Chimney guide
When should you have your chimney inspected?
The three inspection levels, seasonal timing, and the signs that should not wait for autumn.
The short answer
Have a level one inspection annually before the heating season if you use the fireplace regularly and nothing has changed. Move up to level two after a chimney fire, a severe storm, an earthquake, or when you buy or sell the house.
Key takeaways
- Level one is visual, level two adds video and accessible spaces, level three opens up structure
- Book in late summer, because sweeps are booked solid from October
- A chimney fire requires a level two inspection before the next use
- Creosote build-up is the risk that annual sweeping actually addresses
The three levels
The inspection levels are defined in NFPA 211 and every certified sweep works to them. Level one covers readily accessible portions and is what an annual check normally means. Level two adds video scanning of the flue and covers accessible attic and crawl spaces. Level three involves removing parts of the structure and is reserved for suspected serious hazards.
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About this guide
- Originally published
- September 2026
- Last reviewed
- September 2026
- Written by
- Dana Whitfield
- Reading time
- 7 min
- Sources cited
- 0
About the author
Dana Whitfield
Senior editor, home services
Dana runs the editorial side of TenBestFind. She built the research process, decides which markets get covered next, and writes the plumbing and chimney rankings herself. Before this she spent eleven years as a consumer reporter covering contractor licensing and home improvement fraud.
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