Portland Real Estate Transaction Chimney Inspections
Know What You’re Buying!
During an average chimney inspection (a Level 1 inspection, according to the NFPA’s guidelines), American Chimney & Masonry’s Portland technicians will take a thorough look at all of the accessible portions of your system’s interior and exterior, from the firebox up through to the chimney crown. In an average year — when nothing’s changed about the system or the way you use it — that type of inspection, once during that year, should be all you need. There are, however, certain instances that make it necessary to have a chimney inspection done at other times. One instance when it’s wise to have a CSIA-certified Portland chimney sweep inspect the chimney system is when you are buying or selling a property with an existing chimney.
Have You Scheduled A Real Estate Transaction Chimney Inspection?
Are considering buying a home with an existing chimney? It’s well worth it to have a real estate transaction chimney inspection. During your average real estate transaction, a home inspector will inspect the whole home to keep the home buyer informed about the state of their major investment. Most inspectors take a cursory look at the chimney and include any obvious issues in the report. But most home inspectors aren’t chimney experts, and an in-depth chimney inspection isn’t in the scope of what they’re expected to do. Chimneys are complex systems and issues can be quite tricky — it takes a trained eye and the right tools to find a subtle problem that, if not taken care of, can lead to extensive and expensive chimney repairs.
What Does A Real Estate Transaction Chimney Inspection Include?
A real estate transaction chimney inspection follows the scope of the NFPA’s Level 2 chimney inspection. It includes the Level 1 inspection process, plus the inspection of any parts in attics, basements or crawl spaces, and a video scan of the expanse of the flue. Using a high-tech, top-of-the-line camera system that’s specifically designed for this work, we’ll be able to find issues with your chimney before they turn into major problems, or damage that might hide from a tech with just a flashlight and a mirror. We’ll also be able to show you exactly what we find, so you can be well informed about the chimney system and armed to make the best possible decisions about your Portland home purchase and your investment.
Should I Get a Chimney Inspection on a New Home?
When you buy a new home you might assume that the fireplace and chimney system is in good working order. While this is normally the case it is the times when it is not that the recommendation would be to always get chimneys inspected or your home no matter what the age. On new homes the builders often are hiring general mortar contractors that do a decent job on general mortar jobs. Building a good working and safe fireplace appliance is not a general job. There are very specific things that must be done as well as codes and specifications that must be met. These codes can be different from tome to town and county to county and whoever builds the fireplace needs to know what they are in your area.
There are also emissions regulations as well that must be met. These are not only dependent on where the appliance is located but also the size. Because of the heat put out by the fire there are specific types of mortar and bricks that should be used. Not using materials that are meant for this type of construction is a safety issue no matter how new a house is.
Another chimney company located in Nashville recently went into a home that was having smoke problems. This house had multiple chimneys and when they started looking at them through a picture scope what they found shocked them. This was a multiple million dollar home that was less than a year old. Whoever built the chimneys stacked the liner and never mortared the joints. That meant there were huge gaping holes in places where the liner overlapped thus letting smoke into areas where smoke should not be going. This was a very expensive home where the builder of these particular chimneys did a second rate job that could have ended up causing a great deal of damage, not to mention lives. Luckily for them the problem was identified and solved but it took a lot of time and additional dollars to fix them properly. If these types of mistakes are going on in multi-million dollar homes around the country, then it could also happen to any home in Portland. So when asked if a new home will need a chimney inspection the answer will always be – yes.
Schedule Your Real Estate Transaction Chimney Inspection Today!
A home is a big investment – do you know what you’re getting into? Schedule a real estate transaction inspection today and buy with confidence! Call 503-644-0393 or click here! Do you need a post-chimney fire or lightning strike inspection? If so, this would be a great opportunity to take advantage of our video chimney scans!
Portland Chimney Repair – Service Area
Located right here in Portland, Oregon, our chimney sweep technicians provide the best in chimney services, fireplace installation and chimney inspections in the Portland-Metro area. From NE Portland down to SE Portland, Tualatin and Oregon City in the south, from Pleasant Valley in the east to Beaverton and Sherwood in the west – when it comes to your chimney, fireplace and vents, we hope you’ll call American Chimney & Masonry! We are the most trusted Portland Chimney Repair company!
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