Level 1, 2 or 3 chimney inspection: which one you need

Where the levels come from

The three levels come from NFPA 211, the chimney standard most inspectors work from. Each level covers more of the chimney than the one before it.

Level	What it covers	When it's called for
Level 1	The firebox, the flue, the outside of the chimney and the connection to the appliance, where they can be reached without special tools	A yearly check when nothing about the system has changed
Level 2	Everything in a Level 1, plus the chimney in the attic, basement and crawl spaces, and a camera through the flue	A home sale, a new appliance or fuel, a relined flue, or damage from a chimney fire or storm
Level 3	Concealed parts of the chimney, which can mean opening a wall or taking part of the chimney apart	When a Level 1 or Level 2 points to a hidden problem

Level 1: the yearly inspection

A Level 1 covers the parts of the chimney and fireplace that can be reached without special tools or removing anything: the firebox, the flue, the outside of the chimney and the connection to the appliance.

It's the right inspection when the chimney is easy to get to and you plan to keep using it the way you have been. Our standard $49 chimney inspection is a Level 1.

Level 2: after a change, a sale or a chimney fire

A Level 2 is everything in a Level 1, plus the chimney areas in the attic, basement and crawl spaces, and a camera inspection of the inside of the flue.

The Chimney Safety Institute of America lists these as the times to get one:

• You add or replace a heating appliance, change the fuel, such as switching a fireplace from wood to gas, or reline the flue.
• The house is being sold or transferred.
• Something has happened that could have damaged the chimney, such as a chimney fire or a storm.

After a chimney fire, don't use the fireplace again until the chimney has been swept and checked.

Level 3: when the problem is hidden

A Level 3 is for when a Level 1 or Level 2 points to a serious problem that can't be confirmed without getting into concealed parts of the chimney. That can mean opening a wall or taking apart part of the chimney or the house to see it.

Buying or selling a house

A general home inspection won't cover the inside of the chimney. The InterNACHI standards of practice, which many home inspectors follow, don't require them to inspect the flue or the inside of a chimney.

Michigan law doesn't require a chimney inspection when a house is sold. The seller's disclosure statement asks about the fireplace and chimney, but the form itself says it isn't a substitute for an inspection.

If you're buying, call early in your inspection period to book a Level 2 chimney inspection. That leaves time to get anything it finds priced before you negotiate. If you're selling, a Level 2 before you list means the chimney is one less thing to come up late in the sale.