Perhaps you did not notice anything unusual with your chimney or fireplace the last time you used it. Even so, your chimney still deserves attention from a professional chimney technician, who can make sure it is safe to use for the upcoming heating season. A chimney may not have many moving parts, but that doesn’t mean it cannot run into trouble. Chimney fires are responsible for a large number of home fires each year, and regular Level 1 inspections help to prevent this from happening to your house.
A Level 1 Inspection Gets You Ready for the Heating Season
The National Fire Protection Association established guidelines that standardized the process of a Level 1, 2, and 3 inspection throughout the U.S. In most cases, a Level 1 inspection is sufficient enough for the average home and is recommended to prepare you for the colder season. Level 2 and Level 3 inspections become necessary if anything unusual is detected during a Level 1 inspection, if you’ve made changes to your fireplace or chimney, or if you suspect serious issues with the construction of the chimney or fireplace.
The Process of a Level 1 Inspection
A Level 1 inspection involves a thorough examination of all of the readily accessible parts of a chimney. This means that your technician should not disassemble anything that cannot be pieced back together with ease, but that they will still take a close look at as much of the interior and exterior portions of the chimney as possible. Your technician checks to ensure that the entire chimney is sound and looks for creosote (a buildup of deposits that can lead to a fire) and recommends a cleaning if necessary.
Get a Chimney Inspection and Cleaning Each Year
If you regularly use your chimney during the winter, we strongly recommend scheduling a chimney inspection before the cooler weather begins again. A chimney inspection can reveal any issues with the chimney that should be addressed, such as troubling breaches in the layout of the chimney or a major obstruction. Pair your inspection with a thorough cleaning for protection against dangerous chimney fires.
Contact the experts at 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. for a thorough Level 1 chimney inspection and cleaning in the Minneapolis–St. Paul, MN.
Call Us Today! 612.922.9600 or 1-888-PIXLEYS