A house changes hands, the buyers light their first fire in November, and smoke comes through the bedroom wall. It is an avoidable story. AM Chimney Sweep carries out chimney inspections for buyers and sellers in Westfield, along with cleaning and repair, and this page explains where a chimney inspection fits in a sale.
A home inspection is not a chimney inspection
A general home inspector looks at the chimney from the ground or the roof edge and at the firebox with a flashlight. That is a reasonable visual check. It does not include a camera inside the flue, and the flue is where the costly problems are: cracked tiles, open joints, missing liners, old connections nobody knew about. Many home inspection reports say as much and recommend a separate chimney evaluation.
What a Level 2 inspection is
The Chimney Safety Institute of America describes three levels of inspection. Level 1 is the routine check for a chimney in continued use. Level 2 is called for when a property is sold or transferred, when an appliance or fuel is changed, or after an event that may have caused damage. It adds:
- A video scan of the full length of every flue
- The accessible parts of the chimney in the attic, basement and any crawl space
- The exterior from the roof: crown, cap, flashing and masonry
- A check of clearances to the framing where they can be seen
Level 3, which involves opening up parts of the building, is only for cases where a serious hidden problem is suspected.
Why it matters in Westfield
Census Bureau estimates show that well over a third of Westfield’s homes were built before 1940, with another fifth from the 1950s. Those houses often have two or three flues and at least one fireplace the sellers have not used in years. At the other end, more than one in ten homes has been built since 2000, and a new fireplace that has never been inspected is not the same as one known to be correctly installed.
Sources: Chimney Safety Institute of America, inspection levels; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 five-year estimates.
If you are buying
- Book the chimney inspection as soon as your offer is accepted, so the results arrive inside your inspection period.
- Ask for every flue to be scanned, including the one for the furnace and water heater.
- Get the report in writing with photos. It gives your attorney and agent something concrete to work with.
- Ask the sellers when the chimney was last swept and whether they have any paperwork for a liner or past repairs.
If you are selling
- An inspection before listing lets you deal with findings on your own schedule, not during attorney review.
- Have the fireplace swept. A flue coated in soot cannot be properly assessed, and a buyer’s inspector will say so.
- Gather any records: liner installation, crown or masonry repairs, past reports.
What commonly turns up
- Cracked flue tiles or missing mortar between them
- A fireplace flue with no liner
- A cracked crown and no cap
- A heating appliance connected to a flue that is too large for it
- An unused flue left open to the rain
- In newer homes, a rusted chase cover or damaged panels in a factory-built fireplace
Most of these are repairable, and many are modest. The value of the inspection is knowing which you are dealing with before closing, not after.
Questions we are asked
Is the inspection free?
An inspection is generally free when it is paired with a cleaning or repair visit. A standalone inspection for a purchase or sale is a paid service. Call for current pricing.
Who has to pay for repairs?
That is a matter for the buyer and seller to settle, with their attorneys. Our role is to document the condition accurately and, if asked, provide a written estimate.
Can you work around a closing date?
Tell us the deadline when you call and we will let you know what is possible.
Schedule a real estate inspection in Westfield
Call (862) 225-6529 or request one online. More detail is on our chimney inspection page. If repairs are needed we handle liners, flue repair, crowns and masonry, and you can see finished examples in Our Work.