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NFPA Chimney Inspections

Chimney inspections are important to identify any potential fire, health, and structure damage risks that may be present in your home. The certified chimney professionals from Chief Chimney Services in Long Island know how important annual inspections are for homeowners to receive. Unfortunately, Chief has also witnessed the consequences when homeowners rationalized that they don’t need an inspection or procrastinated at having the repair recommendations performed.

Whether you live in Long Island or anywhere else, it is for your own protection that you follow the recommendations from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and have a professional inspect your chimney. The key word is “professional”. The worst case scenario is you to pay someone who just claims to be able to inspect your chimney and you think you are safe, and then experience the unthinkable because the person you did business with was not qualified to perform the inspection. How does a homeowner know what should be included in a proper inspection? The NFPA instituted guidelines for homeowners and inspectors.

When it came to determining what components were to be inspected and the appropriate inspection for the homeowner’s circumstances, prior to 2000, homeowners we left at the mercy and judgement of the person conducting their inspection. In January of 2000, the National Fire Protection Association defined and standardized what inspections should include. These standards can be found in code NFPA 211 (Standard for Chimneys, Fireplaces, Vents and Solid Fuel Burning Appliances). There are three levels of inspection and each has a very clear definition for the inspector and homeowner, alike.

The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) has included a detail explanation of each of the three levels of inspections along with guidelines when each is appropriate on their website. Click here to view those videos.

Both the CSIA and NFPA are very clear that homeowners have an annual chimney inspection by a CSIA certified technician performed every year before you begin to use your heating system. Inspections can be best performed in the summertime when the chimney and furnace are not in use and weather conditions make a visual inspection easier. However, inspections can be performed throughout the year weather permitting.

If your inspector does find an issue or issues that need to be addressed, it is important to take care of the repairs promptly. Inadequately functioning chimneys and their components can lead to fire hazards, toxic gas poisoning, as well as water damage to the interior and exterior of your home. And if there were ever a time to be proactive, it is when your family’s health and safety are at stake.

It is our recommendation to you that you review the three levels of inspections and discuss your need for a proper inspection with your CSIA certified chimney professional. If you live in Long Island, Chief Chimney Service is available to answer all your questions and perform the proper inspection following NFPA standards. If you don’t live in Chief’s service area consult the CSIA website, Angie’s List, and the BBB to find a qualified inspector.

The Importance of CSIA Certification

When your health and safety are at risk, you need do business with a trusted professional to ensure that the services you receive and the one who provides them have your best interests as the top priority. Chief Chimney Services in Long Island, NY recognizes the importance of providing you with technicians who are certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA). CSIA is the industry’s eminent non-profit organization dedicated to advancing “public awareness while educating and certifying industry professionals.”

What does CSIA certification mean to you? Trust!

CSIA credentials are a litmus test when deciding which company you trust with maintaining and repairing your chimney and related venting structures and systems. When your systems are not functioning properly your family’s health and safety are subject to the risks of fire and toxic gas poisoning, and the financial risk as a result of structural damage to your home and property. All of which can be avoided by having a CSIA technician perform your annual cleaning and inspections and making repairs as needed.

When you need chimney or related services it is always in your best interest to protect yourself from false claims and only do business with a company whose technicians are CSIA certified. A CSIA certified technician has completed both classroom and hands-on training under skilled professionals. Graduates of the CSIA have demonstrated their expertise in technical abilities, and local fire and safety codes. Their trainers, as well as the technicians seeking certification, are committed to education, professionalism, excellence, and most important, your safety. These core values, along with technical expertise, must be demonstrated in order to receive CSIA credentials.

It’s very easy to get t-shirt printed that says “chimney sweep” and prey on unsuspecting home owners who have no way to measure the competence of the person wearing the t-shirt. When you do business with a professional chimney company who insists that their technicians are CSIA certified, it gives you important insight to the high standards the company maintains. Furthermore, consider, the chimney company that values the CSIA credentials and maintains a membership in good standing has invested time and money to earn, maintain, and renew their credentials above and beyond anyone off the street who calls himself a chimney sweep. The CSIA credentials are “the hallmark of excellence among chimney and venting professionals”, and have been since 1983. Even the Better Business Bureau recommends using a CSIA certified chimney sweep as one of the ways to measure the integrity of the person you invite to your home.

Your CSIA technician has the training to properly use the professional tools needed to do a thorough cleaning and inspection, the knowledge of your structure as well as local fire codes, and the expertise to know what to look for during the inspection and how to make any necessary repairs in the most effective and cost efficient method available.

To summarize, following these recommendations by the CSIA is the best way to ensure the quality of the chimney and related work you need. Click here to follow their five recommendations. If you are located in the Long Island area, Chief Chimney Service is CSIA recommended and wants to add you to our list of satisfied customers.