Cracked flue tiles, hidden fire damage, failing liners, the problems that hurt you are the ones you can't see from the ground. Our certified inspectors put a camera in the flue and the truth in your hands.
An inspection is only as good as the inspector's incentives. Plenty of companies treat inspections as a sales funnel, the "free look" that somehow always finds $4,000 of urgent work. Lowes Chimney Sweep built its reputation across 98 DFW cities doing the opposite: our inspectors document what's actually there, show you the photos, and tell you when your chimney is fine. That honesty is why homeowners across the metroplex have left us hundreds of verified 5-star reviews.
The stakes are real, though. A chimney hides its worst problems on purpose: the flue interior, the smoke chamber, the space behind the damper, none of it is visible without equipment. A previous owner's chimney fire, a liner cracked by decades of North Texas heat swings, or mortar joints open to every rainstorm can all sit invisible while you burn fires above them. When it comes to chimney inspection in Dallas and Fort Worth TX, the question isn't whether looking costs money, it's whether not looking costs more.
If it's been more than a year, or you're buying, selling, or noticed anything odd about your fireplace, call (214) 225-8874. Same-day inspections are often available, including Sundays.
Chimney inspections follow the NFPA 211 standard, which defines three levels. Knowing the difference keeps you from paying for more than you need, or getting less than the situation demands:
A visual examination of all readily accessible parts of the chimney and fireplace: firebox, damper, visible flue, crown, cap, and exterior masonry. Right for a system in regular use with no changes and no symptoms. Pairs naturally with your annual chimney sweep.
Everything in Level 1 plus a video camera scan of the entire flue interior and examination of accessible attic and crawlspace areas. This is the level required when property changes hands, after any chimney fire or major storm event, or after changes to the system such as a new liner or appliance. It's the only inspection that can actually see inside the part of the chimney that matters most.
Reserved for cases where Levels 1 or 2 reveal evidence of serious hidden damage. Level 3 involves accessing concealed areas, sometimes removing masonry or wall sections, to determine the full extent of a problem. Rare, and we'll never recommend it without showing you exactly why.
Any of these apply? Call (214) 225-8874, real-estate timelines get priority scheduling.
Every Lowes inspection follows the same disciplined sequence, so nothing gets skipped and everything gets documented:
We confirm the right level for your situation, and the price, before booking
Crown, cap, flashing, and masonry checked from the roof
Firebox, damper, smoke chamber, and hearth inspected up close
Level 2: full video scan of the flue from top to bottom
Every component photographed, good news and bad
Plain-English explanation of what we found before we leave
Documented condition report plus written pricing for any repairs
Camera inspections across DFW, seven days a week, real-estate deadlines welcome.
(214) 225-8874Booking an inspection means inviting someone to look for problems in your biggest asset. Here's where we stand on the concerns we hear most:
Then you'll know about it while it's still at its cheapest. Chimney damage only moves in one direction, a crown crack found today is a sealing job; found in three years, it's masonry restoration. Either way, the findings come with photos and a written quote you review on your schedule, not ours.
Our inspectors aren't paid commissions on repair work, and a meaningful share of our inspections end with "your chimney is in good shape, see you next year." The report documents condition, not a sales pitch. Check what DFW homeowners say about how our recommendations hold up.
General home inspectors do valuable work, but chimneys sit outside their scope, they observe from the ground and the firebox, and their own reports typically recommend a specialist evaluation. Without a camera in the flue, the most expensive problems stay invisible. That's not a knock on home inspectors; it's why Level 2 exists.
Tell us the deadline. We schedule real-estate inspections with priority across all 98 cities we serve, same-day when possible, and the report is delivered fast enough to act on within a normal option period.
Level 2 inspections include a full video scan of the flue interior, cracked tiles, failed joints, and old fire damage have nowhere to hide, and neither does good news. You see what we see.
Verbal reassurances are worth the paper they're printed on. Every inspection produces a written, photo-backed condition report that works for insurance adjusters, real-estate transactions, and your own records.
If the inspection surfaces a problem, the same company that found it can fix it, from flashing repair and tuckpointing to full rebuilds. One accountable team from first look to final photo.
North Texas chimneys fail in North Texas ways: hail-bruised caps, freeze-thaw crown cracks, liners fatigued by 100-degree summer attics. Our inspectors have seen thousands of DFW chimneys, and that pattern recognition is what a form-filling franchise can't offer.
Many of the repairs in our project gallery started as inspection findings, crown cracks, failed mortar, rusted chase covers caught before they became disasters. See the discoveries and the fixes side by side.
Browse Real Inspection Finds →After thousands of DFW inspections, the same culprits keep appearing. Each links to the fix, so you know what a finding actually means for you:
From Plano and 97 other North Texas cities, our inspectors cover the full metroplex, same standard, same camera, same honest report whether the chimney is in a Frisco new-build or a Fort Worth foursquare.
+ 78 more DFW cities! Browse the complete service area or call (214) 225-8874 to confirm yours.
A Level 1 inspection in DFW typically runs $100 to $250. A Level 2 inspection with a camera flue scan generally runs $250 to $500 depending on the system. You'll get a written Free Online Quote before we schedule, the price you're quoted is the price you pay.
Level 1 fits a chimney in regular use with no changes or known problems. Level 2 is the right call when buying or selling a home, after a chimney fire or storm damage, or after changes like a new liner or appliance. Level 3 is rare, it's for suspected hidden damage that requires opening walls or masonry. We'll tell you which one applies before you book.
A Level 1 inspection usually takes 30 to 45 minutes. A Level 2 with a full camera scan of the flue typically takes 60 to 90 minutes. You'll have preliminary findings before the technician leaves, with the written photo report to follow.
Yes, every Level 2 inspection includes a video camera scan of the entire flue interior. It's the only way to see cracked flue tiles, failed liner joints, and evidence of past chimney fires, none of which are visible from the top or the firebox.
You get photos of the exact issue, a plain-English explanation of what it means and how urgent it is, and a written repair quote to consider on your own time. Our inspectors don't work on repair commissions, and you're never pressured to decide on the spot.
Yes, NFPA 211 calls for chimneys to be inspected annually, precisely because the dangerous problems develop out of sight. Crown cracks, liner damage, and early creosote glazing show no symptoms until they're expensive. An annual check is how they stay cheap.
Yes, and we're used to real-estate timelines. Tell us your option-period or closing date when you book and we'll prioritize the appointment, same-day and next-day slots are often available across DFW, and the written photo report is formatted so buyers, sellers, and agents can act on it.
Yes. Even a brief chimney fire can crack flue tiles and damage the liner in ways that make the next fire dangerous, and industry standard calls for a Level 2 inspection before the fireplace is used again. Insurance claims for fire damage also typically require the documentation a formal inspection provides.
Yes. Gas systems don't produce creosote, but their venting can crack, corrode, or become blocked, and gas venting failures are a carbon monoxide risk rather than a fire risk, which makes them easy to miss until they're serious. We inspect wood, gas, and prefab and gas fireplace systems.
That's exactly what it's built for. You receive a written condition report with dated photos of every component, flue, liner, crown, cap, flashing, firebox, and damper, plus documented findings and repair pricing. Adjusters, agents, and buyers all accept it.
The inspection is the diagnosis; these are the treatments. Because one team handles both, nothing gets lost between finding a problem and fixing it:
Still have questions? Our chimney FAQ covers the basics, and our contact page is the fastest route to your Free Online Quote.
Free online quotes · Camera documentation · Real-estate deadlines honored · Open 7 days
(214) 225-8874📍 1008 Ridgefield Dr, Plano TX 75075 | 🕗 Open 7 days · 8AM-8PM
We work bottom to top: firebox, damper, smoke chamber, flue, then up on the roof for the crown, cap, flashing, and masonry. Everything gets photographed so you see what we see. You get straight answers on what is urgent, what can wait, and what is fine.
Hairline crown cracks that become water damage, flue tiles shifted by settling, creosote hiding above the damper shelf, flashing that lost its seal, and evidence of past chimney fires the seller never mentioned. Most of what we find is invisible from the living room.
By code, every chimney should be inspected once a year. It does not always need cleaning, but it always needs the look, because the inspection is what tells you whether cleaning or repairs are needed. Skipping it means burning blind.
You get a photo report with a written quote for anything that needs work. Small items like a mortar joint or cap repair can often be handled the same visit. Bigger repairs get a clear scope and price confirmed on site, and you decide with the evidence in hand.
Watch for smoke entering the room, white staining on exterior brick, rust on the damper, and pieces of tile in the firebox. Any of those between annual visits means call us early. Catching water intrusion in month one instead of year three is the cheapest repair you will ever make.
Sometimes the honest answer is that the chimney is sound and needs nothing, or that a fireplace you never use only needs a cap and a closed damper rather than a full service plan. An inspection that ends with "you are fine" is a good inspection.
