Chimney inspection for homes in North Lauderdale

Questions to ask when booking an inspection

Asking a few questions when you book makes the inspection more useful. These help set the scope.

If the answer to any of these is unclear, ask us to explain before the visit. A clear scope at the start saves confusion at the end. It also means the written record answers the questions you actually asked.

• Which parts of the chimney will be looked at
• Whether the roof and attic will be accessed
• What happens if a part cannot be reached
• How the findings and estimate will be given

Inspecting for the source of a chimney odor

A smell from the fireplace can come from deposits, water in the masonry, debris on the smoke shelf or air moving down the flue. The source decides the fix, so it is worth finding before anything is cleaned or sealed.

Tell us when the smell appears: after rain, with the air conditioning on or only when a fire is lit. We look at the flue, the shelf, the damper and the top with that pattern in mind. The findings say which source is most likely and what would address it.

What you keep after an inspection in North Lauderdale

Every inspection in North Lauderdale ends the same way. You know what was looked at, what was found, what could not be seen and whether the fireplace should be used as it stands.

Those points are written down for you along with any estimate. If a repair is suggested, you decide when and whether to go ahead. Keep the record with the manual so it is easy to find for the next visit. The next inspection can then start from where this one ended.

Inspecting the throat above the firebox

Between the firebox and the smoke chamber lies the throat, a narrow passage that usually holds the damper. Its shape guides smoke from the fire into the flue. A throat that is misshapen, partly blocked or crusted with deposits can push smoke back into the room.

We look at the throat from below with a strong light and note its shape, its surface and how the damper sits in it. If the throat is part of a draft complaint, we explain whether a change there would help or whether the cause lies higher up.