For our homeowner's insurance, we needed proof. They did a full check with photos and video, cleaned the flue, fixed some small problems with the mortar, and sent a professional report the same day. The insurance company agreed to cover…
Level 1 and Level 2 Chimney Inspections in Readington Township, NJ
A Level 1 inspection covers everything readily visible and reachable on a chimney you use the way you always have. A Level 2 adds a video scan of the whole flue — the inspection most home sales, insurance policies, and fuel conversions in Readington Township actually call for. Both end with a written report.
5.0Rated 24 Google reviewsServing Readington Township and Hunterdon County
Level 1 or Level 2 — the short answer
A Level 1 is the routine yearly check on a chimney that isn't changing — same appliance, same fuel, nobody buying or selling the house. It covers what you can see and reach without opening anything up: the crown, the damper, the connections, and any obvious cracking or creosote. A Level 2 adds a video scan of the full flue, including sections hidden in the wall and attic, and it's what a home sale, an insurer, or a fuel conversion actually calls for. Either way, you get a written report with photos.
What's included in a Level 1 inspection
A Level 1 is what most Readington Township homeowners need once a year, especially with 167 township households still burning wood as their main heat. Your inspector checks the readily accessible parts of the system — the firebox, the damper, the smoke chamber, and the flue as far as a flashlight and mirror reach — for creosote, soot, cracking, and correct clearance to anything that can burn. Nothing gets opened up and nothing gets scanned by camera; that's the Level 2 conversation.
- The firebox, damper, and smoke chamber
- Visible creosote or soot buildup
- The flue lining as far as it's visible from the firebox and the roof
- Basic clearance to combustible framing
"It looked fine" doesn't satisfy a title company, an insurer, or a home inspector. A written report does.
What a Level 2 inspection adds
A Level 2 adds a video scan that follows the flue past everything a flashlight can reach — through the attic, behind the wall cavities, and into sections a Level 1 can't see. It's asked for by name before a house changes hands, before an insurer will write or renew a policy on a home with a working fireplace or wood stove, or before a contractor swaps an appliance's fuel. A cracked crown, like the one photographed here, is a finding a Level 1 catches from the ground — a Level 2 checks what the crack let into the flue behind it.
Three reasons Readington homeowners call for a Level 2
Almost every Level 2 we run traces back to one of three moments. New Jersey requires a smoke and carbon monoxide alarm certificate before any one- or two-family home changes hands, and a working fireplace or wood stove is exactly the fixture that certificate assumes is safe to use. Insurers ask for a written inspection before they'll bind or renew coverage on a house with solid-fuel heat. And a fuel conversion — oil to gas is what we see most in Hunterdon County — hands the new appliance a flue sized for the old one, which is why New Jersey's verification form has to be signed by the installer, never the homeowner.
- Selling or buying the house
- An insurance company asking for a written inspection before it will bind or renew coverage
- Switching the appliance's fuel — oil to gas is the one we see most in Hunterdon County
The code behind the inspection
New Jersey's one- and two-family dwelling subcode became the 2024 edition of the International Residential Code on August 17, 2026. Chimney and fireplace rules still sit in Chapter 10; dryer and exhaust rules in Chapter 15 — the chapter structure didn't change, only the edition number did. When an inspection turns into an appliance swap, the contractor installing the new equipment has to file New Jersey's chimney verification form, UCC Form F-370, certifying the flue is lined and sized correctly for what's going in. A homeowner can't sign that form on their own behalf.
What an inspection can turn up
Findings worth a second look
Creosote buildup on the flue wall, the kind a Level 1 is built to catch
A new liner going in after a Level 2 scan found the old one couldn't be trusted
Checking the gas connection after an oil-to-gas conversion
A firebox as it looks before its inspection and cleaning
What customers in Readington Township say
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24 reviews on Google
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Excellent communication throughout the process. I received a text when the tech was on his way, and he arrived exactly when promised to do the sweep.
After it rained a lot, we saw wet spots on the wall next to the chimney. A broken crown and worn-out flashing were found by the team. They put in new lead boots instead of flashing, poured a new sloped crown, sealed all the joints, and…
Chimney inspection questions
How is a Level 2 chimney inspection different from a Level 1?
A Level 1 checks everything readily visible and reachable — the firebox, damper, smoke chamber, and as much of the flue as a flashlight shows. A Level 2 adds a video scan down the full flue, including sections hidden behind walls, and it's what a home sale, an insurer, or a fuel conversion calls for.
Do I need an inspection to sell my house in New Jersey?
Every New Jersey home sale requires a smoke and carbon monoxide alarm certificate from the local fire official before closing, and that certificate assumes any fireplace or wood stove is safe to use — which is why buyers, agents, and title companies routinely ask for a written chimney inspection alongside it.
Will my insurance company accept a verbal inspection?
No. An insurer deciding whether to write or renew coverage on a home with a working fireplace or wood stove wants a written report on file with the findings and photos documented, not a phone call.
I'm switching from oil to gas — does the chimney need to be inspected first?
Yes. A flue sized for an oil appliance isn't automatically right for a gas one. New Jersey's chimney verification form, UCC F-370, has to be signed by the contractor installing the new equipment — a homeowner can't sign it themselves.
How often should a chimney be inspected if nothing has changed?
The national standard, NFPA 211, wants every chimney, fireplace and vent looked at yearly whether it was used or not. A Level 1 covers that routine check.
Other chimney services in Readington Township
Chimney Sweep
Removing the creosote and blockage a Level 1 inspection often turns up.
See what's includedChimney Repair
Crown, cap, flashing, and liner work for whatever the inspection report flags.
See what's includedFireplace & Stove Service
Appliance-side work on the fireplace or wood stove the chimney is venting.
See what's included