Yes, have the chimney inspected before the first fire of the season, and have it swept if the inspector finds buildup. The fire safety standard most sweeps work from, NFPA 211, says chimneys, fireplaces and vents should be inspected at least once a year, and the U.S. Fire Administration gives homeowners the same advice: have your chimney inspected and cleaned each year by a professional. October is the right time, before the first cold night and before sweeps' schedules fill up.
That applies to more than wood-burning fireplaces. In many older Philadelphia homes the chimney also vents the gas or oil furnace, the boiler or the water heater, so it's working all winter even if nobody has lit a fire in years.
This is general information. For permits and code questions, the City's Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I), or your township or borough in the suburbs, has the final word.
What the yearly inspection actually checks
The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) quotes the NFPA 211 rule on its homeowner resources page: chimneys, fireplaces and vents should be inspected at least once a year "for soundness, freedom from deposits, and correct clearances." In plain terms, the sweep is looking for three things:
- Deposits. Soot and creosote, the tar-like residue that builds up when wood smoke cools in the flue. Creosote is flammable, and removing it is the main point of a sweep.
- Damage. Cracked or missing flue tiles, gaps in the mortar joints, a broken crown (the concrete or mortar cap on top), a rusted damper, a loose cap.
- Blockages and clearances. Nests, leaves, fallen bricks, and whether combustible materials such as framing are too close to the hot parts of the chimney.
CSIA's guidance is to sweep a masonry fireplace chimney when about 1/8 inch of sooty buildup has collected, or sooner if there's a glazed layer of creosote. Factory-built (metal) fireplaces should be swept whenever any noticeable buildup forms, because the deposits are acidic and corrode the parts.
The three inspection levels, and which one you need
NFPA 211 describes three levels of inspection, and each includes everything in the level below it. Knowing them helps you understand what you're being offered and compare quotes.
Level 1: the routine annual check
For a chimney that's in regular use, with no changes and no known problems. The sweep looks at the readily accessible parts of the chimney inside and out and the visible appliance connections. No special tools or opening up of walls. CSIA's advice is blunt: if a sweep doesn't know what a Level 1 inspection is, find another one.
Level 2: after a change or an event
CSIA's Level 2 checklist adds the accessible parts of the chimney in the attic, basement and crawl spaces, plus a video scan of the inside of the flue. A Level 2 inspection is called for when:
- you're buying or selling the house;
- you're changing the fuel or the appliance (for example, putting a wood stove or gas insert into an old fireplace, or replacing the furnace);
- the chimney is being relined;
- there's been a chimney fire, a storm or another event that could have damaged it;
- a Level 1 inspection can't answer whether the chimney is safe to use.
If you bought your house without anyone running a camera up the chimney, the first fall in the house is a good time to get a Level 2.
Level 3: when something is hidden
Rare. It's for when a Level 1 or 2 inspection finds signs of a problem that can't be seen without removing parts of the chimney or the building, such as a section of wall or the crown.
Gas and oil appliances: the chimney you forget about
Many Philadelphia rowhomes and twins have a brick chimney that runs from the basement to the roof and carries exhaust from the furnace or boiler and the water heater. Those flues need the yearly inspection too, and two situations deserve special attention:
- A new high-efficiency furnace or boiler. Most of these vent through the wall with plastic pipes. If the old unit used the chimney, the water heater may now be the only appliance left in a big masonry flue. Inspectors call that an orphaned water heater: the small amount of exhaust doesn't keep the chimney warm, moisture in the exhaust condenses inside the flue, and the acidic condensate eats away at the tile and mortar. The usual fix is a correctly sized liner. If your furnace was replaced and nobody looked at the water heater's venting, ask about it.
- Debris at the base. Fallen tile pieces, mortar and soot collect at the bottom of the flue, behind the clean-out door in the basement. A clean-out full of debris is a sign the flue is breaking down, and a blocked flue can push exhaust back into the house.
The PA Carbon Monoxide Alarm Standards Act requires a working carbon monoxide alarm near the bedrooms in homes with fuel-burning heaters, appliances or fireplaces when the house is sold, and the EPA recommends smoke and CO alarms on every floor and outside each bedroom. Test yours when you book the inspection. Our furnace and boiler tune-up guide covers the heating side of that same visit.
Rowhome and twin issues to know about
- Shared chimneys and stacks. In rowhomes, chimneys often sit on or near the party wall, and stacks can be close to the neighbor's. Ask the sweep to note which flues are yours, and talk to your neighbor if a shared stack needs repair.
- Freeze-thaw damage. Philadelphia winters swing above and below freezing many times. Water that gets into cracked crowns, open mortar joints or brick faces freezes and widens the gaps. Spalling (brick faces flaking off), loose bricks on the roof and a crumbling crown are common findings.
- Flashing leaks. Where the chimney passes through a flat roof, the flashing is a frequent leak point. Our flat roof maintenance checklist covers what to look for up there.
- A neighbor building up. If the house next door adds a floor or a roof deck that rises above your roofline, your chimney or vent may no longer have the required clearance. Under an L&I regulation on protecting adjoining properties, when a new or modified building rises above the roof of the house next door and that house's chimney or vent is within 10 feet, the person doing the construction generally has to take reasonable steps to get the neighbor's chimney or vent extended or offset to meet the code. They must send written notice at least 60 days before work starts, with an offer to get the permits and fund or do the work. If you ignore or turn down that offer, the City may hold you responsible for the chimney's compliance. If you get such a notice, read it carefully and have your chimney looked at.
A pre-season checklist you can do yourself
None of this replaces the inspection, but it tells you what to mention when you call:
- Look from the street or a neighbor's window. Is the cap in place? Are bricks missing, leaning or flaking? Is the crown cracked? Is there a plant growing out of it?
- Open the damper with a flashlight. It should open and close fully. Look for fallen debris, nests or a shiny, crusty black coating (glazed creosote) on the firebox and smoke chamber.
- Check the firebox. Note cracked firebrick or gaps in the mortar joints.
- Look for water signs. Stains on the walls or ceiling around the chimney, rust on the damper or firebox, white powdery deposits (efflorescence) on brick in the basement or attic.
- Open the basement clean-out, if you have one, and note how much debris is inside.
- Test the smoke and CO alarms and replace batteries.
- Check your firewood. The EPA's Burn Wise program recommends dry, seasoned wood with moisture under 20 percent, measured with an inexpensive moisture meter. Wet wood makes more smoke and more creosote.
Once the season starts, follow the U.S. Fire Administration's basics: keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from the fireplace, use a screen, don't burn paper, put the fire out before bed, and put ashes in a covered metal container outside at least 10 feet from the house. The EPA adds: never burn garbage, plastics or pressure-treated wood, and if you still see smoke from the chimney 20 minutes after lighting the fire, the wood may be too wet or the chimney may need attention.
Permits
Sweeping and inspecting is maintenance. L&I says you often don't need a permit for repairs related to regular maintenance, as long as the property is not on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. Bigger jobs such as relining, rebuilding the top of the chimney, extending it or connecting a new appliance can be a different story; L&I publishes an EZ permit standard for chimney and vent extensions for some of that work. Ask the contractor whether your job needs a permit and who will pull it. In a historic district, check with the Philadelphia Historical Commission before work on the visible part of the chimney.
In Bucks, Montgomery and Delaware counties and in South Jersey, ask your township or borough code office. Anywhere in Pennsylvania, check that a contractor doing repairs is registered with the Attorney General using the home improvement contractor search, and see our guide on how to check a contractor in Philadelphia for the rest.
When to call a pro
Book an inspection, and don't light a fire until it's done, if:
- the chimney hasn't been inspected in the past year, or you don't know when it last was;
- you just bought the house, or the furnace, boiler or water heater was recently replaced;
- you see glazed creosote, fallen tile or brick, or a lot of debris at the clean-out;
- the fireplace smokes into the room;
- the crown, cap, bricks or flashing look damaged, or there are water stains around the chimney;
- a CO alarm has gone off (get everyone out and call 911 first, then have the appliances and flues checked before using them again).
When you contact sweeps, say what the chimney serves (wood fireplace, stove, insert, gas furnace, boiler, water heater), how many stories the house has, whether the roof is reachable through a hatch, when it was last inspected, and anything from the checklist above, with photos. Ask which inspection level they'll do, whether a camera scan is included, and whether you'll get a written report with photos. CSIA has a directory of certified sweeps if you want to check a credential.
On HomeKept, you can post your chimney project with those details once and get responses from local pros. It's free for homeowners, you can compare up to three estimates, and HomeKept covers Philadelphia, Bucks and Montgomery counties. A person reviews every pro profile, and license and insurance badges appear only after documents are checked. That isn't a background check, so still do your own checks before you hire.
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