Level 1 Inspection: If your appliance or your venting system has not changed and you plan to use your system as you have in the past, then a Level 1 inspection is a minimum requirement. A Level 1 inspection is recommended for a chimney under continued service, under the same conditions, and with the continued use of the same appliance. In a Level 1 inspection, your chimney service technician should examine the readily accessible portions of the chimney exterior and interior as well as accessible portions of the appliance and the chimney connection. Your technician will be looking for the basic soundness of the chimney structure and flue as well as the basic appliance installation and connections. The technician will also verify the chimney is free of obstruction and combustible deposits. – See more at:http://www.csia.org/homeowner-resources/chimney_inspections.aspx#sthash.6K3lKiWm.dpuf
Level 2 inspection: A Level 2 inspection is a more in-depth inspection than a Level 1 inspection. A Level 2 inspection is required when any changes are made to the system, such as a change in the fuel type; changes to the shape of, or material in, the flue (i.e. relining); or the replacement or addition of an appliance of a dissimilar type, input rating or efficiency. A Level 2 inspection is also required upon the sale or transfer of a property, after an operation malfunction, or following an external event that is likely to have caused damage to the chimney, such as building fires, chimney fires, seismic events and other weather events. A Level 2 inspection includes everything in a Level 1 inspection, plus the accessible portions of the chimney exterior and interior including attics, crawl spaces and basements. It will address proper clearances from combustibles in accessible locations.
There are no special tools (i.e. demolition equipment) required to open doors, panels or coverings in performing a Level 2 inspection. A Level 2 inspection also includes a visual inspection by video scanning or other means in order to examine the internal surfaces and joints of all flue liners incorporated within the chimney. No removal or destruction of permanently attached portions of the chimney or building structure or finish are required in a Level 2 inspection. – See more at:http://www.csia.org/homeowner-resources/chimney_inspections.aspx#sthash.6K3lKiWm.dpuf
Level 3 inspection: When a Level 1 or Level 2 inspection suggests a hidden hazard and the evaluation cannot be performed without special tools to access concealed areas of the chimney or flue, a Level 3 inspection is recommended. A Level 3 inspection includes all the areas and items checked in a Level 1 and a Level 2 inspection as well as the removal of certain components of the building or chimney where necessary. Removal of components (i.e., chimney crown, interior chimney wall) is required only when necessary to gain access to areas that are the subject of the inspection. When serious hazards are suspected, a Level 3 inspection may be required to determine the condition of the chimney system. – See more at:http://www.csia.org/homeowner-resources/chimney_inspections.aspx#sthash.6K3lKiWm.dpuf
Contact California Chimney today at (510) 817-2399 to schedule your SF Bay Area chimney inspection service.
