Chimney Inspection Level 2 Seattle, WA

A Level 2 chimney inspection is the middle tier of the three inspection levels described in NFPA 211, the national standard for chimneys and venting. What sets it apart is the video camera scan: a technician runs a camera through the entire length of the flue and records what the liner and joints actually look like, instead of judging the chimney from what can be seen with a flashlight from the firebox and the roof. NFPA 211 recommends a Level 2 inspection when a home is sold or transferred, when you change the appliance or the fuel it burns, and after any event that could have damaged the chimney, such as a chimney fire, an earthquake or a major storm.

This page is about the Level 2 scan itself. A Level 1 inspection is the routine visual check that pairs with an annual sweep and does not include a camera; if your chimney has been in regular use with no changes and no incidents, that is usually the right starting point. A Level 3 inspection goes further still and involves removing parts of the structure to reach concealed areas, and is only ordered when a Level 2 finds something that cannot be resolved without opening things up. If you are buying or selling a home, our Chimney Real Estate Inspection page explains how a Level 2 fits into a transaction timeline and what the written report looks like to a buyer, seller or agent.

James Chimney Sweep has served Seattle and the Puget Sound for more than 25 years. Our technicians are CSIA certified, and the company is licensed, bonded and insured in Washington.

Timing & Safety

Necessary or optional?

Strongly advised (NFPA 211 recommends it):

• Sale or transfer of the property
• Changing the fuel type or replacing the appliance connected to the flue
• After a chimney fire, earthquake, storm or other damaging event
• Before a new liner or insert is installed, to confirm the flue can accept it

Usually optional:

• A chimney in continuous, unchanged use with a clean Level 1 history; in that case the annual sweep and Level 1 inspection cover it
• Repeating a Level 2 on a schedule when nothing has changed since the last scan

The honest answer is that a Level 2 is about information. If you need to know the condition of the part of the chimney you cannot see, it is the only inspection level that shows it to you without taking anything apart.

Safety considerations

Deteriorated flue liners are a fire and carbon monoxide concern because gaps between tiles can let heat and flue gases reach framing or living space. A Level 2 inspection is how those gaps get found. Please keep the following in mind:

• Do not use a fireplace or stove after a suspected chimney fire until the flue has been inspected.
• Do not climb onto the roof to check the chimney yourself. Our technicians handle roof and attic access with proper equipment.
• If your chimney vents a gas appliance and you ever smell gas, leave the house and call the gas utility or 911. Gas lines and valves are only serviced by a qualified technician.
• Install and test carbon monoxide alarms on every level of the home, especially if a furnace or water heater vents through the chimney.
• We do not diagnose chimneys from photos or over the phone; the whole point of a Level 2 is seeing the flue directly.

Seattle & Puget Sound conditions

Puget Sound weather is hard on flue liners in ways that show up on camera. Months of rain find their way down uncapped or poorly capped flues and soak into clay tile mortar joints; when a cold snap hits, that moisture freezes and expands, and the camera picks up the hairline cracks and spalled tile faces that result. Closer to the Sound and in Tacoma, salt-laden air accelerates corrosion of older metal liners and connector pipe. The region's chimneys are also older on average than many parts of the country, with unlined or partially lined masonry flues common in Seattle's early-1900s housing stock. And because this is earthquake country, a Level 2 after a noticeable quake is a sensible check, since flue tiles can crack or shift while the chimney exterior looks untouched.