Why Altadena homes need real fireplace inspection
Altadena sits directly against the San Gabriel Mountains in a very high fire hazard severity zone, and Santa Ana winds raise ember risk for every flue. We treat the spark arrestor cap as part of the fireplace, never an extra. On each visit we check that the screen is intact and clear, that the crown is sealed, and that nothing that can burn sits too close to the hearth or mantel. A typical visit here covers full firebox and refractory panel inspection, damper operation and sealing test, and smoke shelf and smoke chamber evaluation, because the scope should follow the chimney's actual condition, not a number pulled from a price sheet.