By Daniel Watkins, Noble Chimney Sweepers.
A general home inspection almost never tells you whether a chimney is safe to use. The inspector looks at what can be seen from the roof edge and from the hearth, notes anything obvious, and moves on. That is the correct scope for a general inspection, but it leaves the part that actually matters unexamined: the inside of the flue. If you are buying or selling a house with a fireplace, a wood stove, or a furnace or water heater vented into masonry, the chimney deserves its own separate look before the closing date, not after.
Why the chimney needs a separate inspection at a sale
Because a general home inspector is not required to inspect the interior of a flue, and usually has no way to. The tools are different, the access is different, and the defects that matter most are twenty feet above the damper where no flashlight reaches. A general report that says the fireplace appears serviceable is describing the visible surround, not the liner, the smoke chamber, or the clearance between the chimney and the framing hidden inside the walls.
That gap is why chimney findings so often surface after a family moves in, during the first cold week, when the fireplace smokes or a carbon monoxide alarm sounds. By then the negotiating window has closed. Getting the flue looked at during the inspection period keeps the finding where it belongs, which is on the table while both sides are still talking.
What the standard we follow says about a sale
The standard we work to is NFPA 211, the Standard for Chimneys, Fireplaces, Vents, and Solid Fuel-Burning Appliances. It sets three inspection levels, and it is specific about which one applies here. A Level 2 inspection is required on the sale or transfer of a property. The same requirement applies after a chimney fire or any other operating malfunction, and whenever the fuel, the appliance, or the flue lining changes.
A Level 2 under that standard includes a recorded video scan of the flue interior. That is the difference that matters at a closing: it produces evidence. Not an opinion that the chimney looked fine, but recorded footage of the joints, the tiles, and the offsets, which a buyer and a seller can both look at. NFPA 211 also sets the ordinary inspection interval at once a year, for soundness, freedom from deposits, and correct clearances. You can read about the standard itself at the NFPA 211 page.
What we find on Bolingbrook sale inspections
The most common findings cluster into four groups, and none of them are visible from the ground. Cracked or offset clay flue tiles come first, usually in houses where the fireplace was burned hard and swept rarely. Open mortar joints between tiles come second, which lets heat and combustion gas reach brick and framing that were never meant to see either.
Third is the appliance that was changed without the flue being changed with it. A high efficiency furnace goes in, the old water heater stays behind on the same oversized masonry flue, and that flue now runs cold and wet all winter. Fourth is the previous repair that was never finished, most often a stainless liner installed without insulation, without a proper top plate, or terminated short.
Newer subdivisions around Bolingbrook bring a different pattern: factory built fireplaces with cracked refractory panels and rusted chase covers, where the chase itself was framed correctly but never maintained. You can see the full range of what we look at on our chimney inspection page, and the areas we cover on our Bolingbrook chimney service page.
If you are selling
Schedule the inspection before the house is listed, not after an offer arrives. A seller who already has a recorded scan and a written report controls the conversation. A seller who gets a surprise finding during the inspection period is negotiating from behind, usually against a repair estimate the buyer chose.
Sweeping matters here too. A flue packed with deposits cannot be fully evaluated, because the camera cannot see the liner through creosote. If the chimney has not been swept in years, the sweep comes first and the evaluation follows. Both can happen in the same visit.
If you are buying
Ask for the chimney to be looked at as its own line item during the inspection period, and ask for the video. A written summary is useful, but footage is what lets you judge whether a finding is cosmetic or structural. If the house has a wood stove or an insert, ask specifically whether it was installed with a full length liner, because an insert vented into an open masonry flue is one of the more expensive things to discover later.
Also ask about clearances. A chimney can have a perfect liner and still have a framing member resting against masonry that runs hot. That is the kind of finding a camera alone does not produce, which is why the whole inspection matters and not just the scan.
Timing and cost
Inspection periods are short, so call early in the window rather than at the end of it. We are certified, bonded and insured, owner operated, and we have been doing this in the Lockport area for 14 years, which means we are used to working inside a real estate timeline and getting a report back quickly. We quote the price up front before any work starts, and every service we offer is listed with its price on our pricing page, so there is nothing to guess at.
Between transactions, the same annual habit applies to the house you already own. Our DIY chimney maintenance guide covers what a homeowner can reasonably check between visits and what should be left alone.
To get a chimney on the schedule before a closing date, call Noble Chimney Sweepers at (708) 432-5747. We answer 7 days a week, 7 AM to 7 PM.
Frequently asked questions
Does a standard home inspection include the chimney?
Only the visible exterior and the firebox area. A general home inspector is not required to evaluate the interior of the flue, and almost never has the camera equipment to do it. The flue interior needs a separate chimney inspection.
What inspection level applies when a house changes hands?
A Level 2. Under NFPA 211, the standard we work to, a Level 2 inspection is required on the sale or transfer of a property, and it includes a recorded video scan of the interior of the flue.
How long does a sale inspection take?
Most take between one and two hours for a single flue, longer if the house has several. If the chimney needs sweeping before the camera can see the liner, allow additional time in the same visit.
Can the chimney be inspected if it has not been swept?
Partly, but not properly. A camera cannot see liner joints or cracks through a coating of creosote, so a heavy buildup has to be removed first. Otherwise the report has a blind spot in exactly the place that matters.
Who normally pays for it, the buyer or the seller?
Either, and it varies by transaction. Sellers often order one before listing to avoid surprises, while buyers order one during the inspection period. We do not take a side in that decision. We report what the chimney actually shows.
Does a fireplace that was never used still need looking at?
Yes. An unused chimney still takes weather, still holds an older liner, and may still be venting a furnace or water heater. Long disuse also hides animal entry and water damage, both of which are common in flues nobody looks into.
Will you tell us what repairs are actually necessary?
Yes, and we separate them. Safety items that affect whether the appliance can be used come first, then durability items that will need attention within a few years, then cosmetic notes. Mixing those three together is how repair lists get padded.
How quickly can you get out before a closing date?
Usually within a few days, and faster during a tight inspection period if you tell us the deadline when you call. Reach us at (708) 432-5747, 7 days a week from 7 AM to 7 PM.
Published October 4, 2026