None of this can be seen from outside or with a mirror, because flues often have bends and can be more than ten metres long. The recording or stills from it serve as an attachment to the technical condition inspection certificate. Describe in the form why you want the flue checked, and we will advise whether a camera is needed.
How a camera inspection of the flue is done
- Preparation If the flue has thick soot or tar, we clean it first. The camera cannot show cracks through a black layer.
- Feeding in the camera We lower a camera with a light on a flexible cable or rods from the top of the chimney, or feed it in through the cleaning door or the flue pipe opening. The choice depends on roof access and the bends in the flue.
- Recording the whole length We move the camera slowly and record video. At every suspicious spot we stop and note the depth from the top or from the door.
- Certificate Photos or video are attached to the technical condition inspection certificate, and the certificate records whether use is permitted.
The work involves no building work and no opening up of masonry. After the inspection the flue can be used as normal if the camera has not found dangerous damage.
What the camera shows
- Cracks in the masonry and crumbled joints between bricks, through which smoke can reach the attic or an adjacent channel.
- Displaced, separated or deformed liner sections and joints.
- A layer of tar (creosote) that narrows the flue channel and can catch fire.
- Traces of condensation, damp patches and dissolved mortar, typical of gas and condensing boilers without a suitable liner.
- Blockages: birds' nests, fallen bricks, building debris and leftover mortar.
- Bends in the flue, changes in cross-section and places where two channels join.
The camera does not show what is happening outside the masonry, for example how close a timber beam in the floor is to the flue. We check that separately in the attic and rooms.
Different flues as the camera sees them
- Brick chimney: we look for crumbled joints, fallen bricks and cracks, especially at attic and roof level, where the masonry freezes and thaws.
- Stainless steel liner: we check the joints and look for dents and discolouration that indicate overheating.
- Ceramic or modular chimney: we look at whether mortar or sealant has squeezed out at the section joints.
- Stove and cooker flue channels: inside the masonry they are narrow and winding, so the camera gives only a partial picture there; we check them through the cleaning openings.
Before the visit, provide access to the attic and the cleaning doors, and if you can, do not use the flue for a few hours beforehand.
Photos and video for the technical condition certificate
The fire safety regulations require photos, video recordings or the readings of other instruments used in the inspection to be attached to the technical condition inspection certificate. For a solid or liquid fuel flue this inspection must be done once every five years. That is why a camera inspection is often part of a chimney sweep's condition report rather than a separate service.
Cabinet Regulation No. 238 “Fire Safety Regulations” of 19.04.2016, point 74: technical condition inspection of solid and liquid fuel heating appliances and flues once every five years; point 76: photos, video recordings or the readings of other instruments used in the inspection are attached to the certificate. Source: likumi.lv, checked 04.11.2026. Regulations checked 04.11.2026; from 2 January 2027 they will be replaced by new fire safety regulations, which we will check as soon as they are adopted.
When a camera inspection is worth it
| Situation | What the camera answers |
|---|---|
| Before lining | whether the flue is straight, where the bends are, what the cross-section is and whether the liner will pass along the whole length |
| After a soot fire | whether there are cracks in the masonry or liner and whether the flue may be used |
| Before buying a house | what condition the chimneys are in and whether repairs will be needed after the purchase |
| Damp, condensation, patches on walls | where water is getting in and whether the flue needs a liner or insulation |
| Poor draught or smoke in the room | whether there is a blockage or narrowing in the flue channel |
| Connecting a new boiler | whether the existing flue suits the new appliance |
More on each case: chimney lining, chimney check after a soot fire, chimney check before buying a house, condensation in the chimney and chimney has no draught.
When a camera is not needed
For routine cleaning before the heating season a camera is usually not needed. If the stove has good draught, the flue is sound and after cleaning it can be seen well from the door or the top, chimney cleaning and a certificate are enough. We recommend a camera if there is a specific question that cannot be answered otherwise, or if it is needed for the technical condition certificate.
What we do if the camera finds damage
The recording shows the exact location of the damage, and the solution depends on it. Cracks in the upper part are usually fixed with chimney repair, and cracks along the whole flue channel with a liner. If the chimney is so damaged that repair does not pay, a new chimney is worth considering. We quote the repair price separately and start work only once you agree. The regulations prohibit using a damaged flue, so if the damage is dangerous, we record it in the certificate.
Cabinet Regulation No. 238, sub-point 89.1: it is prohibited to use a damaged heating appliance, device or flue. Source: likumi.lv, checked 04.11.2026.
How much does a chimney camera inspection cost?
There is no fixed price for a camera inspection. The price depends on:
- the length and diameter of the flue, and the number of bends;
- the height of the chimney and access to the roof or cleaning door;
- the fuel and type of appliance;
- the amount of soot and tar, if the flue must be cleaned before the camera;
- how many flues in the house need checking.
In the form, give the reason and the number of flues. The specialist will name the price after you submit the form, before the work. Other prices: prices. We carry out inspections across Riga and the Riga region, including Āgenskalns, Sigulda and Ķekava.