Inspecting the chimney and fireplace in North Bay Village

Inspecting a factory-built fireplace

A factory-built fireplace is listed together with the chimney system it was tested with. The Florida Building Code requires both to be installed as the listing and the manufacturer's instructions say. We look for the listing label, the model and the parts that belong to it.

Panels, the firebox shell, the damper and the visible chimney sections are checked for cracks, rust, gaps and damage. We compare what we see with what the manual shows. Repairs have to use listed parts, so identifying the model matters before any estimate.

Inspecting the hearth and hearth extension

In front of the opening, the hearth extension gives sparks and embers a surface that will not burn. We look at its material, its condition and whether it covers the floor area it should. Cracks and loose joints can let heat or embers reach material beneath.

A hearth that has been altered, covered or cut short is noted. We explain what the code expects of a hearth without quoting measurements. Any repair or rebuild is its own estimate, and we tell you whether the condition affects use now.

Questions to ask after the inspection

Before we leave, these questions help you use what the inspection found.

The written record covers the same ground. Standing at the fireplace while we answer usually makes the points clearer, so point to anything you want us to go over again. If something is unclear once we have gone, call and ask again.

• Is the fireplace safe to use as it stands
• Which finding matters most, and why
• What could not be seen, and does it matter
• Which repairs depend on others being done ahead of them

Identifying each flue during the inspection

One chimney can hold several flues, and each serves a different opening or appliance. We match every flue to what it serves before describing its condition. A crack in one flue does not mean the next one is cracked, and the reverse is true as well.

The written record lists the flues by what they serve. If a flue appears to serve nothing, we say so. Unused flues still need their tops protected, or they become a path for water and animals.