Before you light the first fire of the season in Somerset, an inspection tells you whether the flue is clear, intact, and safe to draw smoke. We document the chimney level by level, then scan the concealed flue on camera, and explain every finding plainly. The mix of construction eras in Somerset means no two chimney inspections look alike, so we scope each one to what that specific stack is made of. The report is honest about severity, so a stable hairline gets noted as such, not dressed up into an emergency. Call 908-228-9754 to have your Somerset chimney inspected ahead of the first fire.
- 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
Why It Is Worth Doing Right
The camera is what makes a modern inspection honest. A flashlight from the firebox shows you the first few feet of flue and nothing else; a video camera travels the entire length, documenting every clay tile joint, every crack, every shift in the masonry. We record that footage and hand it to you, so the inspection findings are something you can see rather than something you have to take on faith.
The NJ climate is the single biggest force working against a Somerset chimney. Water gets into the masonry through hairline cracks, freezes overnight, expands, and pries those cracks a little wider — then the cycle repeats with every cold front. Over a few winters that freeze-thaw action turns a minor flaw into spalled brick, an open joint, or a cracked crown. Catching it early is the difference between a small repair and a rebuild.
How We Do It
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.
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.
What We See on Somerset County Chimneys
Every town we cover around Somerset has its own mix of chimney types, from the brick stacks on older Somerset County homes to the metal flues on newer construction. We work all of them, and being local means we already understand the patterns: where water tends to get in, which components fail first, and how the regional weather drives the timeline on each.
The Real Reason This Matters
It is easy to think of a chimney as cosmetic, but every component does a safety job. The liner contains the heat of the fire and routes gases up and out. The cap keeps embers off the roof and animals out of the flue. The crown and flashing keep water from rotting the structure. When any of these fails, the risk is real — fire, carbon monoxide, or structural damage — and that is the stakes we are working with on every job.
There is a right way and a wrong way to run a chimney business, and the wrong way is what has given the trade its bad name — the "$99 special" that becomes a thousand-dollar invoice, the invented emergency, the upsell on a sound flue. Proshield Chimney Works does the right way: honest grading, photo documentation, written quotes, and the freedom for you to say no. We would rather keep a customer for twenty years than win one job today.
One crew for the whole chimney
A chimney is a system, so chimney inspection rarely stands alone — it connects to flue cleaning, chimney leak repair, spark arrestor cap, chimney crown, chimney liner, and our crew handles all of it under one roof. We bring the same service to New Brunswick chimney inspection, Chimney Inspection in North Brunswick, Chimney Inspection in Franklin Township, Chimney Inspection in Edison and everywhere else across Somerset County.
If you searched for a local chimney crew near you, you have reached a local crew — call 908-228-9754 any time. For background, read How Often Does a Chimney Actually Need Sweeping in Somerset? on our blog, or head back to our Somerset home page to see everything we do.
