireplace functional, decorative only, or sealed off?

Written answers and documents are more useful than verbal assurances. Gaps in the history are a reason to rely more heavily on the inspection.

Things a buyer can notice during a showing

These are clues, not diagnoses, but they are worth mentioning to your inspector:

• Fresh paint or patching on a ceiling or wall next to the chimney.
• White staining, flaking brick or a leaning stack. See White staining on brick and Why is my chimney brick flaking?
• Rust streaks on a siding-covered chase. See Rust and brown stains.
• A smoky or musty smell from the fireplace.
• Cracks in the firebox or loose bricks.
• Soot on the face of the fireplace above the opening.
• A missing chimney cap.
• A gap between the chimney and the house.

Timing and logistics

• Book early. Your inspection contingency period is short. Schedule the chimney inspection as soon as the contract is signed.
• Ask the seller to stop using the fireplace a day or two before, so the system is cool.
• Confirm access. The inspector may need the roof, attic, basement and every fireplace or appliance. The seller's agent usually arranges this.
• Ask about sweeping. Heavy deposits can hide the liner. Sometimes a sweep is needed before the flue can be properly evaluated, which requires the seller's permission.
• Share the report. Your agent and attorney can use the findings in negotiations, which is outside what a chimney company advises on.

Making sense of the results

A good report separates safety issues that should be resolved before the fireplace or appliance is used, repairs that can be planned, and routine maintenance. It also notes what could not be inspected.

If repairs are recommended, ask what the options are and what drives the scope. A cracked liner, for example, might be addressed with resurfacing, a new liner or partial rebuilding, and the right choice depends on the appliance you plan to use. If you plan to change how the fireplace is used, such as adding an insert or converting to gas, say so before the inspection so the evaluation fits your plans. See What affects chimney repair cost.

Until the results are in and any safety items are addressed, do not use the fireplace or stove in your new home.

Tell the inspector how you plan to use it

The right inspection and the right repair depend on how you will use the chimney after you move in. A chimney that is adequate for an occasional open fire may not be right for a wood stove or insert, and a flue that served a gas log set may need changes for wood burning.

If you are thinking about any of these, mention it when you book:

• Adding a wood or gas insert. See Fireplace inserts explained.
• Converting a wood fireplace to gas. See Converting a wood fireplace to gas.
• Installing a wood stove on an existing chimney.
• Replacing the furnace, boiler or water heater with a higher-efficiency model.
• Removing or closing off a fireplace you will not use.

CSIA's description of inspection levels calls for a Level 2 when appliances or fuel types change, so planning ahead can sometimes let one inspection serve both purposes.

How we handle inspections for a sale

Every visit starts with an assessment. We use a chimney camera when the flue allows, check the attic and roof when it is safe and accessible, and give you the inspection report, with photos, on site at the end of the visit. See our chimney inspection for buying or selling page, or request service. A team member will contact you to confirm a time; a request is not a confirmed appointment, so book as early in your contingency period as you can.

Questions homeowners ask

Sources

1. CSIA: The Three Levels of Chimney Inspections
2. CSIA: Level 2 Inspection SOP, Masonry Chimney (PDF)
3. CSIA: Frequently Asked Questions
4. N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.3, Certificate of smoke alarm, carbon monoxide alarm and portable fire extinguisher compliance (text via Cornell LII)
5. DuraVent: Relining Chimneys for Gas Appliances (Ventinox technical guide, PDF)

This guide is general information. It can't diagnose a specific chimney; an inspection can.