​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.

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 a chimney has damage, the best way to record this damage is with the J3D Chim-Scan® Internal Evaluation System. It is a game changer. It can view straight up or down, sides, and even at angles, which helps determine more about the defects such as misalignment of masonry tiles, rusting, and embrittlement in a prefabricated chimney and in the case of a sudden occurrence such as a chimney fire.
Some chimney cameras may have a limited view. Some chimney cameras may have non-rotating heads or rotating heads with limitations, stabilizers, image and video limitations, one lighting setting, recorders, and a host of other accessories to provide the means to scan the chimney's interior. You may ask, "Why do your cameras have so many options?" – such as speed adjustment and the ability to swivel the chimney camera head to any angle. The answer is to optimize each photo opportunity so you can focus on the details of the defects. Clear photos eliminate doubt when you show the homeowner. Options also decrease the time spent scanning and ensure you have the images needed. Time is money!
Angles of Imagery
One of the most important parts of interior chimney scanning is understanding the optimal angle to capture an image or video. To understand the optimal angles we refer to, it is best first to understand how we refer to them. For reference, when the chimney camera is traveling straight up (or down) the chimney with the lens facing forward (up), we call this a straight-up/down view. A tilted view is when the lens is angled up to 45° up or down. A 90° view would be a side wall view (horizontal). Please reference the chart at the right for a visual explanation.
Each chimney tells a story, and it is up to you to define and share the documentation in a manner the homeowner can understand. The chimney camera position or angle is essential in familiarizing yourself with the new perspective. A 90-degree side view angle produces sharp close-up details of specific areas within the chimney. If scanning from the bottom, such as the hearth or firebox, pushing the chimney camera up using a Lighthouse Tilt or J3D Camera head, you can flip a switch to look straight up or flip again to rotate the heads and orient it to view the sidewalls.
Examples of some of the best images gathered with a 90-degree view are:

• Open/defective mortar joints between two liners
• Missing masonry flue tile pieces or openings in the liner
• Flaking and cracking of the tile
• Poor adhesion from resurfacing products
• Hidden breeching
• Scorch marks on liners
• Seam separation in prefab pipe and/or deterioration
• Disconnected joints or components
• Pinholes in the pipe.

Examples of some of the best images gathered with a 45-degree view are:

• Misaligned masonry flue tiles
• Protruding mortar joints
• Cracking of clay tile liner
• Unlined chimneys

• Pipe damaged by a sudden occurrence - storm, chimney fire, seismic activity.

• Pipe with a manufacturer's defect
• Pipe with rusting & embrittlement.

Examples of the best images gathered with a straight up/down view are:

• Protruding mortar joints
• Animal intrusion
• Moisture damage
• Disconnected or improper joints
• Prefab pipe warping
• Prefab pipe out of round
• Sudden occurrence – storm, chimney fire, seismic activity

A straight up-or-down shot or a side shot is rarely enough to make determinations about defects. A 45° tilted lens can often detect what is behind a hole in a flue tile or mortar joint. A tilt lens helps with pictures of damage or defects in prefabricated chimneys. Having a camera with multi-angle abilities is key to producing the best inspection documentation.