Level II Chimney Inspection

Chimney being inspectedAs part of our commitment to help ensure your protection, please be aware that the National Fire Safety standard requires that a Level II Internal Chimney Inspection be conducted whenever a house is bought or sold. (NFPA 211). The internal elements of the chimney fall outside the scope of your home inspection. Chimney repairs can be very expensive.

  • Home Inspectors cannot see the inside the chimney. These conditions fall outside the scope of your home inspection.
  • Homes and/or structures over 20 years old have a higher probability of failure simply because of age. With over 70,000 chimney fires occurring annually, a Level II Internal Camera inspection is the only way to determine if internal fire hazards are present. A chimney inspection is advised on all structures regardless of age.
  • The cost to re-line a heating and/or fireplace chimney is expensive. Generally, repair costs will range from $1500.00 to $3500.00 per flue or more. Heating and fireplaces have separate flues and usually have similar conditions!
  • Structural defects and Health Hazards. When a Chimney flue fails an Internal Inspection, it is considered a structural defect and a safety hazard, which may be a negotiable item with the Seller.
  • You do not need to be present; in most cases Holmes Inspection Service will simply call your realtor or the seller to provide access for our inspector.

Example of Internal Chimney Lining Separation

Level II chimney inspectionLevel II chimney inspection

  • These conditions are not visible to your home inspector and may be present in the Chimney
  • This is considered a significant fire & safety hazard and is expensive to repair.
  • Use of specialized camera and C.S.I.A. training is required.