Before the first cold night. Creosote, cap, damper, flue.

Annually if you burn regularly, every 2–3 years for occasional use, always on move-in regardless of the previous owner's claims, and any time you've had smoke in the house that wasn't supposed to be there.

Probably less urgently, but the inspection is more important than the sweep for low-use homes. Cracked flue tiles, animal nests, and cap damage don't care how often you burn. Every 3 years is usually sufficient for light use — scope every time.

No. We work top-down with the damper sealed and a HEPA vacuum running. Drop cloths go down before we start. Most clients can't tell we were there except for the smell of a clean fireplace afterward.

Gas fireplaces need a flue and cap inspection annually. No creosote sweep, but we check the liner, the damper, and the cap for blockage — bird nests and debris in gas fireplace flues cause carbon monoxide backup every winter.

You'll get photos, a written finding, and a no-pressure quote. We're never paid on commission to find repairs. If it can wait, we'll tell you it can wait. If it can't, we'll explain why and what the options look like — including getting a second opinion.

Yes. A Level 1 visual inspection is recommended any time a chimney changes hands, regardless of age or recent use. For unknown service history or a post-close first use, our Level 2 Camera Inspection + Sweep service is the standard move-in package — it gives you the baseline documentation your home insurance may later ask for.