Chimney Inspection Levels 1, 2 and 3 Explained

A chimney inspection comes in three levels. Level 1 is the basic annual check of the parts we can reach without tools or a camera. Level 2 adds a video camera scan of the full flue and a look at the attic, crawlspace and roof areas around the chimney; NFPA 211 recommends it when a home is sold, when you change the fuel or appliance, or after anything that could have damaged the chimney. Level 3 is the rare case where we have to open up part of the chimney or a wall to find the problem.

If you just want the short version: most Seattle homeowners with a working fireplace need a Level 1 every year, a Level 2 when they buy or sell, and a Level 3 almost never. The rest of this article explains what each level includes, what it finds, and how to pick the right one so you are not paying for more than you need or less than the situation calls for.

What is a Level 1 chimney inspection?

A Level 1 is the inspection that rides along with a routine sweep. It covers the parts of the chimney we can see and reach: the firebox, damper, smoke shelf as far as a light reaches, the visible flue from the bottom and top, the exterior brick or siding, the crown or chase cover, the cap, and the flashing where the chimney meets the roof.

What we are checking for at this level:

• Creosote build-up and whether it is the flaky, crunchy or glazed kind
• Obstructions such as nests, leaves or fallen brick
• Cracked firebox brick or refractory panels
• A damper that does not open, close or seal
• A missing, rusted or loose cap, or a rusted chase cover
• Visible cracks in the crown, open mortar joints, or spalled brick faces
• Lifted or sealant-only flashing

A Level 1 is the right choice when nothing has changed: same fireplace, same fuel, used the same way as last year, and no leaks, odors or smoke problems. In the Puget Sound, where Sea-Tac's 1991-2020 normal is 40.34 inches of rain a year and the wet season runs October through March, we put extra weight on the water side of a Level 1: crown, cap, cover and flashing. Those four parts fail more often here than the flue does. Our chimney sweep page explains how the sweep and Level 1 fit together; the sweep and inspection special starts at $299.

What is a Level 2 chimney inspection?

A Level 2 includes everything in a Level 1 plus two things a Level 1 does not: a camera scan of the entire flue from top to bottom, and a look at the accessible spaces around the chimney, meaning the attic, the crawlspace or basement and the roof. Nothing gets opened up or demolished; we are inspecting what is reachable with normal access.

The camera is the heart of it. From the firebox or the top of the flue, a chimney camera scans every joint in a clay tile liner, the full length of a stainless liner, and the inside of a prefab pipe. It finds what a flashlight cannot:

• Cracked, shifted or missing flue tiles
• Open mortar joints between tiles that let heat and gases into the brick
• Glazed creosote deep in the flue that a sweep brush cannot remove
• Gaps, offsets or rust in a metal liner
• Hidden blockages, old nests and debris on the smoke shelf
• Signs of a past chimney fire: tile cracks with puffed creosote around them

NFPA 211 recommends a Level 2 inspection in four situations: when a home changes hands, when you change the type of fuel or install a new appliance (for example, a wood insert going into an open fireplace), after a chimney fire or other event that could have damaged the chimney, and when a Level 1 turns up something that needs a closer look. For Seattle buyers especially, this is the inspection that matters. The median Seattle home was built in 1976 and Tacoma's in 1967, so a large share of the fireplaces we inspect have clay tile liners that are decades old. A tile liner can look fine from the firebox and have a cracked tile twenty feet up. See our guide for Seattle home buyers for how this fits into a purchase timeline.

What is a Level 3 chimney inspection?

A Level 3 includes everything in a Level 2 and then goes further: removing parts of the chimney or the building to reach a suspected hazard. That can mean pulling the chimney crown, removing a section of chase siding, opening drywall beside a chimney, or taking down part of the chimney top to see inside.

We only recommend a Level 3 when a Level 1 or 2 points to a serious problem that cannot be confirmed any other way. Examples:

• A camera shows a breach in the liner and we need to know whether framing behind it is charred
• A leak is tracking somewhere the camera and roof inspection cannot reach
• A chimney fire is suspected and there are signs the heat reached the structure
• A framed chase is soft or sagging and we need to see the framing before quoting a chase rebuild

Because a Level 3 involves removal, we talk through exactly what will be opened, why, and how it will be closed back up before we start. It is the least common inspection we do, and if a Level 2 gives us a clear answer, we stop there.

How to choose the right level

Choose Level 1 when

• You use the fireplace the same way every year and nothing has changed
• It has been a year since the last sweep and inspection
• You are not seeing smoke in the room, odors, staining, or water

Choose Level 2 when

• You are buying or selling a home with a fireplace or wood stove
• You are switching fuel or adding an insert or new appliance
• There was a chimney fire, a fallen tree limb, a roof replacement, or a hard windstorm that hit the chimney
• You have smoke, odor or draft problems that a Level 1 did not explain
• The fireplace has not been used or inspected for several years

Choose Level 3 when

• A Level 2 found a hazard that cannot be confirmed without opening something up
• We tell you we need it. A Level 3 is never a first step.

What happens after the inspection

Every level ends the same way: a written report with photos, and for a Level 2, camera stills of anything we flagged. We walk through what is a safety issue, what is a water issue, and what is simply worth watching. If the inspection finds work, you get a free quote for it, and we price match plus 10 to 25 percent off a written competitor quote. If you already have a repair quote from another company and want a second set of eyes, a free 2nd-opinion quote is available. Common follow-ups from inspections here are crown repair, cap or chase cover replacement, flashing work and firebox crack repair.

Why the wet season matters for Seattle inspections

Seattle's climate is hard on the top of a chimney. The Brick Industry Association's technical notes describe how water that saturates brick and then freezes expands in the pores, and repeated freeze-thaw of wet masonry causes cracking, spalling and disintegration. Sea-Tac's winter normal lows sit just above freezing (37.1F in December, 37.7F in January and February), so a typical Seattle winter gives you many freeze-and-thaw crossings on wet brick rather than one long freeze. That is why the crown, the mortar joints at the top courses, and the flashing get a slow, deliberate look in every inspection we do in Seattle, and why October is a better month to schedule than December.

What to do next

• If it has been a year or more, book a sweep and Level 1 inspection now, before the wet season fills the calendar.
• If you are buying, selling, adding an insert, or had a fire or storm event, ask for a Level 2 with camera.
• Call 206-453-2045 or request a free quote online. Same-day service is often available across King, Pierce and Snohomish counties.
• Whatever level we do, our guarantee is the same: if you're not happy, we're not done.

Related

• Buying a Home in Seattle? Why a Level 2 Chimney Inspection Belongs on Your List
• What a Chimney Camera Inspection Actually Finds
• Chimney Inspection service