Camera surveys

A flue is a hidden part of a property which can pose various safety risks.  There are many benefits to commissioning a camera survey for your flue – most importantly, it will give an indication of the safety of your chimney or flue. We are experts in camera surveys as well as GPR Surveys in London.

When you use your open fire, wood burner, gas appliance or boiler you want to do so safe in the knowledge that any fumes produced can escape up the flue without any risk of carbon monoxide poisoning or a chimney fire.

A camera survey can give you a detailed understanding of the condition of the flue and is very useful in the following scenarios:

• In older properties when looking at reinstating a flue that hasn’t been used for a long time
• When purchasing a new property to check if flues are safe to use in their existing condition
• Following a chimney fire to find out if there has been any damage to a flue
• To provide evidence to Insurance Companies on the condition of a flue

A CCTV survey uses modern camera technology to review and record exactly what the inside of a flue looks like. A small, robust miniature CCTV camera with powerful lights is passed through the flue on support rods.  It is passed through the entire length of the flue and the footage that is captured can be used to identify any potential hazards.

 There are many things that can be hidden inside a flue.  Here are a few things that we regularly come across:

•  Birds nests
•  Cables or water pipes
•  RSJ’s or steels
• Timber lintels lodged into brickwork
• Loose masonry or mortar joints

All of the Chimney Technicians at Turner Baker are trained to carry out CCTV inspections.   Inspections can be followed up with a comprehensive written report and a digital recording of the inspection is supplied.  If during the inspection a flue is identified as unsafe to use, recommendations for any remedial work required will also be included in the report. Contact our expert team today to find out more about chimney surveys and any other services that we offer, such as GPR Surveys in London.

Smoke testing will establish if any smoke might escape from the flue when it is being used. A smoke pellet which mimics the behaviour of the smoke from a fire is released into a flue and the course of the flue is monitored for signs of smoke escaping.  Smoke tests are often carried out at the same time as a camera survey and can be performed in two different ways.

A Dynamic smoke test – checks the draw of an appliance or open fire.  In other words, when the fire is lit, a dynamic smoke test is designed to establish if the smoke escapes up the flue efficiently or if it fills the room with smoke.

A Static smoke test – checks the integrity of a flue.  When an appliance is used or a fire is lit, a static smoke test will ascertain if  smoke leaks from the flue into other areas of the property.