What a Level 2 Chimney Inspection Covers (and When Malta Homeowners Need One)

A Level 2 chimney inspection adds a full video scan of the flue interior to the basic visual check, plus a look at accessible attic, crawl space and roof areas. It is the inspection called for at the key moments in a home’s life, and Malta homeowners run into it most often around a sale.

The three inspection levels

NFPA 211 defines three levels so the depth of the inspection matches the risk. A Level 1 covers the readily accessible parts of a chimney in continued service under the same conditions — the right check for a routine annual sweep. A Level 2 adds the camera scan of the entire flue and checks of accessible adjoining spaces. A Level 3 is the most invasive, reserved for cases where a serious hidden hazard is suspected and reaching it requires removing part of the structure.

When a Level 2 is required

The standard calls for a Level 2 whenever conditions change or the chimney may have been stressed: buying or selling a home, changing the heating appliance or the fuel, or after an event that could have caused damage — a chimney fire, a lightning strike, an earthquake, or a severe storm. If any of those apply to your Malta home, a Level 1 is not enough.

Why the camera matters

A visual check from the firebox tells you almost nothing about the flue above. The camera reveals cracked or missing flue tiles, gaps and deterioration in the liner, hidden creosote glaze, blockages and water damage — the exact problems that lead to chimney fires and carbon monoxide, and exactly what a buyer does not want to inherit unseen.

Buying or selling a home

A Level 2 before closing protects both sides. Buyers learn the true condition before they own the problem; sellers get documentation that heads off renegotiation when the buyer’s inspector takes a look. It is inexpensive relative to the repairs a hidden flue problem can require.

What you get

We provide a clear written record of what we examined and found, with specific recommendations. That documentation is what insurers and buyers want to see. Whether it is tied to a sale or simple peace of mind, a Level 2 inspection gives you a straight, evidence-based answer on whether the chimney is safe to use.

What a thorough inspection never skips

A proper Level 2 inspection is systematic, not a quick glance. We evaluate the firebox and damper, run the camera through the full length of the flue to check every tile and liner joint, examine the smoke chamber, and look at the crown, cap and flashing from the roof. We also check accessible attic and crawl-space areas where the chimney passes through, since that is where hidden heat or water damage shows. Skipping any of these leaves a blind spot, and blind spots are exactly where the dangerous problems hide. For a Malta home sale, that completeness is the whole point of the documentation.

Published September 25, 2026 · Imperial Chimney Sweepers, DeKalb, IL