Level 1 sweep and inspection to the NFPA 211 annual standard - flue, crown, cap, and flashing checked and photographed
Chimney sweep logs do not sweep chimneys. They loosen some creosote - which then falls where a brush and vacuum still have to collect it.
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Before
AfterLevel 2 Inspection in Hoffman Estates, IL
A Level 2 chimney inspection is the camera-down-the-flue standard defined by NFPA 211 – it covers every accessible portion of the chimney’s interior and exterior, produces a documented photo record, and gives you a written finding before any repair is proposed. At Level Two Chimney Hoffman Estates, this is how we have inspected chimneys since 2009, and the price is on the page before anyone schedules a visit. If you have questions right now, call (331) 200-4445 – a live person picks up, 24 hours a day.
Most homeowners in Hoffman Estates contacting us have already done their research. They know the difference between a flashlight look at the firebox and an actual flue-liner scan. The short version: a Level 2 inspection uses a video camera to document the flue from the firebox to the crown, captures still frames of every anomaly, and delivers a written scope of findings with a written price for any recommended work – before the technician leaves your driveway. That practice became Clause 4 of the Haven Standard when we formalized it, but we had been doing it that way from the start.
This page sits under our broader Chimney Cleaning & Sweep in Hoffman Estates service, because in practice the two go together. A cleaning without a Level 2 scan tells you the flue is clear; a scan tells you whether the liner holding that flue together is still doing its job.
When You Need a Level 2 Inspection
NFPA 211 specifies that a Level 2 inspection is required at several defined trigger points. Below are the ones we see most often on Hoffman Estates service calls – and a few that come up specifically because of the way homes here are built and used.
- You are buying or selling a home. Any change of ownership triggers a mandatory Level 2 under NFPA 211. A written inspection report protects both sides of the transaction – sellers document condition, buyers confirm what they are getting. We see this regularly in Hoffman Estates neighborhoods like Poplar Creek Estates and Highland Park Hills, where fireplaces are standard in homes built from the late 1970s through the 1990s.
- You have had a chimney fire, even a small one. A flue fire can crack a clay tile liner at a single point while leaving the rest of the liner visually intact from below. Camera documentation is the only way to confirm whether the liner is still continuous. If you smelled something sharp, heard a low roar, or noticed more smoke than usual during a burn, schedule a Level 2 before the next fire.
- Your appliance or fuel type has changed. Switching from wood to a gas insert, or adding a pellet stove to a previously unused flue, requires a Level 2 inspection to confirm the liner is rated for the new appliance’s flue gases and operating temperatures. Illinois gas appliances produce lower-temperature exhaust that condenses differently than wood smoke – the liner materials and clearances need to match.
- You have not had the flue documented in more than three years. Hoffman Estates gets genuine freeze-thaw cycling every winter. The clay tile liners in homes built before 1995 are especially vulnerable – mortar joints crack, tiles shift, and spalling (surface flaking of the tile face) can open gaps that let carbon monoxide migrate into the living space. Without a photo record you cannot tell whether it happened between last season and this one.
- You noticed efflorescence, staining, or crumbling mortar on the exterior chase or crown. White staining (efflorescence) on brick is water moving through the masonry. By the time it shows on the outside face, moisture has already been working on the flue liner from the inside. A Level 2 scan shows exactly how far the damage has traveled.
- Your insurance carrier or home warranty company asked for documentation. Several carriers serving Cook County and its suburbs have tightened chimney documentation requirements since 2022. A Level 2 report with photos satisfies most of those requests outright. We issue the written report the same day.
Our Level 2 Inspection Process
Here is exactly what happens from the time the technician arrives to the time you have a written finding in hand. No step is skipped, and no repair is quoted until the scan is complete and reviewed with you.
- Exterior assessment before we come inside. The technician walks the roofline, examines the chimney crown (the concrete or mortar cap at the top of the masonry structure), checks the cap and spark arrestor, and photographs any visible cracking, spalling, or mortar deterioration. On Hoffman Estates homes with hip roofs and multiple roof planes, we also check for flashing separation at the chimney-to-roof joint – a common water-entry point in this market. We use Gelco and Olympia Chimney materials for any crown or cap work identified here, so we can quote specific repair costs the same visit.
- Firebox and smoke chamber inspection. Inside, the technician examines the firebox floor and walls, the smoke shelf, and the damper plate and frame. Class I, II, and III creosote deposits are noted by location and estimated depth. Class III – the tar-like, glazed buildup that resists standard brushing – gets flagged separately because it changes both the cleaning method and the repair scope. The smoke chamber (the funnel-shaped section above the firebox where the firebox narrows to the flue opening) is one of the most common sites of parging failure in older Hoffman Estates homes, so we document its surface condition in detail.
- Camera scan of the flue liner from firebox to crown. This is the step that separates a Level 2 from everything that came before it. A video camera travels the full length of the flue, capturing continuous footage and still frames at every anomaly: cracked joints, missing mortar, shifted tiles, offset sections, and any area where the liner has lost integrity. The camera feed is reviewed with you on-site on a monitor so you see what we see, in real time.
- Documentation and written findings. Every still frame captured during the scan is labeled by location in the flue and included in the written report. Clause 4 of the Haven Standard requires this photo record on every job – it is not an optional add-on and it does not cost extra. The written report states what was found, where it is, and what it means for safe operation.
- Written price before any work is proposed. If the inspection identifies needed repairs – liner work, crown repair, repointing, a new damper – you receive a written price and written scope before the technician asks for a decision. Clause 1 of the Haven Standard (H.A.V.E.N.: “Have it in writing”) makes this non-negotiable. No repair starts without your written approval of a written price. If you want a second opinion on that number, bring us a competitor’s written estimate and we will review it for free.
- Post-inspection walkthrough. Before leaving, the technician walks through every finding with you, shows you the camera footage on request, and answers questions without a sales clock running. You leave the conversation knowing the liner condition, the creosote class, the crown and cap integrity, and the exact cost of any recommended next step.
Before
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A Level 2 chimney inspection at Level Two Chimney Hoffman Estates is priced at $199 for a standard single-flue system – see How Much Does Chimney Cleaning & Sweep Cost? (2026 Price Guide) - Hoffman Estates, IL for full details. That includes the full camera scan, the exterior assessment, the written findings report, and the documented photo record. There is no separate charge for the camera or the documentation – both are included as standard under Clause 4 of the Haven Standard.
| Service | Price Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Level 2 Inspection – single flue | $199 | Camera scan, written findings, photo record included |
| Level 2 Inspection – two-flue system | $279-$319 | Both flues scanned and documented |
| Level 2 Inspection bundled with chimney cleaning | $299-$379 | Cleaning and full scan in one visit; written report included |
| Class III creosote removal (if found during scan) | $95-$175 added | Quoted in writing before any work starts |
| Crown repair or repointing (if identified) | $175-$550 | Quoted separately after findings; no surprise add-ons |
What moves the price inside those ranges: flue height (taller chimneys take longer to scan), access (some Hoffman Estates rooflines require additional safety setup), and whether significant Soot Removal is needed before the camera can travel the full length of the liner. Every variable is disclosed before work begins. The written quote is what you pay – no adjustments after the job is done.
Call (331) 200-4445 for an exact quote on your home’s specific configuration. Estimates are free, and the price we give you on that call is the price that goes on paper before any technician arrives.
What the Documented Photo Record Gives You
When the inspection is complete, you have a file: labeled still frames from the camera scan, exterior photos, written findings organized by location in the chimney system, and a written scope with price for any recommended repairs. That file is yours to keep.
It matters for a few practical reasons. If you are selling the home, it is disclosure documentation that shows condition at a specific date. If your insurer asks for proof of inspection, it satisfies the request without a follow-up visit. And if a repair is done now, the pre-repair photo record is the baseline against which the next inspection is measured – so you can see whether a repaired section held, cracked further, or stayed stable over three seasons.
We have been building these records since 2009. After more than 38,000 Chimney Cleaning & Sweep jobs, the documentation archive is part of how we know what fails first in Cook County chimneys, which liner materials hold up in Illinois freeze-thaw conditions, and where the Hoffman Estates housing stock tends to show stress first. That pattern knowledge is part of what you get when you schedule a Level 2 with us.
The 365-Day Done Right Promise
Every inspection and every repair we perform is backed by the 365-Day Done Right Promise: if it’s not done right, we make it right. That applies to the inspection report, the documentation, and any repair work that follows. If something we noted as sound shows a different condition within 365 days and the evidence points to an error in our original finding, we come back and we make it right – in writing, the same way the original job was documented.
This is not boilerplate. It is stamped on every job under the Haven Standard, and it means our technicians have an incentive to find what is actually there rather than what is convenient to find.
Hoffman Estates Chimney Conditions: What We See Here
Hoffman Estates sits in Cook County at an elevation and exposure that produces meaningful freeze-thaw cycling from late November through mid-March. Homes built in the subdivisions around Bode Road, Higgins Road, and the Golf Road corridor – mostly constructed between 1972 and 1995 – are predominantly masonry chimneys with clay tile liners. Those liners are now 30 to 50 years old.
What that age means in practice: mortar joints in clay tile flue liners have a typical service life of 25 to 40 years under normal use. Many of the liners we scan in Hoffman Estates are at or past that threshold. The failure mode is almost always gradual – a hairline crack at a joint expands slightly each freeze-thaw cycle, admits moisture, and the deterioration accelerates from the inside outward. By the time the exterior brick shows staining, the liner has often had open joints for two or three seasons.
We also see a pattern specific to the two-story colonials common in Hoffman Estates: the second-floor ceiling joist framing runs close to the chimney chase, and when liner integrity fails at that height, the gap is adjacent to combustible framing. Camera documentation at that specific section of the flue is not optional – it is exactly the kind of finding that a flashlight inspection at the firebox cannot make.
For homes that have already had liner work – DuraFlex stainless steel liner systems are common in relining jobs done between 2005 and 2018 in this market – a Level 2 scan confirms whether the connector joints are still sealed and whether the liner is still properly supported at the offsets. Liner relining is not a one-time fix; it is a system that needs periodic documented review.
FAQs – Level 2 Inspection in Hoffman Estates
How much does a Level 2 chimney inspection cost in Hoffman Estates?
A Level 2 chimney inspection in Hoffman Estates costs $199 for a single-flue system, which includes the full camera scan, written findings, and the documented photo record. Two-flue systems run $279 to $319. If the inspection is bundled with an Annual Sweep in the same visit, the combined price is $299 to $379 depending on flue length and creosote level. Every price is given in writing before any work starts – call (331) 200-4445 for an exact quote on your specific system.
What is the difference between a Level 1 and Level 2 chimney inspection?
A Level 1 inspection covers only the readily accessible portions of the chimney – the firebox, the visible exterior, and whatever can be seen without a camera. A Level 2 inspection, as defined by NFPA 211, adds a video camera scan of the full flue liner from firebox to crown and includes the attic and crawl space areas where the chimney passes through the building structure. Level 2 is required at any change of ownership, after any chimney fire, and any time an appliance or fuel type changes. At Level Two Chimney Hoffman Estates, the camera scan is included in every inspection we perform – it is not an upgrade, and it does not cost extra beyond the stated inspection price.
How long does a Level 2 inspection take?
A standard single-flue Level 2 inspection in Hoffman Estates typically takes 60 to 90 minutes from the time the technician arrives. That covers the exterior walk, the firebox and smoke chamber assessment, the full camera scan, and the on-site review of findings with the homeowner. Two-flue systems or systems with significant debris buildup may run closer to two hours. You get the written findings report before the technician leaves.
Can the Level 2 inspection report be used for a real estate transaction?
Yes. The written report we produce – with labeled photos from the camera scan, written findings by location, and a documented date of inspection – satisfies the chimney inspection disclosure requirement in most Illinois residential real estate transactions. Both buyers and sellers use our reports; sellers use them to document condition before listing, buyers use them to confirm what a home inspector’s general notes actually mean at the liner level. If your attorney or title company needs a specific format, call us at (331) 200-4445 and we will confirm whether our standard report meets the requirement before you schedule.
Schedule Your Level 2 Inspection in Hoffman Estates
If your Hoffman Estates home has a fireplace and you do not have a photo-documented Level 2 inspection on file from the last three years, that gap is worth closing before the next heating season. The price is on this page, the process is documented above, and the written report is ready before the technician leaves your driveway. Call (331) 200-4445 – a live person answers around the clock – to schedule your inspection or get an exact written quote for your specific chimney system. No voicemail, no web form, no pressure. Just the information you need to make a clear decision.
Written by Corrine Halstead, Owner at Level Two Chimney Hoffman Estates, serving Hoffman Estates.