Cleaning dryer vents is an essential service for your customers and is usually required to maintain a dryer’s warranty. Our Chim-Scan® Dryer Vent Plus System makes scanning dryer vent interiors easy! Scanning the dryer vent before cleaning is essential. You can check for blockages, disconnected joints, overuse of elbows, nests, correct termination to the exterior, and that the proper materials were used when the dryer vent was installed.

According to an NFPA 211 report created in 2020 by Marty Ahrens, an estimated 13,820 residential dryer fires happen each year, with an estimated 7 deaths, 344 injuries, and $233 million in property damage annually. Failure to clean was the leading factor contributing to the fire.
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One of the most critical indicators of a problem is when the dryer takes longer to dry clothes. Another indicator is when they have to keep replacing heating elements, sensors, or dryers. This is where our Dryer Vent Plus System becomes invaluable. You can use this tool to scan the dryer vent before cleaning. Every homeowner is a candidate for dryer vent inspections and cleaning. 

I’ve been involved in the chimney industry since the late ‘70s when my wife and I started our chimney sweeping business. Anyone who was a sweep during this time enjoyed a business that boomed during the fall and winter, then fell off in the spring and summer. How times have changed. In these early days, there were no criteria for chimney inspections. Chimney sweeps swept the chimney, maybe noted some issues to the homeowner about the soot level,and left. Litigation and insurance companies started to change the industry and were the basis for developing the industry’s Standard of Care. 
Taking the NFPA 211 Annex and placing it into installation type.
One day, at the turn of the century, as I sat on my deck relaxing, my mind wandered back to the year 1998 when a bunch of guys and I drafted the Levels of Inspections, Degrees of Access, and the list of inspection items in Chapters 14 & 15 and in the NFPA 211 Annex. As I thought about how it would be incorporated into a chimney technician’s inspection, I realized it would be difficult for the technician to try to hit all the inspection items from memory. Additionally, some items would apply to one type of installation, but not all. Today, 25 years later, some chimney technicians are still missing inspection items from NFPA 211. It’s almost as if our industry Standard of Care slipped through our fingers. Is it because there are too many items for a technician to inspect? No, we've become lazy and pick and choose what we want. This led me to begin my 10,000 hours of creating what became the Flue and Hearth Notes™ inspection forms. 
Different Installation Types.
Forty years ago, before NFPA 211’s Inspection criteria, an inspection form was created with a fireplace and a handful of inspection items to check. It was in triplicate form, and chimney sweeps used it for all types of installations. It was used for all chimneys. However, a fireplace inspection differs dramatically from a chimney serving a gas water heater and an oil boiler venting into one flue. Unfortunately, some chimney sweeps and technicians still use these forms.  Twenty years ago, I envisioned building a comprehensive inspection form Based on NFPA 211 but for specific applications such as a Masonry Fireplace, a Prefabricated Fireplace, a Masonry Thimble Chimney Serving an Appliance(s), and a Prefabricated Chimney Serving an Appliance(s).  Although these installations all have chimneys, each chimney vents a different type of heating unit or fireplace. In addition, the fuels can differ: LP gas, natural gas, oil, coal, wood, and pellets.
No installations are the same, but you will see the same types of defects.
Every installation is unique, but the types of defects are the same across the board. For instance, defects can range from vertical and horizontal cracks, protruding mortar joints, stacked liners, and misaligned liners to missing chimney liners.
Start creating a Unity track: Defining what’s important.
One of my all-time favorite stories is one Tom Grandy shared about a trip to the dentist. As with any dental visit, almost everyone gets the lecture about how to floss twice a day, and we are given the same demonstration of how to floss each time we brush. One day, after a lecture on flossing, Tom shared what we all feel, and the dentists regularly hear. “I hate to floss!” I suppose that day, the dentist had heard it for the umpteenth time, and he was ready. He responded, “OK, just do the teeth you want to keep!” This has similarities to our industry. A technician can’t just pick and choose what they want to search for (the insurable cracked flue liner). All inspection items must be investigated (NFPA 211, Chapters 14, 15, and the Annex). I felt pulling all this together would create unity on chimney inspections in our industry since it didn’t seem to be happening.
The start of the Flue and Hearth Notes™ (10,000 hours) of form building and why and how they are built.
I began with the vision of a unified form. I grouped inspection items with installation types. I further included an area for defects related to specific areas, such as a chimney liner. I grouped inspection items per area where they were found in the chimney or fireplace. I included information on appliances. I had professionally created drawings and pulled everything into multiple inspection report forms. Recently, I added more forms to the offering and broke them down by fuels. We now have eight form types: Masonry Fireplace, Masonry Fireplace with a Hearth Stove, Masonry Fireplace with an Insert, Masonry Thimble Chimney Serving a Solid Fuel Appliance, Masonry Thimble Chimney Serving a Liquid Fuel Appliance(s), Prefabricated Chimney Serving a Solid Fuel Appliance, Prefabricated Chimney Serving a Liquid Fuel(s) Appliance, and Prefabricated Fireplace and Chimney. We have Level I and Level II forms for each installation type. That’s 16 forms in total. But then, we went a step further.

​I recently read that people spend much of their spare time on smartphones and the internet. Hey, with so much information and entertainment, why pick up a book or learn a new hobby when you can watch someone else in an app? The desire to discover, learn more, understand, and be the best is diminishing. Instead of scanning the entire flue, searching every crack and joint, the inspection often stops at the vertical crack in the flue tile. It’s like a “good enough” mentality. When it comes to chimneys, if defects are missed, is this ever “good enough”? It seems that we, as an industry, are failing the American Public.
Insufficient or poor-quality information
I’ve been sent reports from homeowners all over the US. They are concerned, and from these reports I’ve seen, they have a right to be. Some of these reports have been from industry “leaders.”
In these reports, confusion is woven into many of the inspection reports I’ve received. Some contain a multitude of pages (up to 20+). Some have paragraphs on some pages, and several pages later, the corresponding image sits surrounded by other images. Connecting the paragraphs with the photos is impossible in the homeowner's eyes. In addition, I’ve picked up on some defects from the pictures not mentioned in the report and incorrect information in the report.
Some sweeps still use the old single fireplace with checkboxes from almost four decades ago. The customer wonders what a fireplace form has to do with their oil boiler and gas water heater. Then there’s NFPA 211 Chapters 14 and 15, along with the inspection items, which aren’t listed on these old forms. 
 Some reports contain technical jargon and scary words like condemned, house fire, death, etc. The customers don’t understand what’s going on. They feel pushed and aren’t sure where to turn to get their questions answered. Sometimes, a competitor straightens them out. Other times, they find us online and send us copies of their reports. This is a credibility wrecker within this industry. 
Customers won’t buy something they don’t understand.
Customers who don’t understand why they need a repair may get a second opinion because the report is weighted in technical jargon and scare tactics. It’s essential that the customer understands the defect first and then is presented with a solution written in an easy-to-understand manner. That’s called solution selling. Present the defect so the customer understands the problem. THEN, present the solution, which usually sells itself. Customers feel better because they “get it,” they are making an informed decision, and aren’t pressured by threats such as “Your house will burn down.”
No unity of inspections
In 1998, a group of chimney specialists created Chapters 14 and 15, including the Levels of Inspection and the inspection items in the NFPA 211 Annex. The goal was to eliminate confusion about chimney inspections and streamline the industry. This created the chimney industry Standard of Care. Unfortunately, not all chimney inspection technicians use this information, even today, 25+ years later. 
Imagine if each airline pilot's prep before a flight with 250 people wasn’t standardized with an industry-standard preflight checklist. Some might take shortcuts. Others will take a long time to check everything. But no one would be on the same page. This lack of coordination historically resulted in accidents. When there is no consistency, problems arise. This is happening in our industry.
The future of our industry depends on unity, particularly chimney inspections. This was the goal in 1998, which was the thorn in everyone’s side).
If our industry continues to ignore the Levels of Inspection and not follow the requirements set forth in NFPA 211 Chapters 14 & 15 and items in the Annex, it will not end well. Usually, this happens with litigation. It is already happening. It’s called failure to report. That’s also in NFPA 211. NFPA 211 Chapters 14 & 15 are now case law. The precedence is set. If you are not following the Inspection of Existing Chimneys (chapter 14) and hitting these items, it’s just a matter of time. It may lead homeowners to get rid of their fireplaces.

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

1. Masonry fireplace
2. Masonry fireplace with an appliance - insert or hearth stove
3. Masonry thimble chimney with a solid or liquid fuel appliance(s)
4. Prefab fireplace & chimney
5. 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. 

When looking up a dark chimney flue with a flashlight, you will see what the light illuminates in degrees of shapes and shadows. Remember, you will also be looking at it from just one angle. Visual acuity (clarity of vision) differs from person to person. It is a rating of a person's ability to recognize small details precisely. Many factors can affect the quality of a person's eyesight, one being brightness. Because you shine a flashlight into a dark chimney flue, similar to looking into a dark tunnel, the details you can gather with the naked eye are minimal. However, a Chim-Scan® Chimney Camera can provide a close view with adjustable lens angles and variable light brightness. This surpasses the naked eye, captures details, and provides images and videos.

Should a flashlight and the naked eye be used to inspect a chimney?
I taught chimney inspection classes for over 21 years and used a prop with hidden defects (the images at the right). Almost 99% of the time, the inspectors missed an opening within the chimney flue using a flashlight and the naked eye. These defects were only 17” from their faces. If a chimney technician inspects a flue with a flashlight and notes there were no defects, they risk opening themselves up for liability or lack of disclosure for missed defects. If the chimney was scanned with a camera the previous year, and no events were noticed, a flashlight may be sufficient for the inspection if you performed a chimney scan inspection the previous year and they didn't use their chimney.

Currently, in the chimney industry, inspections with a flashlight are allowed on a Level 1 Inspection at least once a year, during a routine cleaning of the chimney flue, replacement of a connected appliance with one of a similar type, input rating, and efficiency according to NFPA 211. However, are you really sure you could see everything?

The language in Level 1 (15.3.2.4) asks for verification that the flue or flues are free of combustible deposits and blockage or obstruction. But the language in Chapter 14 of NFPA 211 does state that if the flue liner has softened, cracked, or otherwise deteriorated so that it no longer has the continued ability to contain the products of combustion (i.e., heat, moisture, creosote, and flue gases), the liner shall be either removed and replaced, repaired, or relined with a listed liner system (14.9). Can you determine all of this with a flashlight?

A camera with a tilting lens captures angles and textures and defines the movement of the flue tiles.
The beauty of inspecting chimney flues with an adjustable tilt lens, like the J3D and Lighthouse™ Tilt Cameras, is that changes to the masonry are more apparent when looking at it from different angles. If I look only at the sides of the chimney, I may miss the fact that the flue tiles are severely misaligned. If I look straight down or up the chimney, I will miss openings between the clay flue tiles. I may also miss a hole in a flue hidden by severely misaligned tiles, as the photos show. Instead, when using these tilt lens cameras, I can see how thick a mortar joint is, how much mortar is missing, whether the tile has damage and whether there is a hidden breeching, amongst other defects.
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Illumination is critical to diagnosing defects. What do you see if you look down a chimney with a flashlight? Most likely, you will see shapes, shadows, and lines. It will be up to your brain to form a picture and decide if these shapes, shadows, and lines constitute a defect. How good is your eyesight? How good is your flashlight?

When scanning a chimney with a properly illuminated camera, you can pinpoint defects as small as hairline cracks or degradation. If you look down a chimney and see creosote, can you define it? Is it a dark mass in the flue? Can you tell whether it is glossy, goopy, or tarlike creosote? Or is it shiny – almost reflective when the camera illuminates it head-on? How is the texture - puffy, granular, light soot, tarlike, or glazed? Can you see surface degradation?

Not every chimney camera is the same.
Now that we have described the ideal chimney scanning system, you need to know that not all chimney cameras have a tilt lens and adjustable lighting. Not all lenses can spin in a circle. With some systems, the technician must properly turn the camera while inspecting and videoing the flue. This video often ends up a wobbly mess, which gives the viewer an inclination to car sickness. The quality of the camera and the ability to get clear, focused pictures are essential to finding and diagnosing defects. Unfortunately, a camera with poor images shines a bad light on the technician. If the customer can't see a clear picture of a defect, it's a credibility wrecker.
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In closing
A chimney can be seen as a unique appliance in the home. It is a channel whereby the products of combustions shall pass through and exit the atmosphere. A chimney may also be a part of the fireplace or heater's draft. It must keep the elements out of the home, yet not without closing off the drafting function. It is exposed to heat inside and cold outside. It is exposed to the elements - rain, snow, wind, and weather events. There is no doubt that it is integral to the home. When it comes down to having an inspection and you are a homeowner reading this, demand that the chimney is scanned with a chimney camera. Especially one with quality photos, such as the Chim-Scan® Internal Evaluation Camera System.
If you are a chimney technician, remember to use your camera on every job!

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When to use IRC and NFPA 211 for Chimney Inspections
Both the International Residential Code (IRC) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 211 books provide information on building chimneys, fireplaces, and appliance installations. Which book should I use for chimney inspections? The IRC and NFPA 211 both cover new construction of chimneys, fireplaces, and appliance installations. However, NFPA 211 goes one step further, offering a process for inspecting chimneys, fireplaces, and appliance installations since we see the world of chimneys and fireplaces after operating. The question above is commonly debated within the chimney industry.
Are you wondering which to follow for new construction? Most states require the use of IRC, and a few require NFPA 211. Some states have their own building codes and some areas within a state have their own codes. Then there are exceptions such as historical areas. Always check locally because there may be additional local codes required above and beyond IRC or NFPA and even state codes.
When it comes to prefabricated chimney and fireplaces, the installation instructions must be used. These instructions can usually be obtained online if you know the model number. The same goes for appliances. If you need to call the manufacturer’s help desk for technical assistance, be sure to also have the serial number. The manufacturer (and their installation instructions) must be followed for installation and supersede IRC and NFPA 211.
We suggest obtaining an IRC or NFPA 211 book if you don't already own one. If your area abides by IRC for new construction, you will still need NFPA 211 for access and inspections. Additionally, you may need copies of local codes and historical district codes. As a chimney technician or inspector, it's up to you to determine if the chimney, fireplace, and appliance installations are operational-ready based on inspection criteria. Your customers count on it.

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