A video chimney real estate inspection is undertaken when you are readying your house for sale. It is advised for real estate transactions, and real estate brokers recommend it to buyers to protect them. Its best for a home buyer and seller to find out if there are any issues with a chimney before a sale is final to avoid lawsuits in the future. A video real estate inspection is part of a level two inspection and should be done by a qualified chimney sweep. So how does a video inspection work? Here is additional information on video real estate inspections.
Why Have a Presale Chimney Real Estate Inspection?Most home buyers and sellers assume that when a home inspection is done that the chimney is included in the overall assessment; in most cases, it isn’t. A home inspector may note the condition of the chimney’s exterior but completely ignore its interior. With that issue in mind, it makes sense that more real estate transactions require a video chimney inspection to ensure that the inside of a chimney is free of any problems. Imagine if a damaged chimney liner was to go unaccounted for, and the first time the new homeowners use their fireplace, it sets the roof on fire. That issue would be a likely lawsuit, but it could also be considered criminal negligence. Now you can see why having a video chimney inspection done is so important.
A video chimney real estate inspection is what it sounds like – the inspection of the interior of your chimney using specialized video equipment as part of a level two inspection. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) defines a real estate video inspection as part of a level two chimney inspection as a visual examination performed by video scanning equipment or other means to examine the chimney’s interior, including interior surfaces, flue liners, and its joints.
The camera is inserted into the chimney’s flue to perform an extensive inspection of the flue liner, joints, and other surfaces for any punctures or imperfections that could lead to a breach in the chimney. As previously stated, a perforation in a flue liner can lead to fire or toxic fumes like carbon monoxide making their way inside the house. Once a video record is made of the chimney’s flue liner prior to the sale of the home, the seller and buyer can rest easy that the chimney is safe.
It’s very common that a homeowner may not know they’ve had a chimney fire. Many times a neighbor is the one to alert them of a problem!
It is possible to have a chimney fire without setting the rest of the house on fire. An experienced chimney sweep will notice the signs of a chimney fire during a level two video inspection and recommend that the flue liner be replaced.
A level two inspection also included examining masonry inside and out and where masonry damage such as eroding mortar, water damage, and spalling are detected. What is spalling? Spalling is when brick or stone pops out from the rest of the chimney and breaks loose. Spalling is usually caused by moisture finding its way behind brick or stone and expanding in contracting during the freeze-thaw cycle. An experienced chimney inspector will recommend that the brick or stone and mortar be repaired.
If you are preparing to sell your house and need a video chimney real estate inspection done, we are happy to help. We are Chimney Sweep Institute of America (CSIA) certified and members of the National Chimney Sweep Guild (NCSG) and can perform a precise video inspection of your chimney, inside and out. We offer video real estate chimney inspection services in Woodland Park CO, Colorado Springs CO, Monument CO, Fort Carson CO, Penrose CO, and Florence CO; call us at (719) 661-3277 to speak with a chimney expert about when we perform a video chimney real estate inspection for you.
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