What is a Level 2 chimney inspection and do I need one when buying a house?
In Swannanoa, where recovery from recent storm damage has homes being rebuilt and renovated across the valley, a Level 2 inspection is the buyer's safeguard — it adds a camera scan of the full flue and an inspection of the accessible attic, crawlspace, and roof to the basic check. The national standard requires Level 2 at a sale, and post-storm construction makes verifying a chimney's condition especially important.
Rebuilding after the storm
Storm damage pushed a wave of rebuilds and renovations through Swannanoa, and a lot of chimneys and hearths have been repaired, replaced, or newly installed in a hurry. Buying one of these homes, you want proof the work was done right — a Level 2 camera pass verifies the flue is sound and any new venting was assembled and cleared correctly, not just finished quickly to get the house back on the market.
Grovemont's 1940s masonry
The Grovemont area's 1940s-to-'60s homes carry original masonry fireplaces, and river-valley fog, cold-air pooling, and damp air are steadily hard on that masonry — spalled brick, rusted dampers, water in the flue. The accessible attic and roof portion of a Level 2 catches that moisture damage, while the camera reads the liner. On an older home that also weathered the storm, both matter.
New heat, new inspection
Demand for new fireplaces and stoves has climbed here as people rebuild, and every new install should be paired with a proper inspection. If the report calls for a liner or gas-line work, we permit it through Buncombe County as a licensed gas contractor and meet the inspector. Swannanoa is 15 minutes east of our Asheville showroom — do the Level 2 inside your inspection window and 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
- Does a standard home inspection cover the fireplace and chimney?
- I'm buying a house with a fireplace — what should I have inspected?
- Does my chimney need to be inspected or cleaned before a conversion or insert installation?
- Is it safe to use the fireplace in a house I just bought before having it serviced?
- Will my homeowner's insurance have issues with an existing wood stove in a house I'm buying?