Chimney Level 2 Inspection in Van Nuys: Written Report, Licensed Technicians

If you're selling or buying a home near the Sherman Oaks flats or along the Van Nuys border, expect a Level 2 chimney inspection at $370. The visit itself depends on a few things: whether the flue serves a masonry fireplace or a prefab unit, how accessible the roofline is, and whether the chimney has a cleanout at grade level or requires ladder-only access. Wilson & Son Chimney Contractors includes a full CSIA-standard camera scan of the interior flue, a written report with annotated photos, and a same-week turnaround so your escrow timeline stays on track. Most agents in the 91604 ZIP want the report within five business days of opening escrow. We typically deliver in three.

NFPA 211 requires a Level 2 inspection whenever a property changes hands. That's not optional and not a suggestion. It's the code standard that lenders, insurers, and escrow officers reference when they ask for documentation. In Studio City, where many homes date to the 1950s and 1960s, the camera scan frequently turns up cracked flue tiles, deteriorated mortar joints from decades of seismic micro-movement, and prior repairs that were never permitted. A general home inspector won't catch these issues. Our report gives you a clear pass-or-fail assessment with repair cost estimates attached, so no one is guessing at the negotiation table.

We start at the firebox. The technician inspects the firebrick, the smoke shelf, and the damper assembly by hand and with a flashlight before any camera goes in. In homes along the Sepulveda Pass approach, we see a recurring pattern: original clay flue liners that have hairline cracks running vertically, often from the 1971 or 1994 earthquakes. These cracks don't always show smoke staining on the exterior, so they go unnoticed for decades. After the visual check, we insert a closed-circuit camera from the top of the flue and record a continuous feed from crown to smoke chamber. Every joint, every liner segment, every offset gets documented. The footage becomes part of your permanent report.

On the roof, we inspect the crown, the flashing, and the cap. Studio City sits in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone in several hill-adjacent pockets, and spark arrestor compliance matters here. We check the mesh screen for proper sizing (no larger than half-inch openings) and verify the cap is secure against Santa Ana wind gusts. If we find deficiencies, the report itemizes each one with a recommended repair scope and a realistic cost. We don't bundle problems into vague categories. You get a line item for every issue, which makes negotiating credits during escrow straightforward. Wilson & Son delivers the final report as a PDF with embedded photos and timestamped camera stills.