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Chimney Camera Inspections

Master Services recommends that you get your chimney camera inspected yearly. Why do I need chimney camera inspections yearly? To ensure that there are no major damages to your chimney or fireplace. It is especially important to get your chimney and fireplace inspected routinely.

You never want to start a fire in a fireplace without knowing the potential danger. Getting a camera inspection gives you the opportunity to view exactly what the chimney interior looks like. If there is damage inside of the fireplace, an inspection quickly alerts the technician as to what the problem could be. When you use your fireplace, you should know what to expect. Camera inspections ensure that your fireplace and chimney are up to code and safe to use.

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During Camera Chimney Inspections

During the process of the camera inspection, a camera is sent up the chimney. It goes through the bottom of the fireplace and records every possible angle of the flue. When Master Services sends a technician to your home to perform a camera inspection, there are a few things that our technicians look for such as:

·- Any potential fire issues

– Cracks

– Missing Mortar

· They thoroughly inspect the lining and firewalls for

– Safe Burning

– Gas Exhaust

· Technicians will inspect all the components of the exterior of the chimney looking for:

– Moisture Damage

– Loose or missing bricks

– Rotted Wood

– Fire hazardous cracks

– Deterioration

– Signs of animals living in the chimney

Master Services will not perform any work on the inside of the chimney/fireplace without first getting a camera inspection by our technicians. A full report and estimate showing any fire hazards or code violations will be provided.

Pictures of all repairs will be included in the inspection report which ensures the customer is educated on the process of the camera inspection. The video of the flue inspection is uploaded onto the customers invoice. The report is detailed and easy to understand, descriptions of any code violations or necessary repairs will be included on the inspection report and estimate. Once all repairs are completed the customer can rest assured that their chimney and fireplace are safe to use.

About Us (1)The Chimney Sweep Industry

Chimney sweeping is a largely unregulated industry. This means individuals may need a standard business license but not a chimney license to start a business. Not just anyone will know how to clean a chimney properly or perform a chimney camera inspections. That is why being certified and insured is particularly important in a chimney sweep business.

Being certified from nationally recognized associations helps provide evidence of a company’s and their employee’s professional qualifications to be able to perform the work with skill and knowledge.

Certified chimney sweeps are held to a higher standard than those who are not certified. There are many things that set professional, certified chimney sweeps apart:

– Certified chimney sweeps sign and follow a strict code of ethics. The code of ethics prevents bad business practices and protect homeowners, sweeps found violating the code can lose their certification.

– Certified chimney sweeps maintain good trade relationships with groups such as home inspectors and realtors.

– Some Certified Chimney sweeps are also nationally recognized and often quoted in news stories or publications pertaining to the expert’s field.

Consequences to Hiring just any Chimney Sweep

Hiring a non-certified chimney sweep comes with consequences. Anyone can offer a service far more affordable but with less quality. Hiring a chimney sweep with no certification is dangerous. Especially when a chimney is not properly: cleaned, inspected, or repaired. It can become a fire hazard and even cause exposure to toxic fumes such as carbon monoxide.

A sign of a great chimney sweep company is if they have liability insurance coverage. A chimney sweep service that offers insurance can help protect you against damages that could occur during your chimney service although, it is unlikely that some type of damage or injury would occur.

Another sign of a good chimney sweep company is the prompt service. Any professional chimney sweep company will prepare you with a time frame. They will share with you their arrival time and will notify you if they are running a late. Your time is valuable and we respect that.

Certified Chimney Sweeps will treat the customer and their home with respect there will be no mess left behind when the job is complete. Certified chimney sweeps will be willing to listen and answer any questions you may have about your fireplace/chimney.

Certified Master Chimney Technician ScaledThere are many reasons why you should hire a certified professional chimney sweep. Chimney sweeping may sound simple but no two chimneys are ever the same. When you hire a professional, their years of experience will keep you safe. There is a good chance that someone who is not a professional in this field could over look chimney major issues. In the long run this can cause more damage to occur. Professionals will be able to spot these problems immediately and save you time and expense.

Certified Chimney Sweep Professionals

Certifications are not for life, sweeps must continue taking education courses and pass a re-certification test every three years, this ensures that sweeps are up to date on the technology and safety advancements.

Certifications are earned through training, testing, and the certification process. The professional chimney sweeps will learn about:

– Local and national building codes,

– Basic chimney construction

– Installation techniques for fireplace inserts etc.

– Current EPA emission standards

– The best practices for chimney professionals.

A certified chimney profession should be able to perform their job using the following tools: Wire Brush, vacuum, cleaners, tarps, an inspection camera, and many others. Using these tools, a chimney sweep should be able to perform the following…

  1. Determine whether there is missing or damaged brick
  2. Determine if there is any damage to the damper
  3. Check and remove creosote deposits and many other services.

You can learn the chimney sweep business by on the job training as an entry level chimney sweep, through organizations, or in local training classes. Some organizations offer training courses where individuals can learn from industry pros by cleaning chimneys of real customers.

Certified chimney sweeps are essential to keeping your chimney/fireplace clean and safe to use in your home. Trust the professional to keep your fireplace safe for your home and family, do not be afraid to ask questions and raise concerns when choosing the company, you hire.

How We Schedule Chimney Camera Inspections

If you are trying to get any sort of repairs done to your chimney or fireplace, we first have to conduct a chimney inspection. While some homeowners may think that a flashlight is enough of an inspection, this is not the case. This does not give us enough information about the condition of your chimney. Instead, we conduct camera inspections of your chimney and fireplace. With specialized camera equipment, we check and make sure that your chimney and fireplace are up to code.

If you are looking to get any chimney or fireplace repairs, you must first schedule a camera inspection. To start this process, all you have to do is call our customer service office. Let our team member know that you would like to have someone come out to inspect your chimney. Our customer service team will work with you to find the next available opening. Then we will send a member of our service staff to inspect both the chimney and the fireplace at your earliest convenience.

Chimney Sweep Dallas with CustomerOn the day of the appointment, a member of our service team will call you to inform you when they will arrive. Once they are there, they will perform the camera chimney inspection and inform you about potential issues in your chimney. From there, they will provide you with which exact codes your chimney violates. An estimate for how much repairs will be if you decide to continue doing business with Masters Services will also be provided.

After Scheduling a Chimney Camera Inspection

After scheduling a safety camera chimney inspection, we will send a member of our staff to perform the inspection. Masters Services uses a camera attached to a pole to inspect the chimney and fireplace. By using this camera, we are able to view the different parts of the chimney from every angle. In other words, we are able to get a much better idea about what exactly is going on inside.

During the inspection, our service member will inform the customer of the specific problems with the condition of the chimney. As a result, our camera chimney inspections allow the customer to develop a deeper understanding of the underlying problems with their chimney. Sometimes, these complications could have been causing safety hazards for months without the homeowner’s knowledge.

The video from the inspection will be uploaded to the customer’s invoice. Along with the invoice that is emailed to the customer. A paper copy of the invoice is also provided. In both copies of the invoice, there will be multiple photos of both the inside and the outside of the chimney. The invoice includes detailed descriptions about what is in good condition and what violates the code.

Overall, the main reason to schedule a chimney inspection is to ensure that your chimney and fireplace are up to code standards. Although a chimney that is not up to code doesn’t affect your day-to-day life, it may be putting your family at risk for safety concerns.

However, keeping your chimney and fireplace up to code does more than keeping you safe. It could even save you thousands of dollars in the future for repairs.

What Does A Chimney Sweep Do?

The first thing a Master Services’ chimney sweep does is a camera inspection. They start from the inside of the fireplace up to the top of the chimney. We are looking for any potential fire issues like cracks or missing mortar. In addition, the lining and the firewalls are closely inspected for gas exhaust.

Then we will inspect all the components of the chimney exterior. This is done by looking for moisture damage, loose or missing bricks, rotted wood, fire hazardous cracks, and any deterioration. Course animals that may have gotten in and are living in the chimney are looked for as well.

A chimney sweep improves air quality and gets rid of creosote and other harmful debris. The amount of soot that accumulates in the chimney depends on a few factors. For example; how often you burn wood and the type of fireplace you have. We won’t clean the chimney unless the fireplace and chimney are up to code and safe to use.

A full report with pictures and an estimate to repair any fire hazards or code violations found will be emailed and printed.

How we Sweep the Chimney

Once the repairs are done (if any were needed) then we can sweep the chimney. We lay down a large tarp in front of the fireplace and bring in our special vacuum with a HEPPA filter. Chimney poles with extenders are also needed to reach the top of the chimney. We do the sweep from the inside of the firebox to guarantee no mess. The sweeping of the flue and the firebox takes about 30-60 minutes to clean depending on how dirty the flue is.

The National Fire Protection Association Standard 211 says, “Chimneys, fireplaces, and vents shall be inspected at least once a year for soundness, freedom from deposits, and correct clearances.”

The History of Chimney Sweeps

Chimney sweeping has a history that goes back to the 16th century. In earlier times chimney sweeps were a difficult and dirty job that was only done for the wealthy who lived in castles and estate homes. Eventually, chimneys became popular and were installed in the working class homes. Now, almost every home has a fireplace.

Sweeping of the flues of buildings were often done by the householder himself. Using a ladder and a wide brush, homeowners would sweep away.

In a narrow flue, a bag of bricks and brushwood would be dropped down the chimney. But in longer flues climbing boys were used, which was very dangerous. Sweeping was not a popular trade. Joseph Glass marketed an improved sweeping machine in 1828. He is said to be the inventor of the modern chimney sweeps brush. As in the UK, Smart’s sweeping machine was available in the US shortly after 1803. He is credited with designing the canes and brushes used to sweep the chimneys.

Interesting facts About Chimney Sweep History

Just a few interesting facts: In Great Britain it’s considered lucky for a bride to see a chimney sweep on her wedding day. Many modern British sweeps hire themselves out to attend weddings in pursuance of this tradition.

In Germany, Poland, Hungary, Croatia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Romania and Estonia chimney sweeps still wear the traditional all-black uniform with black or white hats. It is considered good luck to rub or grasp one of your buttons if you pass one in the street.

As a Lucky symbol, depictions of chimney sweeps are a popular New Year’s gift in (Germany); either as small ornaments attached to flower bouquets or candy, e.g. marzipan chimney sweeps. Their traditional uniform is an all-black suit with golden jacket buttons and a black top hat.

Masters Services is a Family

Master Services is a family owned and operated business. Chad and Christa Murray started Master Services in 1996 out of their home. Christa took the appointment calls and Chad did the service. At that time, we only serviced the Dallas/Fort Worth area. We started out by just doing chimney inspections and sweeps. In a very short time, the company has grown and we have extended our service area to DFW, Houston and Oklahoma City. Chad has become a Certified Chimney Professional as well as a trained Nuisance Wildlife Removal Technician.

In a few short years we moved from Chad and Christa’s home to a storefront in Frisco. We were able to display a variety of functioning fireplaces featuring some of our gas logs. After a few years we outgrew the Frisco store and moved to Mayhill Rd in Denton.

Although, after a few more years we outgrew that facility and moved to our current location at 2301 N. Masch Branch Rd, Suite 201 in Denton. Nonetheless, here we have quite a bit more room. In our current location we feature a variety of actual working fireplaces with gas logs.

We invite you to come and look at our selection of gas logs. This will give you a chance to see them in person to see how realistic looking they are. We also sell fire glass for your fireplace, which is an alternative to gas logs. Fire glass can also be displayed in addition to them, which ever you choose.

Certified Dallas Chimney SweepWhen did we Start Chimney Camera Inspections?

Our services started with only chimney camera inspections. Next, we started making our own custom chimney caps. After that it grew from there. We now service all fireplace and chimney needs. All of our chimney caps are custom made just for your chimney. We have a wide selection of styles and colors. They are made out of 24-gauge colored steel. Therefore, they won’t rust. All of our chimney caps have a limited lifetime warranty.

We also do any repairs to your fireplace or chimney. This includes replacing your cracked refractor panels, dampers, starter pipes, and tuck pointing (inside and out). Relining the inside of your chimney and waterproofing is done if necessary. In certain cases, we will even rebuild your chimney if needed.

In a short amount of time we saw a need for nuisance animal removal. The animals were getting into the chimneys, in the attic and in the yard. Master Services removes raccoons, squirrels, opossums, armadillo’s rats, bats and snakes from inside or outside the house. We will also repair any of the entry points.

We are a full-service chimney and wildlife removal company. Get your yearly chimney camera inspections done by us. Call 972-877-4650 to contact Masters Services today.

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