Fireplace Inspections

A regular inspection of your fireplace and connected systems, along with ongoing maintenance, can ensure that homeowners:

• Eliminate the most common causes of preventable house fires;
• Prevent toxic fumes from escaping inside the home;
• Ensure that gas logs and other modern equipment are functioning properly; and
• Identify small problems before they become costly fireplace repairs.

Whether it’s a regular old fireplace inspection, part of a real estate transaction, or you have any safety concerns at all regarding your fireplace, make sure you select a qualified and experienced fireplace company to check out your fireplace, gas appliances and all venting systems to make sure everything is working correctly. 

Most fireplace and chimney safety organizations recommend having your chimney inspected yearly. In addition to an annual chimney examination, there are other circumstances when you should specifically have your fireplace checked out by a trained professional:

• If you suspect an issue with fireplace safety or equipment functionality
• Before installing any new gas appliance
• After installing gas appliances (if a trained professional didn’t do the installation)
• If you’ve changed the type of fuel you’re burning
• If you have any masonry problems with your fireplace

At Capitol Chimney, we understand that our customers are very busy and that a fireplace inspection may not be at the top of your “to-do” list. That’s okay; we’re happy to help remind you. 

Capitol Chimney typically performs fireplace inspections with a full chimney inspection and/or cleaning. We follow the standards set by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), an organization that specializes in preventing household fires due to fireplace, chimney and dryer vent issues. The CSIA has specified the following three levels of chimney inspections: 

• ​Level 1 – No Changes or Problems Have Occurred 
  Level 1 inspections are recommended for fireplace systems that are regularly used under consistent conditions (same appliances, same fuel, same frequency). In these instances, we’ll check the chimney and flue for basic structural soundness and examine the fireplace appliance installation and connections. We’ll also verify that your firebox is sound and your chimney is free of obstructions and flammable deposits.
• Level 2 – System Changes, Suspected Issues, or Real Estate Sales
  Level 2 inspections occur when you suspect a problem with your fireplace system, if there is visible damage to the system or components, or if you have made any changes since your last inspection. Additionally, this type of service is required for most real estate transactions. In these situations, we’ll thoroughly check all accessible parts of the fireplace and chimney system, and we’ll examine the internal surfaces and joints of all flue liners within the chimney for issues.
• Level 3 – Hidden Hazards That Require Special Tools
  Whenever there is a suspected safety issue in a part of your system that cannot be viewed during a Level 1 or 2 inspection, a Level 3 inspection is recommended. These can be much more invasive and could potentially require the removal of certain fireplace system components where necessary. We work closely with our customers during these inspections before we begin to make sure there are no surprises.   

Regardless of the level of inspection, we will always leave your house in a clean and safe condition. We will vacuum up all debris and dispose of any covering material we use. We will not leave until everything is back in perfect order.

We are upfront and transparent about our pricing and fees. In some specific cases, we can estimate fireplace services over the phone. However, since most situations involve different systems and issues, we’ll usually need to conduct an in-person inspection to ensure we have the information needed for an accurate estimate.

Once we get your approval, we’ll schedule your service call as soon as possible. As you might expect, we are busiest during colder seasons, so you’ll have an easier time getting an appointment in the warmer months.

We realize you have several choices when selecting a company to inspect your fireplace. First and foremost, choose a company that employs experienced professionals and provides them with the tools and ongoing training to ensure your family’s safety. Here are some areas where we think Capitol Chimney deserves your consideration: 

• We know what we’re doing—we have 25+ years of experience inspecting all types of chimneys in Central Texas, and we have the specialized tools and training to get the job done right and ensure your family’s safety.
• We respect your time and property—we show up when we say we will and leave your house looking like we were never even there (or better).
• We’re a safety-first company—chimney inspections are all about identifying and addressing safety issues in the best possible way to ensure you have “peace of mind” when using your fireplace.  That’s what we’re all about.
• We’re from here—after working in Central Texas for multiple decades, we fully understand the construction, wildlife, wood, and weather issues that can impact the safe operation of your chimney now and down the road.
• We’re not happy unless you’re happy—we’ve built our business on our customers’ kind words and referrals, so we do everything we can to ensure our customers are happy.