​The Screen-Shooter™ is a simple way to take interior chimney photos and upload them to your preferred storage without needing special apps, FTP, or Wi-Fi. Over the past year, we asked our customers how they took chimney inspection photos. Most said they were taking pictures with their phones and using the SD as a backup. The most common problem they encountered was glare, which ruined a great image, and being unsteady while taking the photo. So, we updated the concept of our original Screen-Shooter™ to adapt to today’s conditions.  

The Screen-Shooter® creates a “blackout” condition for the phone’s camera, allowing it to focus on the screen and giving you the perfect shot. 
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Each Screen-Shooter™ is 3D printed in our shop, so you never know what color you'll receive, but it'll look fabulous! (Don’t worry. We won’t let Shelley use pink, purple, or pastels).

Features:

• Phones easily slide into place
• Adjustable Knobs fit most Smart Phones
• Screen-Shooter™ easily connects to monitor
• The phone panel easily flips up to provide a direct view of the monitor.
• The 100 includes a bracket for tilting the unit back for proper viewing while on the hearth extension or floor.
• 211 has a built-in monitor/controller tilt adjustment feature that also allows the monitor to lay flat when scanning thimbles. 

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PRICING:
The Series 100 Screen-Shooter™ is $150 (Includes case bracket)
The Series 211 Screen-Shooter™ is $154.

If you want the Screen-Shooter™ added to your Controller/Monitor, you can send it back, and we will add the bracket (and remove the screen protector).

#chimney camera, #Chim-Scan, #inspect chimney, #chimney inspection, #chimney videos, #chimney pictures, #Screen-Shooter

​Hi! I’m SeeMore-Chimneys, and I want to introduce you to the most extraordinary chimney camera out there! It’s called the Chim-Scan® J3D Camera and is the champion of the extreme sport of chimney scanning!

My friend, the J3D, is a product of evolution. It started with the Combo Camera, which has a side camera with all of the Lighthouse™ features and a top camera. First, a flexible white rod and, later, a flexible spring connected the top camera to the Lighthouse. This was the best camera yet, with multiple options. Because we are innovators working to improve our products and ease the process of chimney scanning, we continued to hone the Combo Camera, and the J3D Camera was born.

It is built heavy-duty, like a tank! We understand that it has to withstand bumps, scratches, and drops, all in an environment with creosote, debris, and scary critters - all kinds of dangerous areas! 

Today, when combined with our Units, our high-resolution J3D has two cameras. The side camera rotates continuously without having to hold a button. There is a speed control dial that allows you to adjust the rotation speed. When creating a video, the rotation can stop to capture an image. 

The lens tilts from 0 to 90 degrees for viewing misaligned tiles and hard-to-see defects. It has two rows of 9 dimmable bright LED lights: one row above and another row below the side camera, totaling 18 dimmable lights for that camera. The high-resolution top camera has 12 bright LED Lights surrounding the camera in a circle. These lights are also dimmable. The top camera looks straight up (or down) the flue, which is excellent for checking for blockages, Chimney Swift Nests, or critters in the flue. 

Orange and white whisker stabilizers are included with the camera. They are easy to adjust and replace as needed. We also include your choice of chimney rod adapter. If you have an older Unit, we may need to upgrade it to include these capabilities in the controller. We can upgrade most older cameras, or you can ask us about a trade-in for your old Unit or camera.
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The J3D camera is 6" shorter than the Combo Camera, and this compact powerhouse has two high-resolution cameras that provide optimal chimney scanning. We have integrated 3-D printing into the J3D, removing some weight to make it lighter. But it’s still a rugged, industrial-quality camera ready to participate in the extreme sport of inspecting chimneys day after day. You won’t find a competitive match anywhere unless it’s another J3D Camera. Scroll below. The J3D will work with our Series 100 and 211 controller/monitor. If you have an older unit, please contact us to ensure it can run all of the J3D features. It may need an upgrade.
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#Chimney, Chim-Scan, chimney camera, chimney flue, #industrial quality camera

​Hello, I’m See-More-Chimneys. I’ve spent over 40 years at Estoban helping test the Chim-Scan® chimney inspection cameras. I’ve seen what the cameras have been through on the front lines and heard the stories. A chimney camera has to be strong, tough, and capable of intense physical activity. Our Chim-Scan® cameras have been designed for commercial use. That means standing up to interior chimney abuse daily in the EXTREME job of scanning chimneys. 

The Chimney Environment
Chimney interiors are long, dark, and mysterious. They often harbor insects and animals. The residue from the products of combustion, such as soot, tarlike creosote (cameras hate this), shiny glazed creosote, acidic residue, and moisture. This requires a chimney camera designed to withstand extreme conditions. It must also withstand navigating rough surfaces, broken tiles, damper frames, and thimbles. A chimney camera has to be strong, tough, and capable of withstanding extreme conditions while delivering high-resolution images, which Chim-Scan® does. 
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Repairable
Our cameras have 40+ years of experience built into navigating chimney interiors. If there were an Extreme Olympic Sport for scanning chimneys, our cameras would wear the gold medal. We are not disposable electronics. Our equipment is mission-critical, made with high-reliability electrical components that ensure daily use and uninterrupted service. Occasionally, something may happen to a camera, such as wear and tear, extreme interior conditions, or accidental operator damage. Since we make these cameras and units right in Iowa, you can return it to us. We built it. If you break it, we can fix it. If it’s older than 15 years, our options for replacement parts may be limited.
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Upgrades
Because we are innovators constantly looking for ways to improve our products and make chimney scanning easier for you, we create a lot of updates. We offer an upgrade service available on units up to 15 years old. For instance, if you have a Combo Camera, we can shorten it and make it a J3D. If you want the 0-90° tilt mechanism added, that’s doable. Just ask if you want to add the power tool battery pack so you can use a battery from DeWalt®, Milwaukee®, Bosch®, Rigid®, Makita® or Kobalt®. 
There are still some really old functioning cameras out there. If it can’t be upgraded, ask us about a trade or keep your old camera and/or unit as a backup. One of our customers proudly displays their old Chim-Scan® Unit in their office. 
In conclusion
Since we started as chimney sweeps, we understand the business. Innovation is our continuous goal. We consistently manufacture new products or add features with the latest technology available. Sometimes, we wait a little until the issues are worked out of certain components and until they have a proven track record. Last year, we celebrated our 40th anniversary. That’s 40 years of making rugged, reliable, commercial-quality chimney inspection cameras—Chim-Scan—the EXTREME camera. Built for possibilities.
#chimney, #chimney inspection, #chimney camera, #Chim-Scan, #video chimney

​Our cameras feature a high-resolution chip for taking images and videos during chimney inspections. These cameras provide focus from 2” to infinity and beyond. Each camera will need a Chim-Scan® Unit to run it. 

Here are our seven cameras and their applications:
The J3D™ Camera has two cameras. A top camera for straight-up views and a side camera with a 0-90° tilt. The camera rotates continuously in a 360° pattern without having to hold a button. You can adjust the rotation speed from slow to dizzy. We do suggest a slower speed when recording a video. You can stop rotation at any time to take a photo. The J3D has 30 dimmable LED lights to brighten even the darkest chimneys. There are two rows of 9 lights above and below the side camera and 12 on top of the second camera. Both white and orange stabilizers and a rod adaptor are included.  

The Lighthouse™ Tilt Camera is the bottom half of the J3D. It features 360° of continuous rotation without having to hold a button, and the rotation speed can be easily adjusted. The camera includes a 0-90° Tilt and 2 rows of bright LED lights that are dimmable. Both white and orange stabilizers and a rod adaptor are included. 

The Mini-Enviro is the New Version of the Enviro.
Mini-Enviro™ Camera Lineup
The Mini-Enviro Camera is a high-resolution camera with 9 bright LED lights and has four different ways to use it. This economical camera provides high-resolution images and videos when inspecting chimneys, chases, attics, crawl spaces, and other hard-to-reach areas. The Mini-Enviro™ and the JS Ball ™ are priced attractively and are a great addition to your system to have as a backup camera. Here’s our lineup:

Our Mini-Enviro™ Camera set in a bracket provides high-resolution images and videos from a side view for detecting defects when scanning flues. It is set into a 3-D bracket and includes a built-in new-style mini whisker with orange and white stabilizers and a rod adaptor. The bracket is called the scanning bracket and is the most popular style. And is the standard for the camera. When you order the Mini-Enviro™ with other brackets, you won’t get this bracket. To rotate the camera, you must manually turn the chimney rods. It is a power-packed yet economical camera. 

Our new JS Ball with Mini-Enviro™ Camera was originally custom-designed for a customer, but it worked so well that we added it to our catalog. It also captures high-resolution images and videos. This camera is fixed at a 15° angle for viewing multiple interior chimney defects such as misaligned flue tiles, open mortar joints, cracks, damaged liners, and more! Like the Mini-Enviro™ Camera above, the chimney rods must be turned to scan the flue using the barber pole and reverse barber pole method. This small camera measures 5¼" high, 2" wide when facing head-on, and 2 ½" from front to back.  It also includes orange and white whisker stabilizers and a rod adaptor. 

The Dryer Vent Camera Plus™ is a Mini-Enviro™ enclosed in the Dryerball bracket (less than 2.5”) with a probe to navigate 90° elbows. The Mini-Enviro Camera is enclosed in a ball. This system includes a 35' no-kink continuous flexible rod (a 50’ custom rod is available) and a case with an easy-access cutout.

Our Mini-Enviro™ Camera on the Wired Gooseneck Rod is excellent for hard-to-access areas such as ash pits, fireplace smoke shelves, and other hard-to-reach places where a flexible camera and rod are needed, like attic spaces, wall cavities, smaller woodstoves when inspecting the interior and chases.
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The Mini-Enviro™ is permanently attached to the Gooseneck Rod and cannot be removed. This protects the camera from falling off, and when it is paired with a painter’s pole, it’s even more stable.

The Mini-Enviro™ Camera on a Painter’s Pole provides high-resolution images and videos of challenging areas such as crawl spaces, unfinished attics, chimneys that are too far from the access door, and other hard-to-reach areas. It features 9 bright LED lights, a wired flexible Gooseneck Rod, and a wired telescoping 16’ painter’s pole. It is also ideal for checking gutters. To see images of it in use, click here.

These cameras cover a multitude of applications. Remember, each requires a Chim-Scan® Unit for smooth camera operation, video and image capture, and storage option.

​Whether performing chimney inspections or reading a chimney inspection report, one thing is clear: It is hard to argue with a high-resolution picture taken during a chimney inspection with a camera showing defects deep inside the flue. A chimney inspection done with the naked eye is no comparison to an internal chimney scanning. I used a 5’ chimney prop with hidden defects in the chimney inspections and classes I taught for 21 years. Almost 99.9% of the time, the inspectors missed an opening defect within the flue by inspecting only with a flashlight and the naked eye. These defects were only 17” from their face. 

Images and videos from scanning chimneys are one part of the equation. If you read a report with multiple pictures, can you understand what the defects are and what caused them? Here are some other questions to consider:

1. Can you identify and define “What is a defect?” within the chimney interior?"
2. Can you determine how the defect was created or the most probable way it was created?
3. Did you rule out other causes and conditions, leaving probable causes as to why the defect is there?

In my forty years in the chimney industry, I have accumulated a lot of images, videos, and knowledge regarding chimney construction and defects. I have also spoken at national and state organizations and taught at a national trade organization school for over twenty years (Chimney Safety Institute of America). 

This wealth of experience led me to envision a way to share this information with the chimney industry and anyone interested in internal chimney inspections, culminating in the following book. The Chimney Scanning & Inspection Guide.
Within this book is a brief outline:

• Where to start – Use IRC, NFPA 211, local codes, or the manufacturer’s installation instructions.
• Where to put drop cloths and prepare the area for the inspection
• How does scanning chimneys fit within the Levels of Inspection (NFPA 211)? Where do the Levels of Accessibility fit into all this?
• How do structure integrity and flue condition compare to what is the ideal chimney in the code books?
• What is happening within the flue and the chimney?
• What is the probable cause of the defect or symptom, along with an explanation?

Operating a chimney camera using the proper techniques and observation skills should produce more answers regarding the flue’s condition rather than presenting more questions. Since there are many types of installation, we segmented this book into modules to provide a step-by-step approach to chimney scanning by chimney type. The modules include:
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• Scanning a Masonry Chimney and Fireplace
• Scanning a  Masonry Chimney and Fireplace with an Appliance (Hearth Stove & Insert)
• Scanning a Masonry Thimble Chimney Serving an Appliance(s) (Solid Fuel or Liquid Fuel(s)
• Scanning a Prefab Chimney and Fireplace
• Scanning a Prefab Chimney Serving an Appliance (Solid Fuel or Liquid Fuel(s)

Each installation type offers its unique challenges. We detail the differences between types of installations, including conditions to be alert for and the typical defects for each. The training modules listed above tell you the best access points and offer a step-by-step assessment process for home protection, defect diagnosis, and cleanup. If you would like more information about our books, click here. Otherwise, continue reading our blogs to learn about your interests.

We began our venture into the chimney industry as chimney sweeps in Pennsylvania in the 1970s. We swept chimneys and inspected them with the only available tool—a flashlight and, later, a mirror. It always left us feeling discomfort that there wasn't a better way to see into the chimney, and we might be missing something. Thus, we began building the first designated chimney inspection camera, and 40 years later, we are still manufacturing chimney cameras. 

Since we were chimney sweeps, we knew a chimney camera had to be tough. Chimneys can be rough and damaged, have sharp edges, contain acids, and pose a multitude of risks to any camera. Our commitment still stands today as we continue to manufacture commercial quality equipment designed specifically for the chimney industry.
 
In the video, Tom shares a story that would have shattered most cameras. A drop off a 40-foot building with only a damaged switch and a repair of $350. Tom also demonstrates as he drops our camera off the mezzanine at a distance of 16'. 

We are committed to quality, and we repair and upgrade our equipment. We get it. We understand the challenges of inspecting, cleaning, and relining chimneys.

​The chimney is a long and dark mystery that has been a part of human culture through the centuries. Because our ancestors frequently used their chimneys for heating and cooking. They were at the chimney's mercy when they became clogged. An unfortunate goose or a small child was used to attempt to dislodge blockages and sweep away the soot and grime. For centuries, humans' best efforts have led to the question, "Can I see from bottom to top?" and “Does it look OK?” Based on a poor visual view, they assumed all was good! Only in recent history can we see inside the chimney to determine whether there are defects and why the system may not be venting correctly.
Tom and Esther Urban started sweeping chimneys in 1979 after spending time in the Peace Corps. They founded their business in Pennsylvania and enjoyed interacting with customers. What bothered them was that they couldn’t see into the chimneys very well. The concept of an interior chimney camera was born.
At that time, there were no chimney cameras. Trying to lower a regular camera was not only a bad idea, but when Tom attended a security conference in New York City, the vendors asked, “You want to do WHAT with a camera?” They thought he was nuts.
Today, Tom, Esther, and their Daughter Shelley run a chimney camera manufacturing business. They design, construct, and assemble new cameras, controllers/monitors, and repairs, in addition to wearing many other hats. Their staff is well-taught, can tackle complex wiring boards and repairs, and runs diagnostic procedures on damaged units needing repair. The chimney camera equipment is manufactured just outside Fairfield, Iowa, a small town in Southeast Iowa. Their chimney cameras have been used for four decades to pinpoint defects, take images, and capture videos, making America’s homes safer.
These cameras are reliable, easy to use, repairable, and manufactured from heavy-duty commercial parts. They are designed for day-to-day use for scanning chimneys. Other uses include air duct scanning, crawl spaces, confined spaces, search and rescue, and are even installed on farm equipment. Along with the equipment, Tom provides technical support training on chimney scanning, diagnostics, and documentation. He taught for the National Chimney Sweep Guild at conventions, the Chimney Safety Institute of America, several state chimney sweep guilds, and home inspectors. He was a guest on 20/20, This Old House, CNN, and others. He served as an NCSG director, as the head of the Tech Committee, and on the CSIA Board of Directors. He received some of the industry/s highest awards, such as the President’s Award from the National Chimney Sweep Guild, the Education Award from the Chimney Safety Institute of America, and more. 

Tom and Esther Urban founded a chimney-sweeping business in 1978 after they served in the Peace Corps. When they got out, it was during the oil crisis. Homeowners were installing woodstoves in old chimneys or installing them with new chimneys. Creosote rapidly built up, and chimney fires started to erupt all over the country. It was a great time to start a chimney-sweeping business, and that’s just what they did. Tom partnered with an insurance adjuster on some of his calls. It always bothered Tom and Esther that they could never obtain a clear view of what was in the flue. At this time, no chimney cameras were available to scan the flue. Tom saw the need for one and researched what it would take to build one. The search would take him to Cornell University, Ithaca, in New York State.
Tom and Esther traveled on Sunday afternoons to Cornell University to search the library’s optics section of the Thomas Registers. There were about twenty 3-inch-thick books listing almost every manufacturer in the U.S. and what they manufactured. They spent many hours copying information about everything they could foresee needing for Tom’s design. Tom then attended a security convention in New York City. After a year of research and work, he took his first camera to the 1984 National Chimney Sweep Guild Convention in Washington, DC, and the first chimney camera – the Chim-Scan®- was born. It was pronounced a “Showstopper” by CNN News Channel. However, it took years before America’s Sweeps adopted and used this critical tool.
Today, forty years later, in 2024, it’s hard to fathom a time when there was no available technology. Imagine what it would be like if the internet disappeared today. That’s what Tom Urban faced when he started researching parts to create a camera capable of being lowered into the chimney and taking a picture from several feet away.  
Eventually, sweeps started to catch on to the need for scanning chimneys. When they needed to prove there was damage to a chimney and could back it up with pictures, the insurance adjuster was more likely to approve a chimney fire claim. Over the years, many companies have sold “chimney cameras,” some of which are decent quality, some modified baby monitors, and some are lightweight consumer-grade camera systems from China or another location. But 40 years later, Chim-Scan® Cameras are still churned out from their manufacturing facility in Iowa, right in the Heartland. Unlike some other chimney camera companies, Chim-Scan® Cameras can still be repaired unless they are too old, and the parts are no longer available. Someday, when Tom and Esther decide to retire or spend time chiseling away at their bucket list, their daughter Shelley is poised to step up as President to run the Estoban Corporation, manufacturer of Chim-Scan® Cameras, the true original commercial-grade chimney sweeping camera. 

​©2024 Estoban Corporation LLC.