It’s the offseason for using a fireplace which means it’s the best time to inspect your chimney for peace of mind. If you look around, you might have noticed that some chimney inspection companies offer video inspections. Is this a hoax to add some unreasonable fees to the final invoice or do inspection cameras add value?
What is involved in a chimney inspection?
Let’s first go over why you should have your chimney inspected regularly. When you request a chimney inspection, they will offer 2 levels of inspections.
Level 1 inspections involve a simple check of the chimney and flue that is easily accessible and is recommended to do yearly.
Level 2 inspections involve a more thorough inspection in cases where you are selling or buying a house or have not used and inspected the chimney in years. This inspection would use tools to reach areas that not easily accessed. And generally, also includes performance tests such as pressure and smoke tests.
The purpose of these inspections is to find cracks in the chimney, water damage from rain and creosote buildup. All these factors could lead to hazard when using the fireplace or furnace.
Once the inspection is concluded the expert can recommend repairs or cleanups depending on their findings. That includes creosote and critter removal, brick repairs and waterproofing the inside and outside of the chimney.
How is a video camera used in inspections?
Experts use video cameras to access parts of the chimney that are hard or impossible to reach normally, such as the chimney flue. This process speeds up the inspection which can be easily shown to the customer to explain any issues they have found.
The use of video cameras can also show a before and after of cleanups, which would give the customer a peace of mind that they were serviced by a trustworthy expert. In turn that would lead to returning customers and favorable reviews for the company.
What types of video inspection systems are used for chimney inspections?
We at USA Borescopes offer chimney inspection services the VIS 500 Chimney Set. It comes with a heavy-duty case that has all the equipment needed to inspect the chimney fast and safe. With an SD card the customer can keep a copy of the inspection for themselves to refer to it again for future inspections. With the camera brushes the camera can be centered while it’s going down the chimney, keeping the camera at the optimal distance from the walls.
We also offer the VIS 700 with its high-definition camera for even better picture taking capabilities. With the App compatibility the client can use their phones to see what the chimney inspector is seeing.
Video Inspections add value to the Chimney Inspection
Video inspections bring peace of mind for both the inspector and the customer as there would be photo and video proof of the inspection and cleaning. This also helps with documenting the inspections for future homeowners.
This was just a snippet of the inspection systems we offer here at USA Borescopes. If you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our Borescope Sales and Service Team.
