Preparing to Sell Your Home

Preparing to put your home on the market can be a stressful time. You must deep clean, fill out paper work, and work with a real estate agent or broker. However, it can be easy to look over one important selling feature in your home – your fireplace.

Fireplaces are one of the most sought after features in real estate and can add value to your home. The National Center for Real Estate Research found that “fireplaces have a strong, positive effect on selling price with each fireplace adding about 12 percent.”

However, potential buyers want to see that a fireplace is in good condition, ready to burn safely, and operate efficiently. To give potential buyers peace of mind and show off the condition of your home’s fireplace, invest in a Level 2 chimney inspection before putting your home on the market.

Chimney Inspections for Sellers – and Buyers

Home inspections are used to ascertain the value and condition of your home. However, many inspectors lack the expertise to effectively evaluate a fireplace system. Therefore, an outside chimney report can help protect both buyers and sellers.

Sellers can have the report from a Level 2 chimney inspection included in their documentation. This gives potential buyers information concerning the fireplace condition not covered during a standard home inspection. Likewise, buyers can also request an outside chimney inspection once under contact. This ensures there is no bias in the information provided about the fireplace system.

About Level 2 Chimney Inspections

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) created three standardized levels of chimney inspections. Level 1 chimney inspections are standard for regular annual maintenance, while Level 3 chimney inspections are used in case of serious damage or natural disaster.

Level 2 chimney inspections are used when buying or selling a home. This level of chimney inspection includes a comprehensive look at the condition of the entire chimney system – without being overly invasive or damaging the fireplace in any way.

During a Level 2 chimney inspection, the certified chimney technician will visually inspect all interior and exterior portions of the fireplace and chimney for signs of damage or deterioration. Inspections note anything affecting fireplace functionality or safety while recommending appropriate repairs.

Level 2 inspections also include the use of technology such as closed circuit cameras. This allows chimney technicians to view otherwise inaccessible portions of the flue, report on its condition, and identify otherwise hidden damage that could affect fireplace safety.

Buying or selling a home is stressful enough; don’t let the condition of your chimney add more fuel to the fire. Have a Level 2 chimney inspection to insure there are no hidden hazards or underlying damage in your fireplace system. If you are in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, trust the experts at Jack Pixley Sweeps to perform a comprehensive inspection on your chimney. Contact us today  to schedule an inspection before selling your home.