Masonry flues hide their problems behind brick and tile. On camera we check the interior of a masonry chimney for cracked tiles, open joints and deterioration, the kind of damage that fails a Level 2 inspection and can let heat or flue gases reach the structure. Proof you can see, not guesswork.
Why cracked tiles and open joints matter
A masonry flue is a stack of clay tiles sealed at the joints. Crack a tile or open a joint and flue gases, moisture and heat get a path into the brick and the framing around it. That is a carbon monoxide route and a fire route, which is why inspectors treat it seriously.
Freeze-thaw is hard on Colorado chimneys
Front Range weather swings through freezing dozens of times a season. Moisture that soaks into tile and mortar expands as it freezes and pries the flue apart from the inside, a slow failure you cannot see from the ground until the camera finds it.
If we find damage, there is a clear path
Minor joint damage can often be sealed. A flue with cracked or shifted tiles is usually best relined with an insulated stainless liner, a one-time fix that restores a continuous sealed passage. Either way the footage shows the condition, so the decision is yours.
