What is a Level 3 Chimney Inspection?
Chimney inspections are necessary in order to keep your chimney in proper working order and to ensure that your home or building are safely heated. However, many property owners aren’t aware that there are three types of chimney inspections: Level I, II, and III. Each of these inspections can help prevent dangers like carbon monoxide leaks and chimney fires. They will also help keep your chimney running well and help avoid costly and time-consuming issues in the future.
At Best Chimney Services, we’ve been inspecting chimneys since 1989. Our team of knowledgeable chimney technicians is compassionate about keeping our clients’ homes safe. We offer a variety of residential chimney services and commercial chimney services to help a range of clients. We urge you to call us with any of your chimney concerns or questions! One of the necessary services we provide are level 3 inspections. In this blog we will discuss what a level 3 chimney inspection entails.
When is a Level 3 Chimney Inspection Needed?
A level 3 chimney inspection is the most extensive and invasive chimney inspection out of the three types (I, II, and III). This inspection is needed when the findings of a level 1 or level 2 chimney inspection suggest that there could potentially be an unidentifiable fire or safety hazard lurking beyond the visible area. It’s common for damage to be found if you’ve had a chimney fire or experienced any other big event that has negatively affected the chimney. Our chimney technicians recommend a level 3 chimney inspection when your chimney has experienced one of these events or if they suspect that there is a potential safety hazard that a prior inspection cannot identify.
What Does a Level 3 Chimney Inspection Involve?
The level 3 chimney inspection process is invasive because it involves all aspects of the level 1 and 2 inspections, as well as a range of tools to reach concealed areas. This may include opening up walls or parts of the chimney structure. The level 1 inspection comes first.
Level 1 Inspection
The chimney technician will conduct a basic level 1 inspection by examining the readily accessible components of your chimney to ensure they’re intact and functioning. They’ll also examine the structure and masonry for any water damage or creosote buildup. This step is fairly simple because it’s the most common and focuses on a visual inspection. Next, the chimney technician will conduct a level 2 inspection.
Level 2 Inspection
Level 2 inspections are common when you’ve made a change to your chimney or fireplace. The technician will take a video scan of the inside of the chimney to get a more in-depth look, while also inspecting the accessible parts of the chimney like the attic, roof, crawl space, and basement. From there, the technician will move on to inspect more concealed areas of the chimney – a level 3.
Level 3 Inspection
Depending on the hazard the technician finds during the first two inspections, they’ll need to look deeper into the chimney’s components to discover the source of the problem. The Chimney Safety Institute of America explains that this process can involve the removal of certain components, but that this is only done when necessary. This can include removing drywall, exterior walls surrounding the chimney, the chimney crown, or the interior chimney walls so that the technician can access the flue or other hidden parts. When the inspection is complete, the technician will be able to identify a solution to the problem and recommend the next steps to take.
How Often Do You Need a Chimney Inspection?
Now that you know what a level 3 chimney inspection involves, you may be wondering how often you should book your chimney inspection. Our goal is for you to need to book a level 3 inspection as infrequently as possible. To reduce the types of problems that trigger level 3 chimney inspections, you should book an annual level one chimney inspection with us. Our experts will use this more basic inspection to ensure that your chimney is being maintained and kept in proper, working order. We recommend booking with us at least once a year so your chimney never goes unchecked. However, if you’ve made any changes to your heat or hot water equipment recently, book a chimney inspection today so that we can ensure the installation was done well and that everything is working smoothly as a result.
Call Best Chimney Services for All Your Inspection Needs
Chimney inspections are recommended in order to keep your home and family safe. By taking the initiative to book your annual chimney inspections with us, we can determine if a level 3 chimney inspection is needed sooner rather than later. You’ll also help us catch any problems before they can get too costly and unsafe. Call us today to get started!
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