Chimney

[Carl Pennick]

Should this chimney have some kind of support

Thanks

[Brian E. Kelly]

Carl it does have some kind of support.
Is the flue liner supported properly?

Probably not.

I would believe the better question would be is why did they sleeve the existing chimney?

I believe Joe Haggerty has an excellent comment on chimney inspections somewhere here on the board that reccomends all chimneys be evaluated by experts.

[Dale Duffy]

Metal flues are supposed to have support if more than 4' above the roof.

In this case if it is 4' above the existing chimney I would think.

[Carl Pennick]

Thanks Brian,
I was wondering myself why the hell does the flue go so high. I was add a comment when there is a fire place that they should have a level 2 inspection of the chimney. I just cant work out why the hell it goes so high. The roof was a 5 crimp tin roof so I could walk it to get up near the chimney.

[Carl Pennick]

It did go more than 4 feet it was nearer 5 feet

Thanks
Dale

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

It appears to have not met the basic 3-2-10 rule, which may be why they raised it with the metal flue.

In any event, besides the general level2 inspection recommendation, you should make mention of the modification to the original chimney and recommend obtaining permits, warranties and receipts for the work performed.

[Steve Boozer]

Maybe too much Viagra, sorry guys, couldn't resist.

[Russel Ray]

I think Jeff's on to it. They didn't want to significantly prune the tree, so the took the flue higher.

Joe Hagarty's recommendation, I believe, is what most of us use. This is mine from my Interactive Report System:

Fireplaces and chimneys should be inspected on an annual basis and more often depending on usage. Inspection of the fireplace is limited to visible and accessible sections only. The inner reaches of the flue or chimney throat are relatively inaccessible, so the view from the fireplace or chimney is not adequate to discover possible deficiencies or damage, even with a strong light. Inspectors do not remove rain caps and spark arrestors on the chimney top to look inside the chimney flue.

The National Fire Protection Association, the Chimney Safety Institute of America, and HOMETEAM recommend that all fireplaces and chimneys receive a “Level II” inspection whenever real estate is sold or transferred. From the Chimney Safety Institute of America:


Level II Inspection

The addition of a new home heating appliance or a change in the type of fuel a homeowner is burning requires a Level II inspection. This inspection level is also required upon the sale or transfer of a property or after an operating malfunction or external event that is likely to have caused damage to the chimney. The scope of a Level II inspection includes that of the Level I inspection plus the inspection of accessible portions of the attics, crawl spaces and basements. It may also include a performance test such as a smoke test or a pressure test and possibly an interior chimney video inspection if recommended by the certified chimney sweep.

Click here for helpful information on the other inspection levels of the Chimney Safety Institute of America. You can also use the web site of the Chimney Safety Institute of America to find a qualified chimney professional.