Chimneys and Flues
 
There are a wide variety of chimneys, which represent an even wider variety of interrelated components that comprise them. However, there are three basic types: single- walled metal, masonry and pre-fabricated metal ones that are commonly referred to as factory-built. Single-walled metal chimneys should not be confused with factory-built chimneys, and are rarely found in residential use, but masonry and factory-built ones are a commonplace.

My inspection of chimneys is that of a generalist not a specialist, and meets industry standards. However, significant areas of chimney flues cannot be adequately viewed during a field inspection, as has been documented by the Chimney Safety Institute of America, which reported in 1992: "The inner reaches of a flue are relatively inaccessible, and it should not be expected that the distant oblique view from the top or bottom is adequate to fully document damage even with a strong light." Therefore, because my inspection of chimneys is limited to those areas that can be viewed without dismantling any portion of them, and does not include the use of specialized equipment, I will not guarantee their integrity. I recommend that they be video-scanned before the close of escrow.


CHIMNEY FLUES

Chimney flues need to be cleaned periodically, to prevent the possibility of a chimney fire. However, the complex variety of deposits that forms within the chimney flues as a result of incomplete combustion, and which contribute to such fires, are complicated and not easily understood. They range from soot or pure carbon that does not burn, to tars that can ignite. All of these deposits are commonly described as creosote, but creosote has many forms, ranging from crusty carbon deposits that can be easily brushed away, to tar-glazed creosote that requires chemical cleaning. These deposits must be identified and treated by a chimney specialist. However, cleaning a chimney is not a guarantee against a chimney fire. Studies have proven that a significant percentage of chimney fires have resulted within one month of the chimney being cleaned and many more have resulted within a six-month period.

It is impossible for Olympian Home Inspectors to determine with any degree of certainty whether all flues are free of defects. In accordance with recommendations made by the National Fire Prevention Association to have all chimneys inspected before buying a home, you should consider having a C S I A, or equivalently certified chimney sweep, conduct a Level II inspection of all chimney flues prior to close of escrow.