A RESOURCE WORTH KEEPING
Better questions. Better decisions.
Practical resources for caring for your chimney and fireplace, planning a repair, or getting to know a new home.
CHIMNEY / FIREPLACE / HOMEUSA CHIMNEY PROS
Printable checklists and worksheets
ChecklistPrintable winter chimney checklistA printable winter chimney and fireplace preparation checklist with source references and emergency guidance to keep with your maintenance records.ChecklistHomebuyer fireplace inspection checklistA planning aid for buying a home with a fireplace, stove or insert. It does not replace a chimney inspection.WorksheetFireplace identification worksheetRecord the clues our team needs without taking anything apart. Appearance alone does not identify an appliance.LogChimney leak log for snow, ice and rainRecord what you see from inside, keep the moisture path apart from guesses about the cause, and stay off the roof.GuideHistoric masonry chimney source guideQuestions to raise before repairing an older masonry chimney. Advice for a specific building needs a qualified professional.
For real estate and inspection professionals
Chimney inspections for real estate professionalsWhat to tell your buyer or seller about a chimney, fireplace or stove before closing, and what our findings should answer.Chimney inspection scope for home inspectorsWhat our chimney inspection covers and leaves out, and where it picks up from your home inspection.
Research methods and climate data
MethodWinter readiness index: methodologyHow a winter readiness index would be measured, what it still needs, and why no score is shown.MethodFreeze-thaw atlas: methodologyHow a freeze-thaw atlas would be built from daily temperature data, and why no map or damage figures are shown.DataWinter climate by state: heating degree daysAnnual heating degree day normals for a NOAA station near each listed city, with the station and the source for every value.
Related homeowner guides
Buying a home with a fireplaceQuestions and documents to request before you inherit an unfamiliar chimney and fireplace system.What determines chimney repair cost?Understand the materials, access, and repair scope that shape an estimate for your chimney.How to compare chimney repair quotesUse findings, scope, and responsibility to compare proposals on more than the final number.Caring for a historic masonry chimneyPreserve character by understanding the existing material before changing it.
Make a file for your fireplace.
Keep appliance manuals, inspection findings, repair proposals, and completion records together. They help you follow the maintenance history and explain what has changed when you speak with our team.
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