Chimney Inspection for Skokie Homes

What a chimney inspection covers

A chimney inspector checks the whole system, from the firebox to the top of the stack. That includes the damper, smoke chamber, flue and liner, then the crown, cap, flashing and the brick or chase outside. We look for creosote buildup, a blocked chimney flue, cracked or spalling chimney brick, failing mortar, water stains and the sources of a lingering chimney odor. Inspections are usually described in three levels. A level 1 inspection is a visual check of the readily accessible parts. A level 2 inspection adds accessible attic and crawl-space areas and a video scan of the flue. A level 3 inspection opens concealed areas when a hidden hazard is suspected. For the full process, read how chimney inspection works.

What Skokie's housing age means for an inspection

According to the CMAP Community Data Snapshot (American Community Survey 2020–2024 five-year estimates), 6.3% of Skokie's housing units were built before 1940, and 64.7% were built between 1940 and 1969. The median year built is 1959. The Village of Skokie's draft 2024 CDBG performance report (CAPER) estimates that 86% of the housing stock, rental and owner-occupied, was built before 1978.

These figures don't describe any one house. They do mean that many homes in the Village are several decades old, and so are their chimneys. On an older chimney, a quick look from the hearth leaves too much unseen. The flue liner, the mortar joints inside the stack and the crown are the parts most worth a close look, and most of them can't be seen from the room.

Chimney camera inspection on an older flue

A camera run down the flue shows the inside of the liner from top to bottom. It can show cracked or missing tiles, gaps at the joints, heavy glaze creosote and debris or nests partway up. A flashlight from the damper can't reach most of those. A camera inspection makes the most sense in four situations: before a sale, after a chimney fire or storm, when you switch fuel or appliances, or when you plan to use a fireplace that has sat idle for years.

Selling a rental property in Skokie: the village's chimney check

The Village of Skokie's Rental Unit Pre-Sale Inspection checklist includes an exterior item for walls and chimney in good repair. The Village will not issue transfer stamps for the sale of a rental building, or of a single-family house, duplex or townhouse used as a rental, until its Building & Inspection Services Division has inspected the property. Under the Residential Rental Unit Inspection Upon Sale program, you must request that inspection at least 28 days before closing. The initial Village report must be dated no more than 180 days before closing. (Sources: Village of Skokie Rental Unit Pre-Sale Inspection checklist; Rental Property Transfer Inspections; Residential Rental Unit Inspection Upon Sale Program flyer, April 2019.)

Our inspection does not replace the Village's inspection. What it does is show you the chimney's condition early, while there is still time to schedule repairs before the Village visit and before closing.

Village rental inspections, fire department safety visits and a chimney inspection

The Village of Skokie inspects all rental property under the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code, as amended in Village Code Section 22-181. Those inspections cover exterior walls and roofs plus mechanical systems (source: Village of Skokie Property Maintenance Inspection Process and Code Information). Separately, the Skokie Fire Department offers home safety inspections on request. Its Fire Prevention Bureau visits the home and checks for fire or life safety hazards (source: Village of Skokie Fire Department, Home Fire Inspections). These visits serve different purposes from a chimney inspection, which looks inside the flue and at every part of the chimney system.

When to book an inspection, and when another job fits better

• Book an inspection before using a fireplace that hasn't been checked in a while, before selling, after a storm or chimney fire, or when you notice odor, stains or flaking brick.
• If you already know something is broken, such as a loose cap, a cracked crown or crumbling mortar, go straight to chimney repair in Skokie. We'll still look the chimney over while we're there.
• If the fireplace gets regular use and you mainly want to know about buildup, our guide covers creosote dangers and why chimney maintenance matters.
• Gas fireplace and gas appliance work is offered, so a chimney or vent that serves a gas unit can be checked as well.

More on this service and the area

For inspection levels, camera work and what a report includes, go to the full chimney inspection service page. For other chimney, fireplace and dryer vent work, there's everything we offer in Skokie. Commercial and property-manager work is offered too.