Real Estate Property Being Sold or Transferred:
Real Estate Property that is being sold or transferred is required by the NFPA (National Fire Protection Agency) and CSIA (Chimney Safety Institute of America) to have a Level 2 Inspection performed. A Level 2 Inspection includes a Video Scan or other means of all accessible areas of the chimney. Please note that Home Inspections performed by a Home Inspector do not perform Level 2 Inspections of your chimney.The truth about Home Inspectors: Home Inspectors have cost many homeowners tens of thousands of dollars at their home due to oversights from lack of experience and knowledge of Chimney Ventilation Systems. Though these professionals may have a vast amount of information because they have worked in the field for a while and have gone on to classes to become a home inspector; it is our experience that none of them are CSIA Certified, Experienced or Qualified to know what the building codes are that are required for a safe Chimney Ventilation System. Home Inspectors do not have the proper tools and equipment, such as video scanning, to properly inspect the inside of the chimney ventilation system. None of the home inspectors that I have met are CSIA Certified.
There are times when we schedule to perform a chimney cleaning of the flues and perform a Level 1 Inspection with a new homeowner and once the service is complete, we report our findings that their chimney has potential Fire or Safety Hazards caused by structural defects inside the chimney ventilation system and that their fireplace, woodstove or fuel appliance cannot be used until it is repaired to the required NFPA Code Standards.