What Insurers Ask About Chimneys

Why the Questions Have Changed

Homeowners in Sherman Oaks used to hear about their chimney from an insurer only after a claim. That has changed in the hillside fire zones and, more slowly, across the rest of the Valley. After the 2018 Woolsey Fire and the January 2025 fires, carriers writing policies near the Santa Monica Mountains have looked harder at roofs, vents and chimneys. Renewal forms ask about wood-burning fireplaces. Some carriers send their own inspector, and others ask the owner for photos.

We cannot tell you what a given insurer will require; each one writes its own rules and they change. What we can do is explain the questions we see most and which piece of chimney work answers each one, so you are not scrambling when the letter arrives.

Question One: Is There a Spark Arrestor?

This is the most common one, and the easiest to answer. A spark arrestor is the screened cap at the top of the chimney that stops embers from leaving the flue. The building code sets what counts: stainless or equivalent mesh, openings that block anything larger than 1/2 inch, an open area at least four times the flue's, and a screen that can be removed for cleaning. Fire department brush clearance rules in the very high fire hazard zones south of Ventura Boulevard call for one on chimneys.

The answer an insurer wants is a clear photo of the chimney top showing the cap and the mesh. If your cap is rusted, missing its screen, or not there at all, a code-compliant cap installed by us runs $165 to $670, and we send photos of the finished install for exactly this purpose.

Question Two: When Was the Chimney Last Inspected or Cleaned?

NFPA 211 calls for a yearly inspection and cleaning when needed. Insurers sometimes ask for the date of the last service, especially for wood-burning fireplaces. A receipt that only says "chimney cleaned" is weak evidence. A dated record that lists the fuel type, the condition of the flue and damper, and whether a cap was present is strong.

A Level 1 inspection from us is $54, and a sweep with the same record starts from $220. Either one gives you a current, dated document.

Question Three: Is the Fireplace or Stove Permitted and Listed?

For inserts, wood stoves and gas fireplaces, an insurer or its inspector may ask whether the unit was installed under permit and whether it is a listed appliance. In Sherman Oaks, permits come from the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety. A signed-off permit card and the unit's manual answer the question. A unit installed without a permit, or a factory-built fireplace with its listing label missing, raises it.

If you are not sure what you have, a photo of the rating plate is the place to start. On most gas units it hangs behind the lower louver. On factory-built wood fireplaces it is usually inside the firebox.

What Decides What You Need Next

Which step makes sense depends on what the insurer actually asked for:

Insurer asks for	What answers it	Our price
Photo of the chimney top	Existing cap photos, or a new compliant cap with photos	Cap $165 to $670 installed
Proof of recent service	A dated Level 1 or sweep record	$54 or from $220
Chimney condition after an event	A Level 2 camera inspection and report	$330
Permit or listing proof	Permit records, rating plate photo, or a corrected install	Quoted in writing

If you have a letter or a renewal form in hand, send a photo of the chimney question along with a picture of your chimney top through the form. We will tell you which visit answers it, and in many cases whether your current cap already does.

After a Claim

Claims are a different situation. If you have had a chimney fire, an earthquake, a fallen tree or wind damage, NFPA 211 calls for a Level 2 inspection before the fireplace is used again. The adjuster will usually want that report too. It documents each defect with a photo and its location, which is the evidence a claim depends on.

Two things help:

• - Do not light the fireplace until the inspection is done. A cracked liner can let heat reach the framing.
• Keep the record separate from the repair. Our report states the findings. Repairs are quoted in a separate written document, so the adjuster sees the condition without a sales pitch mixed in.

Wood Burning and the Questions It Raises

Insurers ask more about wood than gas, and for a reason. Wood fires make creosote and embers. Gas does not. Some Sherman Oaks owners who rarely burn wood decide the questions are not worth it and convert to a gas insert, which runs $2,750 to $5,550 installed with a liner and permit, or to vented gas logs. Others keep the wood fireplace, add a compliant cap and keep a yearly record. Either path is fine. The point is to choose it before the renewal deadline, not after.

Keep a Chimney File

The owners who handle these questions easily keep a simple folder: the latest inspection or sweep record, photos of the chimney top, permits for any insert or rebuild, and the manual and rating plate photo for any gas unit. It takes ten minutes to assemble and answers almost everything an insurer, a buyer or a city inspector will ask.

If your insurer has asked about your chimney, call us with the button on this page. Tell us what the letter says and when it is due, and we will tell you the shortest way to answer it.