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Question about using a camera scope vs a mirror for a tight flue
Had a job last week with a really narrow, offset flue in a 1920s house. I was torn between my old flexible mirror and renting a camera inspection system. Went with the camera, and it showed a hairline crack in the terra cotta liner that the mirror would have missed completely. Anyone else faced a similar choice on an old chimney?
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maxp682mo ago
Those old terra cotta liners are sneaky. My buddy found a whole section collapsed in a similar setup, but he only caught it because the homeowner complained about a weird smell. A mirror just shows you the surface, but those cameras let you really poke around. It's a pain to rent the gear sometimes, but missing a crack like that turns a simple check into a major repair job fast. You made the right call spending a bit more upfront.
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angela_park12d ago
Renting a camera is smart but don't forget about your ears too. I had a job last year where the visuals looked fine but I heard this faint ticking sound when I tapped the liner with my screwdriver. Turned out there was a hairline fracture running vertical you could barely see even on the camera because it was hidden behind soot buildup. That noise saved me from a CO leak later that winter. Sometimes you gotta listen more than you look.
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the_wendy2mo ago
My old boss in Cleveland always said a mirror gives you a guess, but a camera gives you proof. That hairline crack you found is a perfect example. It might have held for years, or it could have let carbon monoxide seep into the house next winter. The cost to rent a camera is nothing compared to the liability of missing something that serious. I've started treating them as essential for any flue over fifty years old.
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