Home Inspection and Your Chimney

Home inspections might be optional, but really not worth skipping. Once you have settled on a home that you want to purchase and agreed on a price, the deal is still not final. A buyer has the option to have a professional home inspector check out the home. Because a home is a large investment and the buyer might be star-struck by the size of the closets or the open concept kitchen, contracting a home inspector to assess the home is a great way to have someone impartial do some deep investigating of the potential home. We have a great working relationship with Dave Morgenroth, owner of Morgenroth’s Home Inspection in Batavia, IL and we asked him his thoughts on chimneys during a home inspection.

Does A Home Inspection Include a Chimney Evaluation?

Morgenroth: A home inspection includes disclosure of the condition of the visible components of fireboxes, flues, and chimneys and is an important aspect of the property inspection. My goal is to make the buyer as well-informed as possible before they close on the purchase of the home. The exterior detection of insufficient clearance of chimneys, deterioration of the chimney chase, chimney cap cracks, unlined flues, missing rain caps, and damaged or missing flashing are some key defects that can have implications in allowing water intrusion inside the chase and further deterioration. Defects in the firebox, open and loose mortar joints, damaged dampers, insufficient hearth depths, improper clearance of chases from roof framing members, and missing firestops are some key interior defects that can have safety and insurability implications. The bottom line is that all of these defects can have potentially elevated levels of repair costs attained to them, and the prospective buyer should know their existence.

Have You Ever Needed to Recommend a Chimney Sweep to Home Buyer? Did They Get Any Buyer Credit Because of the Inspection?

Morgenroth: If I find defects from the exterior or interior view of the chimney during my inspection that might indicate a bigger problem, I recommend a Certified Chimney Sweep® inspection. I have recommended Valley Chimney Sweep and Restoration to numerous inspection clients and real estate agents in the past several years and I have always received great feedback from those clients and agents regarding the expertise, professionalism, and great value they received from Valley Chimney Sweep and Restoration. Since I am impartial to the purchase transaction, I cannot speak to whether they received buyer credit, just confirm that they are satisfied with my thorough inspection and referral for a chimney specialist.

Do All Home Inspectors Evaluate the Chimney?

In my opinion, all home inspectors should make every attempt to walk roof slopes and view chimney systems from the house exterior, if it is safe to do so. However, not all inspectors choose to walk roof surfaces. Some inspectors may not feel they have the knowledge to inspect and disclose defects of fireplaces and chimneys. As a home inspector, continuing education classes keep my knowledge base ever-expanding.

What Is a Home Inspectors Role When They Find a Home Defect Worth Investigating?

My obligation is to provide the highest level of expertise and advocacy for prospective buyers and sellers so they can make a well-informed decision on the sale or purchase of a property. I am a professional home inspector, trained, and licensed in my trade. If the level of defect is beyond my expertise, I ask questions of professionals in that field of service, whether it is a suburban Chicago Certified Chimney Sweep®, a licensed electrician, or HVAC professional. If that professional can only answer my questions with a physical inspection, I pass that knowledge and contact information on to the home buyer to help them make their next plan of action.   —– Thank you to Dave Morgenroth of Morgenroth’s Home Inspections in Batavia, Illinois for answering our questions and continuing to work with us. Dave Morgenroth was trained at the American Home Inspectors Training Institute in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and has been performing home inspections in Chicago are since 2001. He also has several years of experience in home remodeling, repair, and renovation as well as an extensive background in ornamental horticulture. If you are looking to contact Dave directly, you can do so from his website here.

Photo credit here.