NACS registered · Fully insured
CCTV Chimney and Flue Liner Inspection
Camera inspection of chimneys, flues and liners across Greater Manchester and Cheshire. See exactly what is going on inside your chimney rather than guessing from what shows at either end.
You cannot fix what you cannot see
Most of a chimney is invisible. You can see the pot from the garden and the opening from the room, and between them is anything from three to ten metres of flue that nobody has looked at — often since it was built.
A CCTV inspection sends a camera up the full length and records what is there. Cracked or missing parging, a liner that has corroded or separated, tar build-up, debris shelves, blockages, nesting material, and structural damage all become visible rather than inferred.
It also gives you a record. If you are making an insurance claim, arguing with a vendor, or deciding whether a liner needs replacing, footage of the actual defect is worth considerably more than an opinion.
When an inspection is worth doing
You do not need one on a chimney that sweeps cleanly and draws properly. It earns its cost when something is wrong, when something has changed, or when you are about to spend real money on the basis of a guess.
The most common reason we are asked is after a chimney fire. Damage from one is frequently invisible from either end, and everything can seem fine afterwards — which is exactly why we recommend a full survey before the appliance is used again.
- After a chimney fire, or where you suspect there has been one
- Before buying a house with an open fire or stove you intend to use
- Where there is damp or staining on the chimney breast and the cause is not obvious
- Before fitting a liner, so you know what the chimney behind it is actually like
- Where a flue leaks smoke or fumes into another room or the loft space
- Where an insurer or surveyor has asked for evidence of the flue's condition
- In converted properties with shared stacks, to confirm which flue serves what
What we do
- Camera inspection of the full flue length, top to bottom
- Assessment of liner condition, parging, joints and any visible damage
- Identification of blockages, debris shelves, tar build-up and nesting material
- Confirmation of flue routing where several flues share one stack
- A plain-English explanation of what we found and what it means
- An honest view on what needs doing and what can be left alone
No mess, and a certificate your insurer accepts
Sheets down before we start and a HEPA filtered industrial vacuum running throughout. Every job includes a free smoke draw test and a NACS Certificate of Chimney Sweeping — which matters, because most insurers will no longer pay out on chimney fire damage without one.
What happens with the findings
We will talk you through what the camera shows and what it means in practice — whether it is cosmetic, whether it affects safety, and whether it needs acting on now or watching. We are chimney sweeps rather than builders, so if the work needed is structural we will tell you what to ask for rather than sell you something.
If the inspection follows a chimney fire, do not use the appliance again until the survey is done and you know what you are dealing with. Damage is often invisible and everything can appear fine.
There is more on fuels, moisture content and ventilation on our safety advice page.
Our other services
Whichever appliance you have, the standard is the same.
Where we work
Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Lancashire. Give us your postcode and we will tell you straight away whether we can reach you.
Common questions
The condition of the liner or brickwork along the full flue, cracked or missing parging, corrosion, joint separation, tar build-up, debris shelves, blockages and nesting material. It also shows how the flue is routed, which matters in properties where several flues share one stack.
Ask when you book and we will confirm what we can provide. If you need it for an insurance claim or a property purchase, tell us up front so we can make sure you get what you need.
If the property has an open fire or stove you intend to use, it is worth considering — particularly if the chimney has been unused for years or the survey flagged anything. A standard homebuyer survey does not look inside a flue.
Usually yes. A camera cannot see much through a heavy soot layer, so in most cases we sweep first and inspect after. Mention what you are after when you book and we will allow the time for both.
Book a CCTV chimney inspection
Tell us your postcode and what has prompted it — a chimney fire, a house purchase, damp, or something you cannot explain — and we will tell you what is involved.