Chimney service
Video Chimney Inspection
A camera run the full height of the flue, documenting the liner. Ask for the footage — it is the part you are actually buying.
Ask to keep the footage. A finding you cannot look at again is a finding you have to take on trust.
A video chimney inspection lowers a camera on a rod or cable the full height of the flue, showing the liner joint by joint on a monitor at level 2. It is the only way to see cracked tiles, missing mortar between them, breaches, and blockages above the smoke shelf. Two things decide whether it is worth doing. The flue has to be swept first, because a camera cannot see a hairline crack through creosote. And you should be given the footage to keep, because the recommendations that follow a scan are often expensive and a second opinion needs something to look at.
How it is done
The full height, on camera
Ask for the footage. Recommendations that follow a scan get expensive, and a second opinion needs something to look at.
On this pageSigns you need this3 sections+2
Signs you need video chimney inspection
Chunks of clay tile in the firebox
The clearest reason to put a camera up there. Tile arriving in the hearth means the liner is failing somewhere above, and only a scan shows how far it has gone.
Someone has quoted you for a reline
A reline is the most expensive routine job in this trade. A documented scan is a cheap way to verify a very large recommendation, and any company confident in its finding will be happy to show you.
You are buying the house
A camera scan is part of a Level 2, which is what a property transfer calls for. Bought on its own it still answers the question a home inspection leaves open.
You have had a chimney fire
Flue fires crack tiles almost every time. The damage is inside the flue and invisible from either end, which is what the camera is for.
Smoke appears in a room it should not
Smoke reaching an upstairs room or a neighbouring flue means gases are leaving the liner somewhere. A scan finds the breach; guessing at it does not.
An insurer has asked for documentation
Stills and video with a date on them are what an adjuster works from. A written opinion without images is much weaker in a claim.
How the visit works
The same four steps every time, whatever the repair turns out to be.
- 01
Inspection first, always
A look at the crown, cap, flashing and exterior masonry, then the flue, damper and firebox — with a camera where the job calls for a level 2 scan. Whatever needs work gets shown to you, not just described.
- 02
A written estimate before anything
Scope, price and what is not included, in writing. Nothing starts until you approve it, and an emergency is not a reason to skip this step.
- 03
The work itself
Matched materials and the manufacturer's spec, not whatever is on the van. Drop cloths down, and the room left as it was found.
- 04
Verification and a report
A second scan after the work, and written findings you can keep, hand to an inspector, or send to an insurer.
The jobs this actually includes
Not every job on this list is equally urgent, so they are ordered that way. A cracked liner stops you using the fireplace tonight; waterproofing can wait for a dry week.
The job — most urgent first
What it involves
On site
Full-height scan after sweeping
Safety repairThe proper version: flue swept, then the camera run top to bottom with stills captured at anything of note. Scanning a dirty flue produces a video of soot and a false all-clear.
On site: About an hour
Scan as part of a Level 2
Safety repairThe camera work inside a full Level 2, with the attic and roof access and a written report. This is what a property sale or a post-fire claim needs, rather than the scan alone.
On site: 1–2 hours
Second opinion on an existing quote
StructuralAn independent scan when someone has recommended a reline or a rebuild. Given the sums involved, this is proportionate rather than distrustful, and it is one of the better uses of an hour.
On site: About an hour
Post-repair verification scan
PreventiveA second scan after work is finished, so you can see the difference rather than being told about it. It should come as standard with any liner or masonry job, and it is worth asking whether it does.
On site: About an hour
Multiple flues in one stack
PreventiveOlder houses often run two or three flues up one chimney. Each is scanned separately, and a breach between two of them is exactly the fault this finds.
On site: Half a day
Times are for the work itself, not for scheduling. Masonry needs roughly 40°F to cure properly, which is what limits this work in a northern winter rather than whether a crew is free.
Why video chimney inspection quotes vary so much
- Whether the flue needs sweeping first, which it usually does
- How many flues are being scanned
- Whether the scan stands alone or forms part of a full Level 2
- Whether a written report with stills is needed for a sale or a claim
- Flue height and whether the chimney offsets around a floor
A standalone scan on a clean flue is a modest hourly job. Add sweeping, which most chimneys need first, and a written report if a transaction or a claim depends on it. It stays well below the cost of a Level 2 because it does not include the attic and roof access — which also means it is not a substitute for one when a sale is involved.
The people behind every visit
Founded by Ryan Carter in 2019. Every page you read here is reviewed by Ethan Miller, our chimney specialist. A written estimate before any work, and the findings in writing whether or not anything needs doing.
More about who we are →
The VIO Standard
- A written estimate first
- License and insurance checked
- Nothing starts without your OK
Common questions
What can a video chimney inspection actually show?
The condition of the flue liner along its whole height: cracked or spalled clay tiles, mortar missing from the joints between them, breaches through to the surrounding masonry, damage from a previous flue fire, and blockages sitting above the smoke shelf where nothing is visible from below. What it does not show is anything outside the flue — the framing around the chimney, the state of the crown, or water tracking through the masonry. Those need eyes on them, which is what the rest of a Level 2 is for.
Does the chimney need cleaning before a video inspection?
Almost always, and it is the single most important thing on this page. Creosote coats the liner and hides exactly what the camera is looking for — a hairline crack under a layer of soot is invisible. A company that offers to scan a dirty flue and report it clear is selling you a video of soot. Book the sweep and the scan together; it is one visit and it costs less than two.
Should I get a copy of the footage?
Yes, and ask before the visit rather than after. The recommendations that follow a level 2 scan can run into thousands, and a second opinion needs something to look at. Most companies will send stills or a video file without hesitation. One that will not is worth thinking about, because footage you were shown once on a small monitor is a finding you are taking entirely on trust.
Is a video chimney inspection the same as a Level 2?
No, and the difference matters if a property sale is involved. A Level 2 includes the camera scan and adds access to the attic, the crawl space and the roof where the chimney passes through, plus a formal report. A standalone scan covers the flue only. It is the right purchase when you already know the exterior is sound and want the liner documented; it is not the right purchase for a closing.
How much does a video chimney inspection cost?
Booked on its own with a clean flue it is a modest hourly job. Add sweeping, which most chimneys need first, and add a written report if a transaction or an insurance claim depends on it. It sits below a full Level 2 because it skips the attic and roof access — which is exactly why it is not interchangeable with one.
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Tell us your ZIP code and what you need. The pro who covers it quotes the job in writing, and nothing starts until you approve the number.