A chimney inspection tells you whether the flue is safe to use. Chimney Sweep Bros carries out Level 1 and Level 2 inspections across Orland Park and the Southwest Suburbs, using a camera to see inside the flue rather than guessing from the firebox. You get photographs of what we found and a straight answer — safe to burn, or not. We are insured, we work seven days a week, and you can reach us on (708) 432-3430.
The three inspection levels, in plain English
NFPA 211 — the national standard for chimneys and vents — defines three levels. The level you need depends on what changed, not on how much you want to spend.
- Level 1 — the annual check. For a chimney in continued service with no changes and no known problems. We examine the readily accessible parts: firebox, damper, smoke chamber, the visible flue, and the exterior structure. This is what comes bundled with a standard chimney sweep.
- Level 2 — the one with the camera. Required whenever the property is sold or transferred, after a chimney fire, after an earthquake or storm, or when you change fuel or install a new appliance. It includes everything in Level 1 plus a video scan of the full length of the flue and a look at accessible attics, crawlspaces and basements.
- Level 3 — destructive. Reserved for when a serious hazard is suspected and it cannot be confirmed any other way. It may mean removing part of a wall or the chimney crown. Nobody sells you a Level 3 casually, and you should be suspicious of anyone who does.
When you genuinely need a Level 2
This is the level people most often get talked out of — or oversold. You need a Level 2 if any of the following is true:
- You are buying or selling the house. A transfer of ownership triggers a Level 2 under NFPA 211. A home inspector glancing up the flue with a torch is not the same thing.
- There has been a chimney fire, or you suspect one. Chimney fires often go unnoticed — a muffled rumble, a lot of smoke outside, then nothing. They routinely crack flue tiles, and a cracked liner lets heat and carbon monoxide into the wall cavity.
- You have changed appliance or fuel. Putting a wood stove insert into an old open fireplace, or converting to gas, changes what the flue has to handle. The old flue is often the wrong size for the new appliance.
- Something is wrong and nobody can say why — persistent smoke spillage, staining on the ceiling, a smell you cannot place.
What the camera actually finds
Most of what makes a chimney dangerous is invisible from the room. Once the scan is running, the recurring findings are cracked or displaced clay flue tiles, gaps where mortar joints between tiles have washed out, a liner that has separated, spalling brickwork inside the flue, and blockages from nests or fallen masonry. Any one of those can let hot gas and carbon monoxide reach timber and plasterboard.
If the liner has failed, the fix is usually relining. If water has been getting in from above, the cause is normally the cap or crown, and the masonry damage that follows is handled under chimney repair.
What you receive
- A camera scan of the full flue, recorded, not just described.
- Photographs of anything we flag, so you can see the crack rather than take our word for it.
- A written summary of condition and whether the chimney is safe to use as-is.
- If work is needed, exactly what and why — and what happens if you leave it.
If nothing is wrong, we tell you that too. A clean bill of health is a legitimate outcome and we are not going to invent a repair to justify the visit.
How we tell if flue size or height is why the fire will not draw
A chimney that smokes back into the room, struggles to catch, or never builds a strong fire often has nothing wrong with the masonry — the flue is simply the wrong size or the wrong height for the appliance. We check both during an inspection before anyone starts talking about repairs, because getting them wrong wastes money on the wrong fix.
Flue height and the draft it creates
Draft is driven by the column of hot gas in the flue, and that column needs height to work. A chimney that is too short, or that ends below a nearby roof ridge or tall trees, never builds enough pull, so the fire stays sluggish and cold air spills back down. The accepted guide is the 3-2-10 rule: the chimney should stand at least three feet above where it exits the roof and two feet above anything within ten feet of it. We measure against that on site and tell you whether raising the chimney is likely to cure a weak draft.
Flue size against the firebox
Size matters just as much. A flue that is too large for the opening lets the gases cool and slow down before they clear the top, which reads as a fire that will not get going; one that is too small chokes the fire. We measure the flue against the firebox opening and the appliance so we can say whether the ratio is the problem. Where the cure is a correctly sized liner rather than a structural change, we explain that on our chimney relining page, so you can see the fix before you commit to it.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I have my chimney inspected?
Once a year, every year, regardless of how much you burn. NFPA 211 calls for an annual inspection because the things that make a chimney dangerous — water damage, cracked tiles, animal nests, deteriorating mortar — happen whether or not you light fires. A chimney that sat unused all winter can still be unsafe.
What is the difference between a chimney sweep and a chimney inspection?
A sweep removes creosote and soot. An inspection assesses condition. They are different jobs that happen to fit together well, which is why a standard sweep from us includes a Level 1 inspection — you cannot properly assess a flue you cannot see, and you cannot see a flue that is coated in creosote.
Do I need a Level 2 inspection to sell my house?
Yes. A sale or transfer of property is one of the specific triggers for a Level 2 inspection under NFPA 211. It is also the point at which a hidden chimney defect becomes a negotiation problem, so it is worth knowing before the buyer’s inspector does.
Can you inspect a chimney that has never been used?
Yes, and it is worth doing. An unused chimney is not a safe chimney by default — it is simply an unknown one. Disused flues are where we most often find collapsed liners, nests, and crowns that have been letting water in for years.
How long does a chimney inspection take?
A Level 1 typically takes 45 to 60 minutes. A Level 2 with a full video scan usually takes 60 to 90 minutes, longer if there are multiple flues or the chimney is hard to access.
Will you find problems just to sell me repairs?
No. We show you the photograph or the video of anything we flag, and we explain what happens if you do nothing. If the flue is sound, we say so and leave. You are welcome to get a second opinion on anything we find — a genuine defect will still be there when the next person looks.
My chimney fire seemed minor. Do I still need an inspection?
Yes, and this is the one we would push hardest on. Chimney fires are frequently brief and easy to dismiss, but they reach temperatures that crack clay flue liners. A cracked liner will not announce itself — it just quietly lets heat and carbon monoxide into the structure the next time you light a fire.
Do gas fireplaces need inspections?
Yes. Gas produces no creosote, but gas flues corrode from acidic condensation, and they get blocked by debris and nests exactly like wood flues do. A blocked gas flue vents carbon monoxide into the house. Our gas fireplace service covers this.
Book a chimney inspection in Orland Park
We cover Orland Park, Tinley Park, Palos Heights, Homer Glen, Mokena and the rest of the Southwest Suburbs, seven days a week from 7:00am to 7:00pm. Call (708) 432-3430 or book online and we will call you back to confirm. The price is agreed before any work begins — see pricing.