Serious question, has anyone else run into a flue liner that was way worse than it looked?

I did a job in Tacoma last week where the homeowner said the chimney was fine, just needed a cleaning. The top looked clear, but my camera showed a huge crack running down the clay liner, almost 18 inches long. I was sure the camera was glitching at first, so I sent a probe down and felt the gap myself. It was bad enough that I had to tell them a full reline was the only safe option. What's the most hidden damage you've found that changed the whole job?

3 comments

3 Comments

benlewis2mo ago

Yeah, that's rough when it looks fine from the top. I get what @diana829 means about hidden damage, but a structural crack in the liner is a whole different level of scary lol. That's the kind of thing that makes you really trust the camera.

diana8292mo ago

Hidden damage" reminds me of a squirrel condo I found once.

elizabeth_bailey261mo ago

Read an article about how these inspections find stuff you would NEVER see. It makes the whole process way less stressful knowing what you're really buying. Total game changer for peace of mind.