A chimney video scan drops a high-resolution camera down your flue and records every foot of interior. Part of our chimney inspection service, it catches damage no visual check can find — and often prevents thousands of dollars of hidden problems from becoming catastrophic.
What the Camera Sees
Cracked flue tiles. Hairline cracks in clay tile liners are invisible from the firebox and impossible to see from the top of the chimney. A video scan finds every crack, showing exactly where the liner has failed.
Missing mortar between tiles. Over decades, the mortar joints between flue tiles erode. Gaps of even 1/4 inch let combustion gases (including CO) into the surrounding masonry and wall spaces.
Glazed creosote deposits. Stage 3 creosote often forms high in the flue where visual inspection can’t reach. The scan finds it before it becomes a fire hazard.
Liner corrosion. Metal liners corrode from the inside due to condensation from gas and oil appliances. Corrosion is invisible from either end of the chimney until the liner fails.
Smoke chamber damage. The corbelled area above the damper is nearly impossible to see visually. The scan camera can see and document damage in this critical safety zone.
Animal damage. Squirrel nests, bird nests, and even the aftermath of trapped animals in flue offsets.
Prior chimney fire evidence. Puffy honeycomb creosote and heat-damaged tile from fires you may not have known about.
Debris. Fallen mortar chunks, cracked tile pieces, or foreign objects lodged in the flue.
What a Visual-Only Inspection Misses
A Level 1 visual inspection covers accessible parts — firebox, damper, smoke shelf (partially), exterior at ground level, top of chimney if roof-accessible. Everything between the smoke shelf and the top of the flue is essentially invisible without a camera.
That’s a lot of chimney. On a typical two-story house, 20+ feet of flue interior can only be inspected with a camera.
When Video Scans Are Required
Per NFPA 211, a Level 2 inspection (which includes the video scan) is required:
- During real-estate transactions (buying or selling)
- After a chimney fire, lightning strike, or major weather event
- When appliances change (oil to gas, new insert, etc.)
- When a Level 1 finds evidence needing closer look
- After fuel type changes
When Video Scans Are Smart Even Without a Trigger
- Chimney hasn’t been video-scanned in 5+ years
- Older masonry chimney with clay tile liner
- Home you recently bought and don’t have documentation for
- Insurance company requesting recent chimney inspection documentation
- You’re about to invest in a new fireplace insert or stove
What You Get After the Scan
- Written inspection report with pass/fail on each NFPA 211 checkpoint
- Annotated photos from the scan
- Video recording available on request
- Clear recommendations categorized as urgent, recommended, or optional
- Quotes for any needed repair work
Cost Range
Level 2 inspection with video scan typically runs $250–$500 in central Connecticut. See our Level 2 cost guide for the detailed breakdown.
Book a Scan
Ready to actually see what’s inside your chimney? See our chimney inspection service or contact us.
Chimney Inspections & Video Scans
Annual and Level 2 chimney inspections with interior video scans. Real-estate ready reports and CSIA-certified findings.
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