CSIA certified chimney inspection for Pelham Road's mixed-era housing — homes built from the 1970s through the 2000s with both masonry and factory-built fireplace systems. The most frequent inspection finding on Pelham Road is a gas insert that was added without the required stainless steel liner, or a liner that was sized incorrectly for the insert's BTU output. Inspection verifies liner presence, sizing, and termination before each heating season.
Gas inserts are installed by HVAC contractors, general contractors, and fireplace retailers — not all of whom follow NFPA 54 liner requirements. Inspection confirms which condition applies to a Pelham Road home before the insert is used.
Homes built in the 1970s and early 1980s in this corridor typically have masonry chimneys with clay tile liners. A gas insert in a masonry fireplace still requires a stainless liner — the clay tile liner is not rated for the lower exhaust temperatures of a Category I gas appliance and will accumulate condensation and acid that deteriorates the mortar joints. Camera inspection verifies whether the liner inside the masonry flue is a stainless unit or the original clay tile.
Homes from the late 1980s through early 2000s along Pelham Road frequently have factory-built fireplace systems. A gas insert placed into a factory-built system requires a liner that runs through the existing prefab flue housing. The chase cover must be modified to accept the liner and properly sealed — if the original galvanized chase cover with no liner penetration is still in place, the liner was likely never installed or terminates incorrectly inside the chase.