Chimney height and clearance after an addition or ADU
Where a Culver City property has gained a second story, a raised roof or an accessory dwelling unit, the chimney may no longer meet the height it met when it was built. The California Residential Code requires a chimney to extend at least 3 feet above where it passes through the roof and at least 2 feet higher than any part of a building within 10 feet.
An inspection checks that measurement, and the clearance between the chimney and any new framing. A new wall built tight against a chimney breast is a clearance question, and on a remodel it is much easier to settle before the drywall goes up.
What a height correction needs by way of approval is decided by the City of Culver City, not by the Los Angeles building department, because Culver City is its own incorporated city.
Inspecting a flue that changed from wood to gas
A change of fuel is a change to the system, which takes it out of Level 1 territory.
Gas appliances put different demands on a flue. Their combustion gases carry water vapor, and in an oversized or unlined masonry flue that vapor can condense and attack the mortar joints. The inspection looks for that damage and for whether the flue suits what now vents into it.
It also confirms the damper arrangement, since vented gas logs rely on a flue that stays open while they burn.
Tell us why you need the inspection (a sale, an addition, a conversion or shaking) and we'll come back to you about which level fits. Send the details of the issue and request an estimate for the specific work.
Unbraced brick chimneys on older Culver City houses
Where a house predates modern seismic practice, the chimney may be unreinforced brick with nothing tying it to the frame. Earthquake Country Alliance notes that inadequately braced chimneys are a common problem and suggests having a professional judge whether a chimney is safe.
An inspection looks at the connection between chimney and house, cracks at the roofline, and whether the stack has shifted. After noticeable shaking, those checks come before the fireplace is lit again.
What moves the cost of a Culver City chimney inspection
The reason for the inspection usually sets the level, and the level sets most of the cost.
- 1Level 1 or Level 2, and whether a camera run is needed.
- 2Sweeping the flue first so the camera can see the liner.
- 3Attic and roof access.
- 4Height and clearance measurements after building work.
- 5More than one appliance venting into the chimney.