Chimney Services in Delran, NJ

What the numbers suggest for chimneys in Delran

Of Delran's 7,061 housing units, Census estimates place 47% in the 1960s and 1970s, 20% in 1980 to 1999 and 17% in 2000 or later. Chimneys from the first group are commonly masonry, and some hold two flues: one for the fireplace and one for a basement furnace or water heater. Later construction adds factory-built fireplaces with metal chimneys.

Utility gas heats roughly 68% of occupied homes and electricity about 25%, with fuel oil near 4%. When a gas furnace is replaced by a high-efficiency unit with its own sidewall vent, the water heater can be left venting by itself into a flue built to carry two appliances, the orphaned water heater problem.

Detached houses make up 64% of the stock, with 17% in larger apartment or condo buildings. Treat these figures as a portrait of the township; they do not grade anyone's chimney.

Four moments that call for a Level 2 inspection

CSIA describes a Level 1 inspection as the right fit for a chimney in continued use, under the same conditions, with the same appliance. Its Level 2 procedure lists the situations where that is no longer true:

1. Conditions of use change. A new appliance is added, or one is replaced with a dissimilar unit, such as a wood insert going into an open fireplace or a furnace being upgraded.
2. The property is being sold. Selling or transferring a home is on CSIA's list in its own right.
3. Lining or relining is planned. Sizing and fitting a liner depends on what the whole flue looks like.
4. Something happened. A chimney or building fire, a weather event, or an operating malfunction likely to have caused damage.

For a 1970s house, the first two can easily arrive together, when a buyer plans to replace an older furnace soon after closing.

Making the visit count

A Level 2 inspection goes further when the inspector knows what is coming. Before the visit:

• Note the make and model of any appliance you plan to install, or the quote describing it.
• Make sure the attic hatch, basement cleanout, furnace and water heater can all be reached.
• Gather any earlier chimney reports or repair invoices, especially for a liner or a crown.
• If you are buying, ask the seller whether the fireplace has been used recently and whether anything changed in the heating system.

What the inspection covers, and where it stops

According to CSIA's Level 2 procedure, video scanning of the chimney interior is required. The inspection covers all accessible portions of the fireplace, chimney and connected appliances, including accessible attics, basements and crawl spaces, and it checks appliance clearances, the crown and the flashing. Viewing the inside of the flue may mean disconnecting the connector pipe.

It does not open up walls or chases. CSIA reserves a Level 3 inspection for cases where a Level 1 or Level 2 points to a hidden hazard that cannot be evaluated without special tools to reach concealed areas.

For a home sale, our real estate chimney inspection report, with photos, is yours before the technician leaves the property. Our guide to reading an inspection report helps you work through the findings.

Local questions

Sources

1. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates (tables B25034, B25040, B25024), via Census Reporter
2. CSIA: Chimney inspections (Levels 1, 2 and 3)
3. CSIA: Level 2 inspection standard operating procedure, masonry chimney (PDF)