How to Read a Chimney Inspection Report — And Spot One That Says Nothing
A report that says 'some creosote, recommend sweep' has told you nothing you can act on. What a defensible report actually contains, field by field.
Most homeowners receive a chimney report and have no way to judge whether it is thorough or worthless. The difference is not length or presentation — it is whether each finding is specific enough that a second contractor would reach the same conclusion from it. Here is what to look for, field by field.
01It must state which level was performed, and why
A report should name the inspection level and the reason it was chosen. Level 1 is a visual check of readily accessible portions and is only appropriate when nothing has changed. Level 2 adds accessible concealed areas and an internal camera scan, and the standard requires it after an operating malfunction, an external event such as a chimney fire or storm, on sale or transfer, and on any change of appliance or fuel.
If a triggering event occurred and the report says Level 1, the wrong scope was performed. That is not a judgement call, and it is the single most useful thing you can check first.
02Creosote must be reported by stage, not by presence
'Some creosote' is not a finding. The stages behave completely differently: Stage 1 is a dry soot that brushes out, Stage 2 is crunchy and flaky and still mechanically removable, Stage 3 is a hard glaze that is what actually sustains a chimney fire.
The report should state the stage and where in the flue it was found. The stage determines whether the correct response is a sweep, a chemical modifier, or taking the flue out of service — three very different outcomes and three very different prices.
03Every defect needs a location and a photograph
'Crown cracked' is weaker than 'crown cracked, two hairline and one through-crack at the north-west corner, photographed'. The second can be re-checked next year to see whether it moved. The first cannot.
This matters most for anything you decide to monitor rather than fix. A defect you are deferring needs a baseline, or you are not monitoring it — you are forgetting it with extra steps.
04Liner findings require a scan, not an opinion
A verdict on liner condition delivered without an internal camera examination has not examined the thing it is reporting on. The scan produces an image with a location, and a relining quote should be built from that image.
If you are being quoted a reline, ask to see the scan. This is the single largest line item in chimney work and it is the one most worth verifying.
05What a report should NOT contain
Recommendations without findings. If the report proposes work, each item should trace to a specific documented defect. A list of services with no corresponding findings is a quote wearing a report's clothes.
Also: certification claims without numbers. Certifications in this trade are held by individuals and are publicly verifiable in under a minute, which is exactly why a claim without a number is worth questioning.
Check the level against whether a trigger occurred, check that creosote is staged, and check that every defect has a location and a photo. Three checks, and they separate a report you can act on and re-verify from one that exists to justify a quote.
Every recommendation in this guide starts from one place: a graded, photographed inspection. Book a inspection — one standard, one paper trail, every job.