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CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS REPAIR

Abandoned Chimneys - Indoor Inspection
Abandoned Chimneys: Outdoors
Angled Chimney Flues
Attic Chimney Inspection

Backdrafting Appliances

BAROMETRIC DAMPERS
Blocked Chimney Flues
Bracket Chimney Collapse & Fire Risks
B-Vent Chimneys
B-Vent Clearances Table

CARBON DIOXIDE - CO2
CARBON MONOXIDE - CO

CHIMNEY INSPECTION & REPAIR GUIDE

Chimney Cap & Crown Inspection
Chimney Cleaning Advice, Procedures
Chimney Cleaning Fraud Warning
Chimney Cleanout Doors

Chimney Components Definitions

Chimney Crack & Collapse Risks, Repairs
  Articles on Collapsing Chimneys
  Bracing for Masonry Chimneys
  Bracing for Masonry Chimneys, Lateral
  Bracing for Metal Chimneys
  Bracket Chimney Collapse & Fire Risks
  Earthquake Chimney Collapse Dangers

Chimney Crack Detection & Diagnosis
  Chimney Leaning, Separation, Movement-Outdoors
  Cracked Brick Chimney Sides
  Cracked Concrete Block Chimneys
  Curved Brick Chimneys
  Split Openings in Brick & Chimney Collapse

Chimney Draft & Performance
  Draft: Thermal Performance of Chimneys

Chimney Flashing Mistakes & Leaks

CHIMNEY HEIGHT & CLEARANCE CODE
Chimney Height Extensions

Chimney Inspection Checklist
Chimney Inspection Checklist - Outdoors
Chimney Inspection Checklist - Indoors
Chimney Inspection: Flue Interiors
ChimScan: Inspecting Flues by Cameras
Chimney Inspection Indoor Procedures
Chimney Inspection Outdoors From Ground
Chimney Inspection Outdoors at Rooftop

Chimney Leaning, Separation, Movement

Chimney Repair Fraud Warning
Chimney Repair Methods

Chimney Safety - CPSC Alert
Chimney Shoulder Leaks
Chimney Spalling, Exterior
Chimney Sweeps

Chimney Types & Materials

CO2 TOXICITY
COALSTOVE SAFETY
COMBUSTION GASES & PARTICLE HAZARDS
COMBUSTION PRODUCTS & IAQ
COMPLETE COMBUSTION, Stoichiometric

Dead End Chimney Flue Hazards
Definitions of Chimney Types & Parts
DRAFT HOODS - gas fired
DRAFT MEASUREMENT, CHIMNEYS & FLUES
DRAFT REGULATORS, DAMPERS, BOOSTERS

EFFLORESCENCE, Salts & White / Brown Deposits

Fire Clearances for Masonry Chimneys
Fire Clearances for Metal Chimneys
Fire Clearances, Single-Wall Metal Flues
FIREPLACES & HEARTHS
Fire stopping at Chimney Passage Through Floors

FLAME COLOR, BLUE vs YELLOW COMBUSTION
FLUE SIZE SPECIFICATIONS
Flue Separation Requirements
Flue Tile Damage in Chimneys
Flue Vent Connectors - Boilers, Furnaces

Fuel Changes for Heating Appliances

HEATING COST FUEL & BTU Cost Table
HEATING INSPECTIONS
HOME HEATING SAFETY
HEATING SYSTEMS

Lennox SAFETY WARNING

Metal Chimneys & Flues

Moisture Problems Damage Chimneys

Nanomaterials Hazards
NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE

ODORS & SMELLS DIAGNOSIS & CURE
ODORS FROM HEATING SYSTEMS
OIL HEAT SAFETY INSPECTIONS

PLASTIC HEATER VENTS

Safety Recalls, Chimneys, Vents, Heaters
Shared Chimney & Shared Flue Hazards
STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING EXTERIORS
Stains on chimneys

Three-Sided Chimneys: Problems
Transite Pipe Chimneys & Flues

UNLINED FLUE INSPECTIONS

WOOD, COAL STOVES & FIREPLACES

More Information

Chimney crushes car (C) Daniel Friedman

Earthquake Damage & Collapse of Chimneys
InspectAPedia®  -    

  • Collapsing chimneys in earthquake zones
  • Need for chimney reinforcement in areas prone to earthquake
  • Photographs of earthquake damaged chimneys
InspectAPedia offers impartial, unbiased advice without conflicts of interest. We will block advertisements which we discover or readers inform us are associated with bad business practices, false-advertising, or junk science. Our contact info is at InspectAPedia.com/Contact.htm.

This article describes chimney inspection procedures and provides examples of potentially fatal chimney collapse hazards in earthquake zones. We include description and photos of chimney collapses during earthquakes.

These articles on chimneys and chimney safety provide detailed suggestions describing how to perform a thorough visual inspection of chimneys for safety and other defects. Chimney inspection methods and chimney repair methods are also discussed. As with most inspection and safety topics, this material may be incomplete.

© Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website.

Chimney Collapse Hazards from Earthquake or Storm

In addition to the chimney movement and collapse hazards we discussed above, owners and inspectors in earthquake-prone areas need to consider the safety of their chimney and its ability to resist collapse during a temblor or earthquake.

Un reinforced chimneys often collapse during an earthquake. It's luck which way the collapsing chimney falls. In some cases the chimney falls into the structure, possibly killing the occupants below. In our photo (below left) the chimney happily fell away from the home and into the yard.

Earthquake chimney collapse (C) Daniel Friedman Earthquake chimney collapse (C) Daniel Friedman

The photo of ten masonry chimneys all lined up in the street (above right) was taken by the author, D Friedman, in Northridge California after the Northridge Meadows earthquake in 1986.

Chimney falls thorugh house (C) Daniel Friedman Chimney crushes car (C) Daniel Friedman

The photos above show additional examples of earthquake damage to masonry chimneys. The chimney fell through the house at above left, luckily into the living room rather than a bedroom where people were sleeping, or it is possible that the occupants would have been crushed. At above right an unreinforced stone chmney and stone house wall fell onto and crushed the automobile.

Other chimney collapse hazards can be frightening too, such as flues or chimneys collapsing trapping people working on them or simply someone who happened to be on a roof.

see Chimney Collapse Hazards & Chimney Support & Bracing Requirements. Also see our notes about Loose Wobbly Chimneys that need lateral support. A news report of a person who was trapped inside of a collapsing chimney is in our footnotes at Rooftop View Turns to Darkness.

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Technical Reviewers & References

  • InspectAPedia.com® - Daniel Friedman - Publisher & Editor.
  • InspectAPedia Bookstore lists recommended books, organized by topic & available for purchase. Most of our articles also include a list of recommended books for the specific article topic as well as other references, and information sources.
  • Critique, contributions wanted: Contact Us to suggest corrections or additions to articles at this website, and if you wish, to receive online listing and credit as a contributor. Particular thanks are due to the many experts and also consumers who read and critique technical articles at InspectAPedia.com.
  • Additional technical contributors & reference sources for this article are listed below.

Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

Chimney Crack & Collapse Risks, Repairs
  Articles on Collapsing Chimneys
  Bracing for Masonry Chimneys
  Bracing for Masonry Chimneys, Lateral
  Bracing for Metal Chimneys
  Bracket Chimney Collapse & Fire Risks
  Earthquake Chimney Collapse Dangers

  • Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 info@carsondunlop.com. Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission to use illustrations from their publication, The Illustrated Home which illustrates construction details and building components. Carson Dunlop provides home inspection education including the ASHI-adopted Home Inspection Training Program (home study course), publications such as the Home Reference Book, report writing materials including the Horizon report writer, and home inspection services. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
  • Thanks to Luke Barnes for suggesting that we add text regarding the hazards of shared chimney flues. USMA - Sept. 2008.
  • Arlene Puentes, an ASHI member and a licensed home inspector in Kingston, NY, and has served on ASHI national committees as well as HVASHI Chapter President. Ms. Puentes can be contacted at ap@octoberhome.com
  • Roger Hankey is principal of Hankey and Brown home inspectors, Eden Prairie, MN, technical review by Roger Hankey, prior chairman, Standards Committee, American Society of Home Inspectors - ASHI. 952 829-0044 - hankeyandbrown.com
    • NFPA 211 - Standards for Chimneys & Fireplaces, NFPA 211: Standard for Chimneys, Fireplaces, Vents, and Solid Fuel-Burning Appliances, 2006 Edition (older editions and standards are found at the same bookstore)
    • NFPA #211-3.1 1988 - Specific to chimneys, fireplaces, vents and solid fuel burning appliances.
    • NFPA # 54-7.1 1992 - Specific to venting of equipment with fan-assisted combustion systems.
    • GAMA - Gas Appliance Manufacturers' Association has prepared venting tables for Category I draft hood equipped central furnaces as well as fan-assisted combustion system central furnaces.
    • National Fuel Gas Code, an American National Standard, 4th ed. 1988 (newer edition is available) Secretariats, American Gas Association (AGA), 1515 Wilson Blvd., Arlington VA22209, and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Batterymarch Park, Quincy MA 02269. ANSI Z223.1-1988 - NFPA 54-1988. WARNING: be sure to check clearances and other safety guidelines in the latest edition of these standards.
    • Fire Inspector Guidebook, A Correlation of Fire Safety Requirements Contained in the 1987 BOCA National Codes, (newer edition available), Building Officials and Code Administrators International, Inc. (BOCA), Country Club HIlls, IL 60478 312-799-2300 4th ed. Note: this document is reissued every four years. Be sure to obtain the latest edition.
    • Uniform Mechanical Code - UMC 1991, Sec 913 (a.) Masonry Chimneys, refers to Chapters 23, 29, and 37 of the Building Code.
    • New York 1984 Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, Article 10, Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning Requirements
    • New York 1979 Uniform Fire Prevention & Building Code, The "requirement" for 8" of solid masonry OR for use of a flue liner was listed in the One and Two Family Dwelling Code for New York, in 1979, in Chapter 9, Chimneys and Fireplaces, New York 1979 Building and Fire Prevention Code:
  • "Top Ten Chimney (and related) Problems Encountered by One Chimney Sweep," Hudson Valley ASHI education seminar, 3 January 2000, contributed by Bob Hansen, ASHI
  • Chimney Inspection Checklist, Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, Ontario
  • "Rooftop View Turns to Darkness," Martine Costello, Josh Kovner, New Haven Register, 12 May 1992 p. 11: Catherine Murphy was sunning on a building roof when a chimney collapsed; she fell into and was trapped inside the chimney until rescued by emergency workers.
  • "Chimneys and Vents," Mark J. Reinmiller, P.E., ASHI Technical Journal, Vol. 1 No. 2 July 1991 p. 34-38.
  • "Chimney Inspection Procedures & Codes," Donald V. Cohen was to be published in the first volume of the 1994 ASHI Technical Journal by D. Friedman, then editor/publisher of that publication. The production of the ASHI Technical Journal and future editions was cancelled by ASHI President Patrick Porzio. Some of the content of Mr. Cohen's original submission has been included in this more complete chimney inspection article: InspectAPedia.com/chimneys/Chimney_Inspection.htm. Copies of earlier editions of the ASHI Technical Journal are available from ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
  • Natural Gas Weekly Update: http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/ngw/ngupdate.asp Official Energy Statistics from the U.S. Government
  • US Energy Administration: Electrical Energy Costs http://www.eia.doe.gov/fuelelectric.html

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

  • Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
  • Fireplace & Chimney Design, Repair Books - Fireplaces, Chimneys: design, repair
  • Fireplace & Chimney Inspection Books - Inspecting and diagnosing chimney problems, fireplace problems, chimney & fireplace standards
  • Ceramic Roofware, Hans Van Lemmen, Shire Library, 2008, ISBN-13: 978-0747805694 - Brick chimneys, chimney-pots and roof and ridge tiles have been a feature of the roofs of a wide range of buildings since the late Middle Ages. In the first instance this ceramic roofware was functional - to make the roof weatherproof and to provide an outlet for smoke - but it could also be very decorative. The practical and ornamental aspects of ceramic roofware can still be seen throughout Britain, particularly on buildings of the Victorian and Edwardian periods. Not only do these often have ornate chimneys and roof tiles but they may also feature ornamental sculptures or highly decorative gable ends. This book charts the history of ceramic roofware from the Middle Ages to the present day, highlighting both practical and decorative applications, and giving information about manufacturers and on the styles and techniques of production and decoration. Hans van Lemmen is an established author on the history of tiles and has lectured on the subject in Britain and elsewhere. He is founder member and presently publications editor of the British Tiles and Architectural Ceramics Society. Also available at the InspectAPedia Bookstore.
  • Chimney Inspection Checklist, Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, Ontario
  • Chimney & Stack Inspection Guidelines, American Society of Civil Engineers, 2003 - These guidelines address the inspection of chimneys and stacks. Each guideline assists owners in determining what level of inspection is appropriate to a particular chimney and provides common criteria so that all parties involved have a clear understanding of the scope of the inspection and the end product required. Each chimney or stack is a unique structure, subject to both aggressive operating and natural environments, and degradation over time. Such degradation may be managed via a prudent inspection program followed by maintenance work on any equipment or structure determined to be in need of attention. Sample inspection report specifications, sample field inspection data forms, and an example of a developed plan of a concrete chimney are included in the guidelines. This book provides a valuable guidance tool for chimney and stack inspections and also offers a set of references for these particular inspections.
  • Fireplaces, a Practical Design Guide, Jane Gitlin
  • Fireplaces, Friend or Foe, Robert D. Mayo
  • NFPA 211 - Standards for Chimneys & Fireplaces, NFPA 211: Standard for Chimneys, Fireplaces, Vents, and Solid Fuel-Burning Appliances, 2006 Edition (older editions and standards are found at the same bookstore)
  • Principles of Home Inspection: Chimneys & Wood Heating (Principles of Home Inspection), Carson Dunlop
  • U.S. vs. Canadian Unlined Masonry Chimney Flue Requirements & Case Study
  • NFPA 211 - 3-1.10 - Relining guide for chimneys
  • NFPA 211 - 3-2 - Construction of Masonry Chimneys
  • NFPA 211 - 3-3 - Termination Height for chimneys
  • NFPA 211 - 3-4 - Clearance from Combustible Material
  • NFPA 54 - 7-1 - Venting of Equipment into chimneys
  • Brick Institute of America - Flashing Chimneys
    Brick Institute of America - Proper Chimney Crowns
    Brick Institute of America - Moisture Resistance of Brick
  • American Gas Association - New Vent Sizing Tables
  • Chimney Safety Institute of America - Chimney Fires: Causes, Effects, Evaluation
  • National Chimney Sweep Guild - Yellow Pages of Suppliers
  • ...
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