Category: Chimney Scanning & Inspection Guide

The New Chim-Scan® Screen-Shooters™

3/26/2025

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.

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.

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

A Chim-Scan Controller with Monitor sits next to a Screen-Shooter.

This 211 Screen-Shooter™ fits in-between the brackets on the monitor and attaches in place. (211 Unit not included).

A Chim-Scan 211 unit has a Screen-Shooter attached for capturing images.

A close-up of the 211 with the Screen-Shooter™ attached. The big buttons on the frame hold your cell phone in the 4” X 7” place (white arrows). This fits the majority of cell phones with and without protective covers. 211-Unit not included.

The frame that holds the cellphone on the Screen-Shooter is flipped up so the user can view the full monitor.

It is easy to open the Screen-Shooter™ to view the monitor directly. 211-Unit not included.

A 100 unit has an orange fold-out stand in front and a stand on the back of the case.Picture

The 100-unit includes a base stand, creating a stable platform for the Screen-Shooter™. It also angles the monitor for easier viewing. The stand easily folds out. Shown installed on a 100-Unit (not included).

The four buttons on the face of the Screen-Shooter hold the cell phone in place.

The Screen-Shooter™ for the 100-unit includes a base stand, creating a stable platform for the Screen-Shooter™. It also angles the monitor for easier viewing. The stand easily folds out.

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Become a Chim-Scan® Factory Trained Technician!

1/15/2025

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Becoming a Chim-Scan® Factory-Trained Technician is a unique factory training program. It starts with our Chimney Scanning and inspection Guide. You can take the test once you feel confident that you know the information. You will receive a patch, certificate, and the Chim-Scan® Factory-Trained designation upon passing.
There are many benefits of becoming a Chim-Scan® Factory Trained Technician:
• You may be able to get lower insurance coverage rates. Ask your agent about this.
• You receive a certificate, a patch, and the number upon passing.
• You receive a copy of our Chim-Scan® Technician Logo for advertising.
• This book is packed with great information:

There are over 400 pictures in the book.
The book explains Levels of Inspection and Access Points
When to refer to IRC and NFPA 211
Angles of imagery
Probable cause
The Four Pathways
Five modules featuring multiple installation types

Masonry fireplace
Masonry fireplace with an appliance - insert or hearth stove
Masonry thimble chimney with a solid or liquid fuel appliance(s)
Prefab fireplace & chimney
Prefab chimney with a solid fuel or liquid fuel appliance(s)

The open-book multiple-choice test is based on this guide, the Chim-Scan® Manual, and knowledge of the Chim-Scan® System. Each question is worth one point. Since this is an open-book test, 85% of correct answers are passing scores.
You can take the test online. Once you finish the test (100 questions) and press the Submit Button, you will receive your pass/fail at that time. Your Certificate of Completion is ready to print directly off the site. You can take it up to two times before you incur an additional charge.
Here is the breakdown of the test and manual cost:
The training Manual is $200 in print form, including the test for one person (there is a retest fee if the test needs retaking more than twice). If you order your book(s) before 1/31/2025, you will only pay ($87 + $15.50 shipping.)
For each test, it is only $50 for each individual from the same company. For information on taking the
test, scan the QR code below, visit our website at www.chimscanfactorytraining.com, or give us a call to order at 641-472-7643.

Upon passing the test, you will obtain the Chim-Scan® Factory-Trained Technician designation.

A binder holds pages together for the Chimney Scanning & Inspection Guide.

This guide has over 400 images, lots of technical data including Levels of Inspections and Access, and five modules featuring the most common installation types.

The book is opened, laying flat. A masonry fireplace with cutaway view of the flue is shown.

The book features check-off boxes for the inspection process. These boxes follow the transition areas within the installation type.

An image of a chimney cap, a cut-away view of the flue, a woodstove and furnace sit next to blocks of content.

This book walks you through the chimney inspection process by transition points.

#chimney inspection, #Chim-scan factory training, #chimney inspection camera, #chimney scanning & inspection guide, #masonry fireplace, #prefabricated fireplace, #masonry chimney with thimble, #prefabricated chimney, #IRC, #NFPA 311, #Chim-Scan chimney camera

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It's Black Friday! Our Chimney Scanning & Inspection Books are on Sale!

11/29/2024

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An open book with chimney images says $75 including shipping, expires 12/13/24.

Our chimney scanning and inspection books each have over 400 photos and is packed with information! We drill down on 5 installation types.

The leftovers are on the table, the microwave is buzzing, and the turkey is slowly diminishing. Yep, the end of the year is about a month away, and if your fiscal year ends December 31st, it’s time to start thinking about any books or equipment that needs replacing for an end-of-the-year write-off. Our Chim-Scan® Chimney Scanning & Inspection Guides are on sale now through December 14th, 2024, for only $75 (normally $200), including free shipping. This is a great gift idea for your staff! You can place your order online by clicking here. Or give us a call at 641-472-7643.

If you need a new Chim-Scan® Chimney Inspection Unit, we need to have your order by December 2nd for your order to ship by the end of the year. Happy Holidays!

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Masonry Clay Flue Tiles After a Sudden Occurrence (in this case, a Chimney Fire)

11/1/2024

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Three orange clay flue tiles are shown with brown streaks and a vertical crack.

These clay flue tiles experienced an intense chimney fire. Note the streaking and the severe cracking on the exteriors.

These photos of masonry clay flue tiles exemplify what can happen during a chimney fire. A chimney technician gave us these tiles pulled from a chimney after a fire. We brought in a professional photographer to photo document the extent of the damage. As you can see in these photos, flue tiles cracked, and the cracks opened. The soot on the tile exterior burned and dripped.
Hairline cracks can open up during a fire, expanding and opening the gateway for creosote, smoke, and flames to escape into the cavity between the tile exterior and the chimney interior.
As you can see, moisture and creosote did travel through a crack in the clay flue tile and weak mortar joints and ended up on the tile's exterior. This breakage can also happen from a poor choice of mortar or during a chimney fire. The temperature difference between the interior and exterior walls caused Thermal Stress, leading to Thermal Shock and Stress Fracture(s) in the liner.
This article is an excerpt from the Chimney Scanning & Inspection Guide, Phase 1, available on this website.

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The New Chim-Scan® Screen-Shooters™

Become a Chim-Scan® Factory Trained Technician!

It's Black Friday! Our Chimney Scanning & Inspection Books are on Sale!

Masonry Clay Flue Tiles After a Sudden Occurrence (in this case, a Chimney Fire)

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