Do I Really Need a Chimney Real Estate Inspection When Buying a Home?

Home inspectors are good at what they do. They have enough knowledge about every aspect of the home to be good at knowing what obvious things to look for. But the problem is that a large portion of the chimney system is not visible to the naked eye. And those hidden areas are where a lot of fire risks and performance issues arise.

If you want to be confident that the chimney system in your new home is in good working condition and ready for continued safe use, a simple look at the exterior of the chimney from the ground and a look at the fireplace with a flashlight is not good enough. You need something more exhaustive.

That’s why the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 211 recommends chimney inspections when buying/selling a house.