What are Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 chimney inspections?
In Swannanoa, where recovery from recent storm damage has homeowners rebuilding and adding fireplaces and stoves, a lot of these inspections happen around new installs and post-event checks. NFPA 211 sets three tiers — a routine Level 1, a Level 2 camera scan, and an invasive Level 3 — and a chimney that came through the storm, or a fireplace going into a rebuilt home, both point to the Level 2.
Rebuilt homes and first inspections
The rebuilding underway across Swannanoa's Grovemont and Owen-area neighborhoods has driven real demand for new fireplace and stove installations, and a new appliance is its own reason for a Level 2 — a documented camera scan of the flue and a correctly sized liner before the system goes into service. After that first inspection, a sealed gas or wood unit settles into routine yearly Level 1 checks. For a family putting a home back together, getting the hearth certified right the first time matters.
Storm-tested chimneys need the scan
An existing masonry chimney that weathered the storm falls into the post-event category NFPA 211 writes the Level 2 for. The 1940s-to-60s original fireboxes common here weren't built for that kind of stress, and the damage — a cracked liner, a shifted crown — often hides inside the flue. The camera scan finds it. If it turns up a hazard concealed behind a wall or in the structure, a Level 3 opens things up to reach it, though that stays rare.
The damp valley in ordinary years
Even without the storm, Swannanoa's river-valley fog and cold-air pooling keep chimneys damp and are hard on masonry, so the annual Level 1 pulls its weight year to year. Any gas line we run for a new install is permitted through Buncombe County and pressure-tested. Fifteen minutes east of our Emma Road showroom, Swannanoa is close to home for us. Call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Swannanoa
We install and service fireplaces throughout Swannanoa and the rest of Buncombe County — just 15 minutes east from our Asheville-area showroom.
Related questions
- What is the difference between a chimney inspection and a chimney sweeping?
- Do I need a chimney inspection when buying or selling a home?
- I just moved into a home with a fireplace — should I have it inspected before using it?
- What certifications should a chimney sweep have?
- What does a chimney sweep actually do during a cleaning?