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Chimney inspection levels 1, 2 and 3
There are three levels of chimney inspection. Which one applies depends on why the chimney is being inspected, not on how old or how dirty it is.
The short answer: Level 1 is for a chimney in continued use where nothing is changing. Level 2 applies when something changes, when a home is sold or transferred, or after an event that may have damaged the chimney, and it adds a video scan of the flue. Level 3 is for suspected hidden hazards and may involve removing parts of the building or chimney to reach them.
The three levels come from NFPA 211, the standard for chimneys, fireplaces, vents and solid fuel-burning appliances, and are explained by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA). The table below summarizes them in plain language.
The three levels
| Level | When it applies | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | The chimney stays in continued use, under the same conditions, with the same appliance. | The readily accessible parts of the chimney exterior and interior, and the accessible parts of the appliance and chimney connection. The technician looks at the basic soundness of the structure and flue and checks that the chimney is free of obstructions and combustible deposits. |
| Level 2 | A change to the system, such as a different fuel type, relining the flue or changing the flue shape or material, or replacing or adding a different type of appliance. Also when a property is sold or transferred, or after a malfunction or an event likely to have caused damage, such as a chimney fire, building fire or weather event. | Everything in Level 1, plus the accessible parts of the chimney in attics, crawl spaces and basements, and a video scan or similar examination of the inside surfaces and joints of the flue liners. It does not require removing or damaging permanent parts of the chimney or building. |
| Level 3 | A Level 1 or Level 2 inspection suggests a hidden hazard that cannot be evaluated without access to concealed areas. | Everything in Levels 1 and 2, plus removal of certain parts of the building or chimney, such as the crown or an interior chimney wall, but only where needed to reach the area in question. |
In this table, “readily accessible” means it can be reached without tools to open or remove doors, panels or coverings, and “accessible” may need common tools to open or remove them, but without damaging the chimney or building.
Which level do I need?
- Routine yearly check, nothing has changed: Level 1.
- Buying or selling a home: Level 2.
- Relining the flue, or changing the fuel or the appliance: Level 2.
- After a chimney fire, building fire or storm damage: Level 2.
- A lower-level inspection points to something hidden: Level 3 may be recommended.
If you are not sure which applies, describe the situation and we will tell you which level makes sense.
Inspection and sweeping are different
Sweeping removes soot and creosote deposits from the flue. An inspection assesses the condition of the chimney system. A Level 1 inspection is often part of a routine sweeping, but sweeping on its own is not an inspection, and a chimney can need one without the other.
What an inspection cannot tell you
An inspection reports on what can be reached and seen at that level. A Level 1 inspection can miss concealed defects, which is exactly why higher levels exist. A video scan shows the inside surfaces and joints of a flue, but it cannot show everything, and not every flue allows a camera to pass through. Treat any inspection as a report on the day it was done, and ask what was and was not examined.
Questions to ask
- Which level of inspection is this, and why?
- What was and was not examined?
- Will the flue be scanned with a camera?
- Will I receive a written report with photos?
- If repairs are recommended, what is urgent and what can wait?
Need a chimney inspection?
Tell us why you need one and we will help you choose the right level.