A buyer in South Arlington, off Cooper St, was ten days into a 14-day option period when the home inspector’s report came back with one line about the fireplace: “recommend evaluation by a chimney professional before closing.” The house was a 1978 brick home with the original clay flue. A Level 2 chimney inspection in Arlington, TX from Crownline Chimney Sweep is a recorded video scan of the entire flue plus the attic and crawl space, with a photo report you can hand to your agent, the seller or your insurance adjuster. We quote it in writing before we start, the estimate is free, and we can usually fit an option-period deadline.
Crownline Chimney Sweep is a local chimney company at 700 Highlander Blvd in Arlington, near the Parks Mall and I-20. Our crew has inspected chimneys in Arlington homes for more than 20 years, and we are insured and bonded.
What a Level 2 Chimney Inspection Is
The three inspection levels come from the NFPA 211 standard, the fire code for chimneys, fireplaces and vents. A Level 1 is the yearly check of what we can see and reach. A Level 2 goes further in two ways:
- The whole flue is scanned on video, from the firebox to the top, so every tile, joint and weld is on record. A Level 1 camera look from the firebox cannot see a cracked tile that sits behind an offset ten feet up.
- The rest of the house gets checked where the chimney passes through: the attic, the crawl space, the chase and any closet or wall the flue runs behind. We look for clearance to framing, water tracks and signs of heat.
A Level 2 does not take anything apart. If the scan points to damage we cannot reach, that becomes a Level 3, which removes parts of the chimney or walls, and we quote it separately after the Level 2.
The levels describe inspections, not cleaning. If the scan shows 1/8 inch or more of creosote, a chimney sweep is a separate line on the quote and you decide.
When NFPA 211 Calls for a Level 2 Chimney Inspection
- Sale or transfer of the home. This is the one most Arlington homeowners meet first. The general home inspector is not allowed inside the flue.
- After a chimney fire. Even a small one. Expanded, puffy creosote in the firebox or a roaring sound during a fire are the tells.
- After a sudden event. Hail, high wind, lightning, a tree limb, a roof replacement. In Tarrant County, spring hail is the most common trigger.
- A change to the system. A new liner, a new insert or stove, a switch from a wood-burning fireplace to gas logs, or a new furnace venting into the chimney.
- A leak, a smell or a draft problem that a Level 1 could not explain.
What the Level 2 Chimney Inspection Covers, Step by Step
- Level 1 items first. Firebox, refractory panels, hearth, damper, smoke chamber, smoke shelf, crown, cap, spark arrestor, flashing and brick. Photo of each.
- Flue video scan. A camera on a rod or reel travels the whole flue. We record it and pull stills of every tile joint, crack, gap, offset and creosote stage.
- Attic and crawl space. Where the chimney or chase passes through, we check clearance to wood framing, look for water staining and heat damage, and photograph the chase cover from below if there is access.
- Flue sizing. We check that the flue is sized for the fireplace or appliance it serves. Too big and the fire smokes; too small and it is a hazard.
- The report. Photos, video stills, a written list of findings sorted into “fine,” “needs attention” and “do not use until repaired,” and a free written estimate for each repair. It is formatted the way real estate agents and insurance adjusters are used to seeing it.
The whole visit takes 60 to 90 minutes for one flue. The report is usually on your phone before we leave.
Level 2 Chimney Inspection Cost in Arlington
Crownline quotes every Level 2 chimney inspection in writing before we start. We do not publish one flat number because the time depends on the chimney: a single-flue brick chimney near UTA with easy roof access is on the low end, and a two-story prefab chase in Southwest Arlington with an attic check and two flues is on the high end. The estimate is free, and the written quote does not change once the crew is on site.
For comparison, Brown Chimney, a DFW company that publishes its prices, lists the industry range for a Level 2 at $200 to $1,000. A Level 1 inspection with a photo report is included in our $109 first-visit sweep (regular $229), and many Arlington homeowners start there when there is no sale or storm involved.
Seniors get 10% off, and so do veterans and first responders. We match written quotes from insured companies. One discount per job.
Level 2 Chimney Inspections for Arlington Home Sales
Arlington homes change hands all year, and the chimney is the one part of the house the general inspector cannot fully check. Here is how the Level 2 fits the deal:
If you are buying. Book the Level 2 as soon as the general report says “recommend evaluation.” Ask the seller to cover it in your repair request. The findings that matter most in Arlington’s 1950s to 1980s brick homes are cracked clay tiles (a chimney liner conversation), a split crown, open mortar joints and a damper that will not seal. A liner can run into the thousands, and that is a seller credit if you find it before closing.
If you are selling. A Level 2 report done before listing removes the fireplace from the negotiation. Buyers’ agents in Arlington see “chimney professional” in almost every general report; handing over a dated video scan ends the back and forth.
If you are the agent. Tell us the option-period deadline when you book. We send the report in a format your clients and the other side can read without a chimney background.
Level 2 Chimney Inspections After Hail and Storm Damage in Tarrant County
Spring hail hits every decade of Arlington home the same way. After a storm we see split crowns on the brick chimneys in Dalworthington Gardens and Pantego, dented and leaking chase covers on the prefab fireplaces in Southwest Arlington and near Lake Arlington, and caps blown off homes in Viridian and North Arlington. Lightning and high wind add cracked tiles and shifted flue sections you cannot see from the ground.
A Level 2 after a storm does two things. It tells you whether the fireplace is safe to use, and it gives you dated photos and video of the damage, which is what the adjuster asks for. Homeowners insurance usually covers sudden damage such as hail, wind, lightning and chimney fires, but not slow wear or water damage over time. The report separates the two so the claim is honest and clear. The repairs themselves, from crowns to chase covers, get a free written estimate.
Why Arlington Homeowners Choose Crownline for Level 2 Inspections
- A real Arlington office at 700 Highlander Blvd. Call (817) 505-4222 and a person answers 7 days a week, 7 AM to 10 PM. We schedule around option periods.
- A local crew with more than 20 years in Arlington homes. We know what a 1960s clay flue, a 1980s prefab chase and a Viridian gas fireplace each tend to hide.
- Insured and bonded.
- A recorded video scan, not a flashlight from the firebox.
- A written quote before we start and free estimates on every repair. No decisions on the roof, and no $10,000 surprise after a cheap inspection.
- A report built for agents and adjusters, with dated photos and video stills.
That is why we call Crownline the best chimney company in Arlington: every point on that list is something you can check.
Related Chimney Services in Arlington
A Level 2 often leads to one of these, and all of them are part of the chimney services we offer in Arlington:
- A yearly chimney inspection (Level 1) once the sale is closed and the chimney is in good shape.
- Chimney liner installation when the scan shows cracked or missing clay tiles.
- Chimney repair for the crown, flashing, masonry or chase cover the scan flagged.
- A chimney sweep (chimney cleaning) if the flue has 1/8 inch or more of creosote, and a chimney cap if the flue is open.
- Fireplace repair for cracked refractory panels or a damper the scan flagged, and dryer vent cleaning on the same visit, since a clogged dryer vent is the other fire risk a home inspector flags.
Call (817) 505-4222 or use the form on this page. If you are in an option period, tell us the date and we will make it work.