Clean Sweeps of Michigan's Blog

Buying Or Selling A Home? Have The Chimney Inspected!

When buying or selling a home, many homeowners falsely believe that a home inspection will catch any chimney issues. However, while home inspectors may be able to spot problems in other parts of a home, most are not qualified to conduct a thorough chimney inspection. Because of this, it is important to have your chimney inspected before buying or selling a home.

By having the chimney inspected before a home is bought or sold, both buyers and sellers can have peace of mind that the fireplace and chimney are safe and ready for use.

Chimney inspections for home buyers

Homebuyers want to make sure their new investment is safe and sound for themselves and their family. If the new house has a fireplace, this includes making sure the chimney is in good condition. Once under contract on a home, buyers can request an independent chimney sweep conduct an inspection in addition to a home inspection.

Even if the sellers have an inspection report from a chimney sweep, you can still ask to have another sweep do an independent inspection. This second inspection can confirm the findings of the chimney report – or uncover issues that were not previously disclosed. Having the chimney independently inspected can ensure that any fireplace or chimney issues are fixed before the sale is finalized.

If you recently bought a new home but the sellers did not include findings from a chimney inspection in their disclosures, you may want to have the chimney inspected before lighting your first fire. This is especially true if you bought an older home, a home that was unoccupied for a long period of time before purchase, or a home where the fireplace was rarely or infrequently used.

Chimney inspections for home sellers

No matter your reasons for selling your current home, you should consider having the chimney swept and inspected before putting it on the market. Not only does have the chimney swept and inspected give you a cleaner and more efficient fireplace system, but it can also alert you of any chimney damage that has occurred or repairs that need to be made. Finding chimney damage before you put your home on the market gives you plenty of time to make repairs as well as reduces the risk of any unpleasant surprises being uncovered during the home inspection. In addition to allowing you to make repairs, having a report from a certified chimney sweep can also help put buyers at ease about the condition of the chimney.

If you have experienced any significant chimney damage, you may be required to have an inspection. In cases of chimney damage such as a chimney fire or other natural disaster, a Level 2 chimney inspection may be needed; in this type of inspection, closed-circuit cameras are used to evaluate the entire length of the chimney for signs of damage or deterioration.

Having a chimney inspection done before buying or selling a home can make sure there are no problems with the fireplace and chimney and give everyone involved peace of mind. If you’re getting ready to sell your home or are about to sign the paperwork on a new home purchase, contact Clean Sweeps of Michigan today to schedule your chimney inspection.

Does Your Chimney Liner Need Replacing?

Your chimney is made up of a number of different parts and components that work together to keep your fireplace burning safely and efficiently. However, many parts of the chimney are completely hidden from view; because of this, it can be difficult to know when they need maintenance.

One hidden – but extremely important – part of your chimney is the chimney liner. Chimney liners protect the building materials surrounding the chimney from smoke and heat; however, because of their location many homeowners do not know when their chimneys need to be relined.

What is a chimney liner?

The Chimney Safety Institute of America defines a chimney liner is defined as “A clay, ceramic, or metal conduit installed inside of a chimney, intended to contain the combustion products, direct them to the outside atmosphere, and protect the chimney walls from heat and corrosion.”

The inside of your chimney structure isn’t open; instead, a metal pipe called a flue connects the firebox to the top of the chimney. This narrow pipe helps smoke and gas vent up and out of your home. However, in order to protect the rest of your home from the heat and gas that passes up the flue, a chimney liner is needed.

Does my chimney need to be replaced?

Because the flue is hidden inside your chimney structure, it can be difficult to know if or when your chimney needs to be relined. Oftentimes, damage to a chimney liner is uncovered during an annual chimney inspection; because changes in effectiveness or efficiency may be hard for homeowners to notice, your chimney sweep may be the first to recognize a problem with the liner. To fully evaluate the damage to a chimney’s flue liner, technology such as closed circuit cameras may be used in order for the chimney sweep to look at the entire length of the flue.

Long term use, over exposure to heat, damage from animals, or lack of being swept can all cause chimney liners to chip or crack. When damaged, chimney liners expose the surrounding building materials to heat and gas; not only can this let gasses like carbon monoxide into your home’s air supply, but in some cases it can also lead to accidental house fires.

Chimneys also may need to be relined if a new insert or fireplace has been installed. Because different fireplaces have different venting requirements, the old flue may not be the right size for the new fireplace. Likewise, switching fuel sources may require your chimney to be relined. Burning different fuel sources creates different byproducts of combustion; while a wood burning fireplace may require a thicker liner in order to handle creosote accumulation, a gas burning fireplace needs a high efficiency liner that is resistant to acidic condensation.

Replacing your chimney’s liner can improve your fireplace efficiency – as well as safety. For more information on relining your chimney, contact the chimney experts at Clean Sweeps of Michigan today!