Home Sales Bring The Need For A Real Estate Chimney Certification
The National Fire Protection Association’s Standard 211 (the Standard for Chimneys, Fireplaces, Vents and Solid Fuel Burning Appliances) says that upon the sale or transfer of a property, a Level 2 chimney inspection needs to be performed.
Most home inspectors will take a look at the chimney, and will most likely perform a Level 1 inspection, which includes examining the readily-accessible parts of the chimney’s interior and exterior. A Level 2 inspection is far more thorough, including video scanning and the inspection of the chimney in basement/crawlspace or attic areas. The only way to get a genuinely comprehensive look at the state of a chimney system is with a Level 2 inspection.
Before a real estate transaction, Mason’s Chimney Service can perform a Level II CSIA-certified real estate inspection, so that you know, definitively, exactly what’s going on in the home’s chimney.
What To Expect From Mason’s Chimney Service:
We’ll sweep the chimney to ensure that dust, debris and creosote are removed so that our technicians can get the most accurate view possible into the chimney system.
We’ll go over the chimney using the 100-plus-point inspection process we’ve developed over the years, taking care to check every part of the system, from the smoke chamber to the crown, and video scanning the entirety of your flue.
Among the potential issues we’ll check for:
- cracks, gaps and spalling (flaking or crumbling masonry) in the chimney and flue liner
- improperly-sized flue
- cracks or spalling in the chimney crown
- tears or damage in the chimney flashing, or missing/damaged caulking
- other missing or malfunctioning parts, including the chimney cap and damper
- signs of birds or other animals coming into your chimney
Once the full inspection is complete, you’ll have documentation of the work performed and an outline of the current state of the chimney system, including our findings with visual representation of any issues. If we find that repairs are needed, we’ll also provide recommendations.
Carbon Monoxide Requirements
There are system problems that we can see – leaks, debris and creosote buildup on a flue – and then there’s the big problem we can’t see: carbon monoxide. There are different ways that CO issues can arise: cracks and gaps in your flue lining could be allowing the toxic gas into your home OR leaks could be present in or around gas and oil appliances.
We don’t want to wonder whether or not carbon monoxide is in our midst – we want to know. Mason’s Chimney Service’s NCI-certified Carbon Monoxide Analysts can inspect your home’s appliance and install an NSI low-level CO monitor that’s more sensitive and more accurate than the monitors you might find in home improvement stores.
Make sure your chimney system is as safe and efficient as it can be – call Mason’s Chimney Service & Certified Air Duct Cleaning, Inc. today.
Call on Mason’s Chimney Service if you need an inspection and evaluation for a possible insurance claim. Our expertise with the chimney video scan and inspection ensures that this important service is done correctly to give you all the documentation you’ll need.