Chimney Inspections in Lexington

Level 1

The look-over. Everything reachable without tools or ladders-into-the-flue: firebox, damper, visible flue, exterior masonry from the ground and roof. Right when nothing has changed — same appliance, same fuel, no known problems — and you want a routine condition check before burn season.

Level 2

The camera inspection. Everything in Level 1 plus a video scan of the full flue interior and a pass through the attic and roofline for clearances and hidden staining. This is the level called for when a property changes hands, when an appliance or fuel changes, or after any event that could have damaged the system — a flue fire, a lightning strike, a big wind storm. It's the level we recommend most often, because it's the one that actually sees the liner.

Level 3

The tear-into. When Levels 1 and 2 find evidence of a serious hidden problem, a Level 3 opens up concealed areas — a chase wall, a ceiling section — to confirm what's really there. Rare, never a surprise: it only happens because specific findings justified it, and we show you those findings first.

General home inspectors do good work, but nearly every report we're handed contains some version of one sentence: "recommend evaluation by a qualified chimney professional." That's not a dodge — flue interiors genuinely aren't visible without a camera, and a chimney is the one system in the house the seller may never have used. We slot transaction inspections quickly, because we know what a closing calendar looks like, and the work doesn't stop for winter the way masonry season does.

For buyers, a Level 2 before closing turns an unknown into a negotiating line with numbers attached. For sellers, the same inspection done early keeps a cracked flue from surfacing during someone else's due diligence. And for the landlords who call us from Richmond, it's documentation: proof the venting was inspected before a tenant lit the first fire of the season.

• Flue interior, with video stills — tile condition, joint gaps, creosote level, liner presence and type.
• Crown, cap, and flashing, photographed from the roof, since these three start most of the water problems we repair.
• Exterior masonry — joint condition, spalling, staining, movement cracks, with each finding located on the stack.
• Firebox, damper, and smoke chamber condition and clearances.
• A prioritized list: what's a hazard now, what's a next-year item, what's cosmetic — each with a price range attached so you can plan instead of react.

Findings feed straight into the fix: masonry issues route to repair and rebuild work, flue issues to stainless relining, and plenty of inspections end with "you're fine — burn away." We put that last one in writing too.