Chimney safety inspection for fireplaces in Tamiami

Inspection and repair are separate decisions

Booking an inspection does not commit you to any repair. The visit gives you information and an estimate where work is suggested. You can take time to read it, ask questions and compare.

We explain what happens if a repair is left, whether anything is urgent and what can wait. Some findings mean the fireplace should not be used until repaired, and we say so clearly. Others are simply things to watch. For those, we tell you what change would mean it is time to act.

Chimney inspection terms worth knowing

An inspection names parts you may not have heard of. Knowing a few makes the findings easier to follow.

We are glad to show you where each part sits while we are there. Once you have seen the crown or the smoke chamber, later conversations about them are much simpler.

• The crown is the sloped top surface of a masonry chimney
• Flashing seals the joint between chimney and roof
• The liner is the inner surface of the flue
• The smoke chamber sits between the damper and the flue

Inspecting a fireplace that has sat unused

A fireplace left unused for a long time can change without anyone noticing. Water may have entered through the top, animals may have nested in the flue and the damper may have rusted in place.

The inspection looks at each of these before the fireplace goes back into use. We check the top, the flue and the damper and explain what they need. You then know whether a cleaning, a repair or nothing at all comes before the next fire.

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.