A prepared home and a prepared homeowner means a thorough inspection, fewer surprises, and better answers. The whole thing takes 30 to 60 minutes if you have the chimney ready before the inspector arrives.
Six things to do in the 24 hours before the appointment.
Before the inspector leaves, set the reminder for next year. That's how you avoid starting from scratch in twelve months.
Done in seconds. No sign-up required.
A Level 1 inspection covers all readily accessible portions of the chimney and venting system, inside and out. The inspector works through a defined checklist. You don't need to memorize it, but knowing what's on it helps you ask better questions when they're done.
The inspection visit is the one time a year you have a certified expert standing in your living room. Use it. These five questions take five minutes and turn a generic "looks fine" into a documented baseline.
While the visit is still fresh, do two things. First, put the written report somewhere you'll find it next year. A labeled folder, a shared cloud drive, or a dedicated tag in your email. Future you, or the inspector trying to compare year over year, will want it.
Second, set the reminder for next year's inspection now. Twelve months from this week. Late August is the sweet spot — ahead of the booking rush, with time to handle any repair work before heating season. This is the moment to do it, while every reason it matters is fresh in your head.
A standard Level 1 inspection runs 30 to 60 minutes. Level 2 inspections, which add a camera scan of the flue interior, run 60 to 90 minutes. Plan to be home for the visit so the inspector can walk you through the findings before they leave.
No. Don't burn anything for at least 24 hours before the visit. The chimney must be fully cool for the inspector to enter the firebox and look up the flue without smoke or heat interfering. A still-warm chimney also makes a video scan unreliable.
Remove logs, large debris, and any decorative items. You don't need to scrub it — that's part of what the sweep does if cleaning is needed. But clearing the firebox of obvious clutter saves time and lets the inspector get straight to work.
Done well, no. A certified sweep brings drop cloths, a HEPA vacuum, and dust containment. They'll lay protective covering on the floor in front of the fireplace and on nearby furniture. If you have valuable rugs or finishes nearby, mention it when you book.
Five worth asking: what level of creosote did they find, are there any structural concerns, when should I schedule the next inspection, do I need any repairs and how urgent are they, and can I get the inspection report in writing for insurance and resale records.
Yes, always. A written report documents the chimney's condition on that date and protects you in three situations: an insurance claim after a fire, a future home sale where a buyer's inspector finds something, and confirming that work you paid for was actually done.
Two things: file the written report somewhere you'll find it next year, and set the reminder for next year's inspection while it's top of mind. Late summer is the right month. If you wait until the smell of fall air, you've already lost the booking advantage.
Free. No account. The visit is fresh in your head. Lock in the reminder for next August so the inspection cycle keeps itself.
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