Chimney inspections in Lafayette.

We look at the whole chimney, cap to firebox, so a small fault is found before it grows. Phone the office or book online.

(303) 590-3768 Book an inspection

An illustration of a chimney cut open to show the flue liner inside — Illustration

Office Mon to Fri 7 AM to 7 PM, Sat 8 AM to 5 PM. Book online any hour.
Book onlineAny hour

Photo: Lafayette, CO, Jared Winkler, CC BY-SA 4.0

An illustration of a masonry chimney with its parts separated, from the cap down to the firebox — A masonry chimney illustrated with its parts pulled apart

The cap of the chimney illustration, a screened box under a lifted roof — A masonry chimney illustrated with its parts pulled apart

What an inspection covers.

Six parts, from the cap down to the firebox.

Cap
Over the flue opening
The cap shuts out snow, rain, birds and squirrels, and its mesh stops embers before they can land on shingles or dry grass.
We check: fit, corrosion, torn mesh, nesting material.
Crown
The concrete slab
Water that works into a hairline crack in the crown swells by about 9% as it freezes, and a Lafayette winter repeats that night after night.
We check: hairline cracks, flaking, gaps around the flue tile.
Flashing
Where chimney meets roof
The metal and sealant where chimney meets roof. Snow banks against it and melts slowly, so one lifted edge is enough to let water in.
We check: lifted counterflashing, dried sealant, stains in the attic.
Flue liner
Running up the middle
The liner carries smoke, heat and combustion gases up and out. A cracked or shifted tile can let heat reach the framing and fumes reach the rooms.
We check: cracked or shifted tiles, gaps in the mortar, the right size for the appliance.
Smoke chamber and damper
Over the fireplace
Creosote settles here first. The Chimney Safety Institute of America advises sweeping once the deposit reaches 1/8 inch.
We check: glazed creosote, a damper that closes tight, open masonry walls.
Firebox
Where the fire burns
Firebrick and refractory mortar take the heat of the fire. A few open joints are a small job now and a large one once the damage reaches the masonry behind.
We check: joints that have opened, cracked firebrick, a sound hearth.

Three levels of inspection.

NFPA 211, the standard for chimneys and fireplaces, defines three levels, each going deeper than the last.

Level 1
A chimney in regular service, with nothing about how it is used having changed.
Covers The readily accessible parts of the chimney.
Level 2
At a sale or transfer of the property, after the system has been changed, or after a chimney fire or another event.
Covers Everything in Level 1, plus a look in the attic and crawl space and a camera run through the flue.
Level 3
Where a hazard is suspected and Level 2 could not settle the question.
Covers Level 2 and the hidden areas as well, which can mean taking parts of the structure apart.

Source: NFPA 211.Book an inspection

When to book one.

An inspection is not only for when something looks wrong. These are the moments to have one done.

Ahead of the first fire of the year.
NFPA recommends one inspection a year. Early fall, before the stove or fireplace sees use again, is the easy moment to schedule it.
Illustration
Buying or selling a house.
A sale or transfer of the property is a trigger for a Level 2 inspection under NFPA 211, camera scan of the flue included. It counts for more in a town that mixes coal-era cottages with newer houses.
After a chimney fire.
After a chimney fire or any other event that could have damaged the system, NFPA 211 asks for a Level 2 inspection.
Illustration
After a severe windstorm or hailstorm.
Wind and hail hit whatever stands highest first: the cap, the crown and the flashing above the roofline. On December 30, 2021, the National Weather Service recorded a 68 mph gust in Louisville, next to Lafayette.
Photo: Waneka Lake clouds (500px photo 75905133), Makia Minich, CC BY-SA 3.0
When you add a gas insert or a wood stove.
NFPA 211 lists a change to the system, such as a new insert or stove, among the reasons for a Level 2 inspection.

Book an inspection

Questions about inspections.

Plain answers, and the source where there is one.

How often does a chimney need an inspection?

NFPA recommends an inspection once every year. Sweeping is separate: the Chimney Safety Institute of America advises it once a deposit reaches 1/8 inch, sooner if it looks glazed or shiny, so it follows your burning habits.

Is an inspection needed when a house is bought or sold?

Under NFPA 211 a sale or transfer calls for a Level 2 inspection. It goes beyond the accessible parts that Level 1 covers, adding the attic, the crawl space and a camera run through the flue.

What does an inspection look at?

Everything from the top down: cap, crown, the flashing at the roofline, flue liner, smoke chamber and damper, and firebox. The list above shows what is checked on each.

How do I book an inspection?

Call (303) 590-3768 (Mon to Fri 7 AM to 7 PM, Sat 8 AM to 5 PM), or fill in the form on this page whenever you like.

Chimney inspections in Lafayette.

What an inspection covers.

Cap

Crown

Flashing

Flue liner

Smoke chamber and damper

Firebox

Three levels of inspection.

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

When to book one.

Ahead of the first fire of the year.

Buying or selling a house.

After a chimney fire.

After a severe windstorm or hailstorm.

When you add a gas insert or a wood stove.

Questions about inspections.

Book a visit.

Something off with the chimney, or just ready for the first fire of the season?