After any chimney fire, a Somerville flue must be inspected before it is used again, because heat can crack tile liners in ways you never spot from below. Our camera scan reaches the parts of a Somerville flue no flashlight can, and the written report spells out condition, risk, and any recommended next step. Older area chimneys with original clay tile liners are exactly the ones where a camera scan finds hairline cracks the eye misses. Our report separates must-fix-now, watch-this, and no-action-needed so you can make the call with real information. Get us at 508-305-7829 for an honest, written assessment of your Somerville chimney.
- Level 1, 2, and 3 inspections
- Full-flue video camera scan
- Written report with photos
- Crown, cap, flashing, and liner checked
- Pre-sale and post-fire ready
The Case for Staying On Top of It
What we document goes well beyond the flue. We check the firebox for cracks, the damper for proper operation, the smoke chamber for buildup, the crown for cracks, the cap for corrosion, and the flashing for the gaps that cause most chimney leaks. Each component gets noted in the written report with its condition and any recommended action, so you walk away with a complete picture of the chimney as a system.
Masonry and water do not mix well, and a Somerville chimney lives outdoors taking weather from every side. Rain driven against the brick, snow melting and refreezing on the crown, and the constant temperature swings of a MA year all conspire to open the chimney up to moisture. The chimneys that last are the ones whose owners address the small problems before the freeze-thaw cycle compounds them.
What We Actually Do
The written report is the deliverable that matters. A verbal "looks fine" is worthless to a home buyer, a seller, or an insurance adjuster. Our report categorizes every finding — what must be addressed now, what should be watched, and what needs no action — with photos backing each one. That is documentation you can act on, hand off, or file, and it is the whole point of paying for an inspection.
Chimney inspections come in three levels, and matching the level to the situation matters. A Level 1 is a visual check of the readily accessible parts — appropriate for a chimney in regular use with no known problems. A Level 2 adds a video camera scan of the full flue interior and is required for real estate transfers, after a chimney fire, or any time the system has changed. A Level 3 opens up concealed areas when a serious hazard is suspected. We recommend the level the situation actually calls for, not the most expensive one.
Somerville Housing Stock and Your Chimney
Our service area runs through Somerville and the neighboring area communities, where the chimneys tend to be old, hard-working, and overdue for attention. The wood-burning culture here keeps fireplaces in regular use, and that use — combined with the local climate — gives these chimneys a particular set of wear patterns we have learned to look for first.
Why This Is a Safety Issue
A chimney's whole purpose is to carry fire safely, and when it stops doing that, the consequences are serious. Creosote buildup is the leading cause of chimney fires. A failed liner can let a fire spread into the walls. A blocked or downdrafting flue can send carbon monoxide into the home. We take these risks seriously because the homeowners we serve are living with the results, and a clean, sound chimney is what keeps a fire where it belongs.
Most Somerville homeowners only think about their chimney when something seems wrong, which makes them easy targets for the scare-tactic end of this trade. Delgado Chimney Care refuses to work that way. We grade what we find honestly, we explain the difference between a problem that needs fixing now and one that can wait a season, and we put it all in writing. An honest assessment is worth more than a fast sale.
Pulling your whole chimney project together
A chimney is a system, so chimney inspection rarely stands alone — it connects to creosote removal, chimney repair, spark arrestor cap, cracked crown repair, chimney liner installation, and our crew handles all of it under one roof. We bring the same service to Cambridge chimney inspection, Chimney Inspection in Brookline, Chimney Inspection in Newton, Chimney Inspection in Quincy and everywhere else across the area.
If you searched for a chimney sweep near Somerville, you have reached a local crew — call 508-305-7829 any time. For background, read Why Most Somerville "Chimney Leaks" Are Really Flashing Leaks on our blog, or head back to our Somerville home page to see everything we do.
