Level 2 chimney inspection when buying a house
Your home inspector isn't required to look inside the flue. When to book a Level 2 chimney inspection, what it costs, and what it lets you ask for.
Updated · By 
Ben Sikes
Do you need a Level 2 chimney inspection before buying a house?
Yes, if the house has a chimney, a fireplace or a flue. Your home inspector isn't required to look inside the flue, so book a certified chimney sweep for a Level 2 inspection as soon as your report lands. The written result tells you what the camera found inside the flue, and what to get priced.
Key takeaways
- Ask whether a video scan of the full flue is in the price before you book.
- Ask the seller for any past chimney inspection or sweep records.
- Ask when the written findings arrive, then check that date against your deadline.
What is a Level 2 chimney inspection?
It is the middle of three inspection levels in National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 211, the chimney standard. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) says the standard calls for a Level II "upon the sale or transfer of a property." You still have to book it yourself. NFPA 211 is the standard certified sweeps work to.
A Level 1 checks that the chimney structure is sound and free of blockages and creosote. A Level 2 adds the accessible parts of the attic, crawl space and basement. CSIA says it may add a smoke or pressure test and "possibly an interior chimney video inspection."
In practice, the camera is the core of it. Franklin Chimney in Philadelphia describes its Level 2 as including an interior video scan and written findings.
Why doesn't your home inspection cover it?
Both national inspector standards stop at the flue. Under the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) Standards of Practice, your inspector need not "inspect the interior of chimneys or flues." Nor do they have to "perform a National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)-style inspection."
The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) standard is close. It leaves out "Interiors of vent systems, flues, and chimneys that are not readily accessible." So your report can note the chimney and any visible damage. It can't tell you what the inside looks like.
Your inspector does look at the visible parts of the chimney, and height is one of them. InterNACHI's roof guide says a chimney should stand at least 3 feet tall on its shortest side and 2 feet above any part of the roof within 10 feet. That is the 3-2-10 rule.
Don't wait for the inspector to flag damage before you book.
How serious is a chimney problem?
The risk is fire and carbon monoxide. "Both the CSIA and the National Fire Protection Association recommend yearly chimney inspections to help prevent fire and carbon monoxide poisonings," CSIA says.
It matters even if you never plan to light a fire, because a furnace may vent through the chimney. CSIA warns that high-efficiency furnaces vented into existing chimney flues "often do not perform at an optimal level." That, CSIA says, increases "the chances that toxic gases will enter home living spaces."
If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds or you suspect carbon monoxide, get out first. Then call 911 or the gas utility, and a licensed professional after that.
What does a Level 2 chimney inspection cost?
| Where | Level 2 price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia area, local contractor | $129 | Franklin Chimney |
That is one company's listed price, not a national figure. Get a quote from a chimney company in your own area. Before you book, ask for a firm price, a date, and whether a video scan of the full flue is included.
Kept prices the lines of an inspection report for $79, usually under 4 hours, and marks the ones that need a professional quote. See how Kept prices a line.
When will you get the written report?
When you book, ask what the report contains and when it will be delivered, then check that date against your deadline.
What can a Level 2 report let you ask the seller for?
A finding with a written price behind it. Get a quote for the repair from the company that ran the scan, or from a second chimney company.
Ask to see the video before you accept a liner quote.
Then put the priced line in your request with the rest of the report. How to get repair estimates during your inspection period covers getting the other quotes in time.
What if the seller says no?
You have three choices: accept the chimney as is, ask for a smaller credit, or use your contract's inspection terms to walk away. What to ask for after a home inspection covers how large a request is normal. Your contract sets the exact dates and terms, so confirm them with your agent or attorney.
Who does a Level 2: a chimney sweep or a specialist?
A certified chimney sweep. CSIA "recommends that chimney and venting inspections be completed by CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps." Ask for the inspection by level.
What is a Level 3 chimney inspection?
It goes inside the structure. CSIA says a Level III is recommended "When a Level I or Level II inspection suggests a hidden hazard and the evaluation cannot be performed without access to concealed areas." Ask the company that ran your Level 2 whether you need one.
How do I know what the rest of my list is worth?
The chimney report covers only the chimney. If your window is closing and your chimney quote is only one line of the request, upload your inspection report to Kept for a number behind the rest.
Sources
Cost figures are modeled from public wage and materials data unless a line says observed. Kept is accountable for the numbers on this page, and corrections go to support@usekept.com. How we price.