March 15, 2000 – Indianapolis, Ind. – The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) reports that a new industry standard for chimney and venting inspections has been adopted to help homeowners better understand the level of work required by a certified chimney sweep to adequately examine a system. Until now, the scope of work during an inspection has been at the professional discretion of the certified chimney sweep.

This new standard now classifies chimney and venting system inspections into three levels -- Level I, Level II or Level III. Each level of inspection has a specific scope of work and specific criteria.

On January 13, 2000, the National Fire Protection Association adopted these levels of inspection into code NFPA 211 (Standard for Chimneys, Fireplaces, Vents and Solid Fuel Burning Appliances). NFPA 211 is the standard upon which certified chimney sweeps base their services.

Once the inspection level is determined, the certified chimney sweep explains the scope of work to the homeowner as follows:

Both the CSIA and the National Fire Protection Association recommend yearly chimney inspections to help prevent fire and carbon monoxide poisonings. The CSIA also recommends that chimney and venting inspections be completed by CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps.

CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps have earned the industry's most respected credential by passing an intensive examination based on fire codes, clearances and standards for the construction and maintenance of chimneys and venting systems.

The CSIA, established in 1983, is a non-profit, educational institution, dedicated to educating the public about the prevention of chimney safety hazards.

For a free copy of the brochure “Chimney Inspections Explained for the Homeowner” or for a list of CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps, call (800) 536-0118 or visit the CSIA web site at www.cisa.org. The CSIA is located at 2155 Commercial Drive, Plainfield IN., 46168.