Exterior brick
The chimney exterior is checked for crumbling mortar, flaking brick and leaning so small repairs happen before big ones are needed.
Chimney Sweeping
Chimney Inspection Swedesboro, NJ
A Swedesboro chimney sweep can inspect your chimney from the firebox to the cap, from a basic annual look to a camera scan of the full flue. Dial (856) 490-5006 to be connected with a nearby chimney sweep.
Most chimney damage happens where you cannot see it. Cracked liner tiles, eroded mortar, a split crown and loose flashing are common, along with blockages from nests and fallen debris. Any of these can let heat reach the wood framing around the chimney, or let carbon monoxide back into the home.
Fire safety guidance from NFPA 211 is a yearly inspection for every chimney and vent, whatever the fuel. The industry uses three levels of inspection, and the right one depends on the situation rather than on preference. Unchanged chimneys get the basic level, and changes or damage step it up.
Many chimney inspection calls in Swedesboro also turn up a need for chimney cleaning or chimney repair.
Looking for Swedesboro chimney inspection? Call (856) 490-5006 to reach a nearby chimney sweep.
Call nowThe process
What happens during a chimney inspection
Here is how a sweep typically handles a chimney inspection.
Start with questions
The technician asks what burns in the chimney, how often and whether anything has changed to decide which inspection level fits.
Check the firebox
The firebox walls, hearth, damper and smoke chamber are checked with a bright light for cracks, gaps, rust and creosote.
Scan the flue
For a level 2 inspection, a camera is run up the flue to record the liner from bottom to top which is the only way to see the full length of most flues.
Check the exterior
The technician looks at the cap and screen, the crown and the flashing where the chimney meets the roof along with nearby branches and roofing.
Check clearances
In the attic, basement or crawl space, the chimney is checked for clearance to wood framing and signs of heat or water damage as part of a level 2 inspection.
Written report
Expect a clear rundown of the condition of each part and whether the chimney can be used in the meantime.
What is included
What gets inspected
Crown
The top of the chimney is checked for cracking that lets water in along with the cap and its screen.
Liner condition
Clay tile, metal and cast liners are checked for cracks, gaps, missing mortar and heavy creosote because the liner protects the house from heat and gases.
Roof flashing
The joint between the chimney and the roof is checked because failed flashing causes many chimney leaks.
Firebox walls
The firebox walls and floor are checked for loose brick, open joints and cracked panels and the damper is tested.
Related service
Level 1 Chimney Inspection Swedesboro, NJ
The level 1 inspection is the routine yearly check for a chimney in continued, unchanged use. It looks at the easily reached parts of the system inside and out, including the appliance and how it connects to the chimney.
If nothing has changed in your Swedesboro home, a level 1 inspection is normally done at the same visit as the sweep. Anything suspicious found during a level 1 check can lead to a recommendation for a level 2.
Related service
Level 2 Chimney Inspection Swedesboro, NJ
A level 2 inspection goes further than level 1, with video of the flue and a look at the chimney where it passes through accessible parts of the house. It is called for when the system has changed, such as a new fuel, a relining or a different appliance, and when a home is sold or transferred. It is also the right inspection after a chimney fire, a lightning strike, a severe storm or any malfunction that could have damaged the chimney.
Home buyers in Swedesboro benefit most from a level 2 inspection, since a general home inspection rarely looks inside the flue. Nothing is torn out, but the camera lets you see the flue from the inside.
Related service
Level 3 Chimney Inspection Swedesboro, NJ
Level 3 is reserved for situations where a level 1 or 2 inspection points to a hidden hazard. It can mean removing parts of the building or the chimney, such as a section of wall, paneling or the crown, to see what is behind them. Because it involves removal and restoration, it is only recommended when there is real evidence of concealed damage.
For a home in Swedesboro, it typically follows a chimney fire, structural damage or a level 2 finding that needs more access.
Local help
Chimney Inspection Near Me
Around Swedesboro, chimneys deal with winter fires on the inside and rain, snow and sun on the outside. Homes in Swedesboro and places like Beckett, Mullica Hill, Gibbstown and Woodstown range from older brick chimneys to newer factory-built fireplaces, and water working into the masonry is behind much of the damage an inspection finds.
Need chimney inspection around Swedesboro? Call (856) 490-5006 for a Swedesboro chimney sweep who serves the towns around it too.
What the local climate does to a chimney
Winters here are long and cold, and the heating season usually runs from October well into April. Masonry takes the worst of it from the freeze and thaw cycle: water soaks into brick, mortar joints and the crown on a mild day, freezes overnight and expands, which is how cracks, loose bricks and leaks start. Nor'easters drive rain sideways into flashing and mortar that looked fine in summer. Most homeowners in Swedesboro, NJ schedule a sweep in early fall, and a repair check after a hard winter.
Why call
Why fix it now
Smaller repairs
Small chimney problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Local knowledge
Chimney sweeps in Swedesboro know the chimneys and fireplaces common in local homes.
Know what happens next
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Chimney Inspection questions
Does a home inspection include the chimney?
A general home inspection normally covers what is visible from the roof and the firebox, without looking inside the full flue. For a home with a fireplace or stove, a level 2 chimney inspection fills that gap.
What does a chimney camera inspection show?
Video scanning lets the technician see the full length of the liner, which a flashlight from the firebox cannot reach. It shows cracked tiles, open joints, missing mortar, creosote buildup and obstructions.
Can I use my fireplace before the inspection?
What has happened since the last check decides it. Signs of a past chimney fire, water damage, heavy smoke or a blockage are all reasons to hold off until it is checked. If it was inspected within the year and nothing has changed, normal use until the next inspection is reasonable.
What is the difference between level 1, 2 and 3 inspections?
Each level builds on the one before, and level 1 is the routine yearly check. Level 2 adds a camera scan of the flue and a look at accessible attics and basements, and it is called for after a change in the system, a home sale or a chimney fire. Level 3 is reserved for suspected hidden damage and may mean removing part of a wall or the chimney.
How often should a chimney be inspected?
Fire safety guidance says once a year, every year, for every chimney and vent in the home. Low use does not mean low risk, since nests and water damage happen in idle chimneys too.
More questions? Call (856) 490-5006
Related services
Chimney Cleaning
Brushing and vacuuming the buildup from wood-burning fireplaces, stoves and inserts, with the damper, smoke shelf and cap checked along the way.
Learn moreChimney Repair
Fixing cracked crowns, failing mortar, loose brick, leaky flashing and damaged flue tiles, matched to what an inspection actually finds.
Learn moreChimney Liner Repair
Fixing gaps, cracks and missing mortar inside the flue liner with resurfacing, joint repair or partial replacement.
Learn moreChimney Leak Repair
Stopping chimney leaks at the source, before the water rots framing or ruins the flue.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all chimney servicesNeed chimney inspection in Swedesboro, NJ?
Call (856) 490-5006 for a local chimney sweep in Swedesboro and nearby towns.
(856) 490-5006
Free to call. No forms to fill out.