A Level 1 chimney inspection is the most common type of investigation. If you’ve used your fireplace recently without any issue, then this may be the inspection level for you. With this inspection, a chimney sweep will visually inspect the exterior of your chimney and flue. They will also look at the interior of your fireplace with a flashlight to ensure there are no airflow blockages.

A Level 2 inspection is necessary if you’re going to sell your home, but it is also essential if you’ve had any recent storm or fire damage to your home. This inspection goes into more detail than a Level 1 inspection, and involves your technician crawling into the attic, crawlspace, and any other accessible areas around your chimney. Here, a chimney sweep uses a video camera to examine the flue and check for internal cracks in the structure of your stack.

A Level 3 inspection is more comprehensive than the previous two levels. In addition to making all of the checks of Level 1 and 2 inspections, a Level 3 entails removing parts of the building or chimney. This removal allows a chimney sweep to examine the interior more carefully if your chimney has sustained severe damage.