Chimney Inspection in Geneva, IL
A documented look at the whole system — liner, damper, smoke chamber, crown, flashing and cap — with camera footage and photographs you keep, whether or not you hire us for the repair.
- Insured & Bonded
- 19 years in the trade
- Photos of every finding
- Open 7 days, 7am–8pm
The three levels of inspection
The trade works to three defined levels, and knowing which one you need saves you money.
Level 1 is the routine annual check on a system that has not changed and is working normally. We examine the readily accessible parts — firebox, damper, visible flue, and the exterior of the stack — and confirm it is sound and clear. This is what most Geneva homeowners need most years, usually alongside a sweep.
Level 2 adds a full camera scan of the flue interior plus accessible attic, crawlspace and roof areas. It is the right level when the property is changing hands, when you have changed the appliance or fuel, or after anything that could have damaged the system — a chimney fire, a lightning strike, an earthquake, or a serious storm. If you are buying a house in Kane County with a fireplace of unknown history, this is the one to ask for.
Level 3 involves opening up concealed parts of the structure — removing masonry or a wall section — and is only done when a Level 2 has found evidence of a hazard that cannot be assessed any other way. It is rare, it is disruptive, and no honest sweep recommends it lightly.
What we are actually looking for
Liner condition
Cracked or spalled clay tiles, open joints, gaps where a liner has shifted. A breached liner lets heat and combustion gases reach framing timber.
Correct sizing
A flue that is too large for the appliance will not draw; too small and it cannot vent. Very common after a furnace or insert has been swapped without relining.
Water entry points
Crown cracks, failed flashing, a missing cap. Water does more damage to Illinois chimneys than fire does.
Blockage
Nests, leaves, fallen masonry, and the occasional dead animal. All of them push combustion gases back into the house.
Damper function
Rusted part-open or part-closed. A damper stuck open costs you heat all winter; stuck closed is a smoke-filled room.
Clearance to combustibles
Framing too close to the masonry — a genuine fire risk and one you cannot see without getting into the attic.
Buying or selling a house in Kane County
A general home inspector will look at a fireplace, but most will flag the chimney rather than assess it — their report will say something like “recommend evaluation by a qualified chimney professional”, and then the sale stalls while everyone works out who pays for what.
Getting a Level 2 inspection done before that happens puts you ahead of it. You get a document with photographs describing the actual condition of the system, which means the negotiation is about a known number rather than an open-ended unknown. We do a lot of these in spring, and they are one of the few pieces of chimney work where being early genuinely saves money.
Inspection starting prices are on the pricing page. If the inspection turns up work, see chimney repair or relining.
Need it documented before a closing?
We photograph everything and give you the findings in writing. Seven days a week.
Chimney inspection questions
What level of inspection do I need?
If nothing has changed and you just want the annual check, Level 1. If you are buying or selling, have changed the appliance or fuel, or something has happened to the chimney, Level 2. Level 3 is rare and only follows a Level 2 that found something that cannot be assessed without opening up the structure.
Do you use a camera?
Yes, on Level 2 inspections as standard, and on Level 1 whenever there is any reason to look harder. You watch the screen with us rather than being handed a verdict afterwards.
Do I get a written report?
Yes, with photographs, and you keep it whether or not you hire us for any repair that comes out of it. Findings are sorted into what needs attention now and what can wait.
Is a chimney inspection required by law in Illinois?
No state law requires one for a normal sale. What creates the demand is buyers, insurers and home inspectors asking the question. Having the answer documented before it is asked is the practical reason to do it.
Can you inspect without sweeping?
Yes. They are separate jobs and we are happy to do the inspection alone. In practice a very dirty flue has to be cleaned before a camera can see anything useful, so we will tell you if a sweep needs to happen first.
How long does an inspection take?
A Level 1 is usually 45 minutes to an hour. A Level 2 with a full camera scan and attic and roof access is typically 90 minutes to two hours depending on the house.
My home inspector said the chimney “needs further evaluation”. What does that mean?
It means they saw enough to be concerned but assessing chimneys is outside their scope. It is not a diagnosis. A Level 2 inspection converts that open question into a specific, photographed list of what is actually wrong — which is often less alarming than the phrase sounds.
Do you inspect chimneys that are not used?
Yes, and it is worth doing. Unused chimneys still take weather, still house animals, and an open unused flue is a straight path for water into the structure. Plenty of the worst chimneys we see belong to people who never light a fire.
Written by Rick Lee, owner of Zenith Chimney Service in Geneva, Illinois. 19 years in the chimney trade.
Published August 27, 2026