Most chimney problems announce themselves quietly: a hairline crack in the crown, a flue tile starting to shift, mortar going soft behind the siding. Catch them early and they are small bills. Let them ride a few winters and they become the expensive kind. That gap between small and expensive is the entire reason we hand out inspections for free.
No charge, no obligation, and nobody standing in your kitchen working a scare script. We look, we photograph, we tell you the truth, and then it is your call.
What the free look includes
- Boots on the roof for the full outside picture: cap, crown, flashing and brickwork
- A camera run up the flue, because the inside tells the real story
- Eyes on the firebox, damper and smoke chamber from below
- Photos of anything worth discussing, shown to you on the spot
- One written price if work is genuinely needed, and a handshake if it is not
When to book one
Once a year is the baseline any chimney professional will give you, and it matches the NFPA 211 standard. Beyond the annual rhythm, get a look scheduled when:
- You are buying or selling the house and want the chimney priced into reality
- A storm, hailstorm or nearby lightning strike just rolled through
- The fireplace smells different, drafts worse, or leaks after rain
- You have no idea when anyone last looked, which around here is common
Level 1 and Level 2, in plain words
The industry grades inspections. A Level 1 is the standard visual once-over of the accessible parts, right for a system that has been behaving. A Level 2 goes deeper: the camera travels the entire flue interior, and that is the grade a real estate deal or a post-fire check demands. Our free look runs the camera either way, because guessing about the inside of a flue is how bad news gets missed.
FAQ about the free inspection
Is it actually free, or free with an asterisk?
Actually free. No trip charge, no camera fee, no fine print. We win when some of those looks turn into repair work honestly quoted, and the rest of you tell your neighbors about us. That math has worked for us just fine.
How long does it take?
Plan on thirty to forty five minutes for a typical single-flue home. Add a little for steep roofs or multiple flues.
Do I need to be home for it?
Only if we need interior access to the firebox. If the concern is all rooftop, we can look while you are at work and text you the photos and the verdict.