Realtors: The National Fire Protection Association Code Recommends a Level 2 Chimney Inspection for Real Estate Transactions

As a realtor, you deal with people during some of their most stressful moments. Naturally, you want to make sure they know you’re on their side and make the buying/selling process as stress-free and comfortable as possible. We’re here to help. Environmental Chimney Service is responsive to the needs of Realtors and customers who are in the process of buying or selling a home. We understand that time is of the essence during this period and want to help make things easier for everyone by offering:

Quick scheduling for inspections

On-site or same day Electronic Inspection Reports, which are emailed to the customer

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Knowledge and ability to assess all fireplace and chimney systems

Digital inspection reports

Video inspection of flue interior

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Inspection reports with checklist, pictures, findings, and recommendations

A wide service area in Buncombe and surrounding counties

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Why Schedule A Real Estate Chimney Inspection With A CSIA-Certified Sweep?

You wouldn’t let your client buy a home without first scheduling an inspection with a home inspector, would you? Of course not, because you want to make sure they’re getting their money’s worth and that they’re aware of any issues or concerns prior to closing. But what you may not know is that a home inspector’s chimney inspection isn’t really much of an assurance at all. There’s a lot that can be missed during a visual inspection, and undetected damage can end up costing your client thousands of dollars and threatening their safety. That’s why we advise that Level II Inspections (defined by The National Fire Protection Association or NFPA) be performed prior to real estate transactions.

A Level II Inspection includes accessible areas and enclosed flues, and assesses for proper clearances to combustibles and suitability of flues for connected appliances. A Level II inspection is recommended by the NFPA upon a sale or transfer of a property for the safety of the homebuyer. Chimney inspections for real estate transactions should be performed by someone who has been trained to assess fireplaces and chimneys for meeting the current standards. ECSI- is CSIA-certified and continually offers the most up-to-date training to our technicians, so you can be confident that we’ll provide you and your client with the information you need, when you need it.

Are you interested in scheduling a real estate chimney inspection for your client? We strive to offer quick service and flexible scheduling, but for an even smoother transaction for you and your client, please be ready to provide us with the following information:

  1. Who is the customer?
  2. What are the customer’s goals for the fireplace?  Is this an inspection for proper functioning? Change of fireplace appliance? Are there other concerns?
  3. What is the customer’s contact information? We’ll need the client’s phone number, an email address to send the inspection report to, and the property address.
  4. Will the customer be present at the inspection?
  5. How will the customer pay? It is our policy to collect payment at the time of service. We are glad to contact the customer directly to help arrange payment. Please note that some flues may need to be cleaned in order for a proper inspection to be performed. If your client has not ordered a cleaning, our technicians may advise a cleaning first, which will affect the total price of the service.

We’ll also need to know some basic information about the home and fireplace, like:

  • What is the age of the home?
  • Is the roof accessible? What is the pitch of the roof (easy, moderate, steep)?
  • What is the roofing materials made of? Tile, metal, rubber, etc.?
  • What type of appliance is it? Masonry, wood stove, gas logs, etc.?
  • Are there any known issues with the chimney system?
  • How many chimneys/flues?
  • Is the driveway accessible? Is there a need for 4-wheel drive?

Buying a home is stressful and carries with it some amount of risk. Reduce that risk and give your client confidence and peace of mind — Call 828-243-0098 or click here to request a chimney real estate inspection today. We’re happy to help!

Fixing a leaky chimney is definitely one chimney service that needs to be scheduled as soon as possible.