Your Local Chimney Inspector for Home Sales
During a sale, the home inspector often writes one line about the chimney: have it looked at by a chimney professional. That line can hold up a deal. We check every flue in the house, what vents into each one and the masonry from the firebox to the top, then put what we found and what it would take to fix in writing, so buyer and seller talk about facts.
About Real Estate Chimney Inspection
During a sale, the chimney often gets one line in the general home inspection: further evaluation by a qualified chimney professional recommended. That line is not a finding, but it can stall a deal while the buyer, seller and lender wait. A chimney inspection for a sale replaces the uncertainty with specifics: what each flue serves, what condition it is in, which items are safety issues and what fixing them involves.
Most older houses on the market have layered histories. A fireplace may have been closed off and reopened, a boiler converted from oil to gas, a water heater orphaned in a flue it once shared with the boiler, or a stove added in the basement without a liner. Rowhouses and twins may share a chimney with the house next door. An inspection for a sale traces each of those threads instead of looking only into the living room fireplace.
What makes this inspection useful in a negotiation is the way it is written. Each flue gets its own entry. Safety items are separated from maintenance and from things to watch. Every repair is priced on its own line, so the parties can decide what gets done before closing, what becomes a credit and what the new owner plans for later, without arguing over a single lump figure.
What Our Crew Does
- Inspection date set around the contract deadline, with access arranged through the agent
- Each flue matched to its fireplace, stove, boiler or water heater
- Flues checked from the firebox, the basement cleanout and the roof where safe
- Attic and basement sections of the chimney checked for gaps, stains and heat marks
- Shared or party-wall flues noted so both owners' interests are clear
- Written findings grouped as safety items, repairs and items to watch
- Each repair priced on its own line in a written estimate
When to Call Us
- The home inspector flagged the chimney for further review
- Your inspection period ends soon
- You are listing a house and want no surprises
- The fireplace in the house has not been used in a long time
- The house switched heating fuel at some point
How the Job Goes
- Book around your date
Tell us your deadline and we fit the visit in. Your agent can arrange entry if you are not at the house.
- Every flue, every appliance
Fireplace, boiler and water heater flues are each checked from the inside, from the basement cleanout and from the roof.
- Findings in writing
You get a written summary of each item: what is fine, what to watch and what needs work.
- Itemized estimate
Any repair comes as a free written estimate with each item listed on its own, which makes it easier to settle in the negotiation.
Your Options
Booked within the inspection period, so the findings can shape the request for repairs or credits.
Done before the house goes on the market, so repairs are finished or priced and disclosed up front.
When a carrier asks for a chimney report before writing or renewing a policy on the new home.
A follow-up visit before closing to confirm the agreed work was done.
What Affects the Cost
- How many flues and connected appliances the house has
- Flues that need sweeping before their walls can be seen
- Safe access to the chimney top on the day of the visit
- Attic hatches, crawl spaces and finished basements that limit access
- A vacant house with utilities off, which changes what can be tested
- How quickly the written findings are needed for the contract
Every job starts with a free written estimate, so you know the price before we start.
When It Cannot Wait
- A carbon monoxide alarm during a showing or the walk-through: everyone out, call 911
- A blocked or collapsed heating flue found during the home inspection
- Signs of a past chimney fire, such as puffy creosote or cracked tile
- An inspection contingency that expires within days
Make It Last
- Sellers: have the flues swept and the caps and crown checked before listing
- Gather receipts for past sweeps, relining and masonry work for the buyer's file
- Buyers: put a first-year sweep and inspection on the move-in list
- Confirm carbon monoxide and smoke alarms are installed and working on every level
Questions About Real Estate Chimney Inspection
Is the home inspection not enough?
Should the buyer or the seller book it?
Can repairs wait until after closing?
Can you inspect a vacant house with the utilities shut off?
Can the findings go straight to my agent or attorney?
Does a condo or co-op unit need its own chimney inspection?
Guides From Our Crew
Do You Need a Chimney Inspection When Buying a House?Buying a house with a chimney is a strong reason to book a chimney inspection of its own.
Who Is Responsible for Chimney Repair?The owner of the building is usually responsible for the chimney itself, since it is part of the structure.
Chimney Inspections Requested by an InsurerInsurers sometimes ask for a chimney inspection when you buy a house with a fireplace, add a wood stove or insert, renew a policy or file a claim.
NJ Chimney Certification and Verification Forms, ExplainedWhat people call the NJ chimney certification is the state's Chimney Verification for Replacement of Fuel-Fired Equipment, form F370.
What Happens During a Chimney Inspection?An inspector starts at the fireplace, checking the firebox, damper and smoke chamber and looking up the flue with a strong light and a mirror.
How Much Does a Chimney Inspection Cost?What a chimney inspection costs comes down to how much chimney there is to examine and how awkward it is to get to.
Why homeowners call Pro 1
18,000+ Chimney Jobs. One Standard.
15+ years and 18,000+ chimney jobs taught us what homeowners want: a crew that shows up, explains it plainly and leaves the house as clean as they found it.
$500 OFF any chimney service
- Our own local crews
The people at your door work for us and live in the area. We never send subcontractors.
- Licensed and insured
Your home and our crew are covered on every job, from a sweep to a full rebuild.
- Free written estimate
You see what we found and what it takes to fix it, in writing, before any work starts.
- Upfront pricing
The price we write down is the price you pay. No hidden fees and no surprise add-ons.
- Fast response
Open 24 hours Sunday to Friday, with a real person on the phone and same-day visits when we can.
- Clean, careful work
Floors and furniture covered, the roof and yard cleaned up, and a walk-through when we finish.
Limited time offer
$500 OFF
Any chimney service. Mention it when you call or book online.
Simple from the first call
How It Works
- Your callCall, text or book online
Tell us what you see or smell. A real person from our team answers and sets a time that suits you.
- The visitFree chimney inspection
Our own crew arrives in a marked Pro 1 van, covers the floor and inspects the chimney from the firebox to the cap, free of charge.
- The estimateFree written estimate
We walk you through what we found, in plain words, and put any repair in writing before work starts.
- The workThe job, done right
We do the work, clean up the roof, the yard and the room, and walk you through the finished job.
Book before the holidays. Fireplaces get their heaviest use from Thanksgiving to New Year. A free inspection now catches nests, creosote and cracked flue tiles before the first big fire and the family gatherings.
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