On this page
- Why Central Florida chimneys take storm damage
- Why the inspection is a Level 2
- Common storm damage and how we confirm it
- What you can check safely from the ground
- What the inspection includes
- Documentation for your own records
- Before the next storm
- Documenting damage for a claim
- What wind and water actually damage
- What to do first, and in what order
Don’t use the fireplace until it’s been checked
A displaced flue section, a cracked liner or debris in the flue can send heat, smoke or combustion gases where they don’t belong. Leave the fireplace off, gas or wood, until the chimney has been inspected. Stay off a wet or damaged roof. If you smell gas, leave the house and call your gas utility or 911 from outside.
Why Central Florida chimneys take storm damage
Orlando sits far enough inland that people sometimes assume hurricanes pass it by. Recent storms say otherwise:
| Storm | What Orlando saw |
|---|---|
| Hurricane Ian (Sept 2022) | 12.49 in of rain in 24 hours and 22.42 in for the event at Orlando International Airport |
| Hurricane Nicole (Nov 2022) | A rare November landfall near Vero Beach; the center crossed the peninsula between Orlando and Tampa. The NHC report lists 7.11 in of storm rainfall at a station near Orlando |
| Hurricane Milton (Oct 2024) | An 86 mph gust at Orlando, with gusts routinely above 75 mph across most of Central Florida |
Sources: Spectrum News 13 and the NHC report on Ian; the NHC report on Nicole; ClickOrlando on Milton and the NHC report on Milton.
Wind is only part of it. After Hurricane Ian, FEMA’s assessment team documented water intrusion where roof coverings, roof ventilation components and wall coverings were damaged, which led to wet insulation, damaged interiors and mold (FEMA). FEMA wasn’t writing about chimneys specifically, but a chimney is one of the largest openings in a roof, and it fails the same way.
Then there’s lightning. Orlando averages around 82 thunderstorm days a year (CurrentResults), and Central Florida is among the most lightning-dense areas in the US. A Vaisala report on 2022 data ranked nearby Four Corners first in the country for lightning density (FOX 35). A chimney is often the highest point on a house.
Why the inspection is a Level 2
Industry summaries of CSIA and NFPA guidance call for a Level 2 inspection after an external event likely to have damaged the chimney, such as severe weather or a chimney fire (Highs Chimney). In CSIA’s procedure, a Level 2 adds a video scan (or a similar inspection) of the flue and a look at accessible attic space. Storm damage often sits exactly there: a flue section knocked out of alignment, or a wet roof deck around the chimney that’s only visible from the attic. The levels are explained on our chimney and fireplace inspection page.
Common storm damage and how we confirm it
01Blown-off or bent cap
- What you may notice
- The cap is missing, tilted or dented, or rain and debris are landing in the firebox.
- How it’s confirmed
- Checked from the roof, along with the flue top underneath. With the cap gone, we scan the flue for debris and water.
02Lifted or torn chase cover
- What you may notice
- A rattle on windy days, a bent edge visible from the yard, or water inside the chase or at the fireplace.
- How it’s confirmed
- We check the cover’s fastening, seams, storm collar and whether water now pools on top.
03Damaged flashing
- What you may notice
- A new ceiling or wall stain next to the chimney, or lifted shingles or displaced tiles around it.
- How it’s confirmed
- We inspect the step and counter flashing on the roof and look at the roof deck and framing from the attic.
04Cracked crown
- What you may notice
- Usually invisible from the ground. It can show up as new dampness in the firebox or smoke chamber.
- How it’s confirmed
- A close look at the crown surface and edges from the roof, including where it meets the flue tile.
05Displaced flue sections or cracked tiles
- What you may notice
- Nothing you can see. Occasionally smoke or odor in a spot where there wasn’t any before.
- How it’s confirmed
- A full-length look at the flue, which is the main reason a post-storm inspection is a Level 2.
06Water intrusion
- What you may notice
- Water in the firebox, rust on the damper or firebox, stains on the chase siding or ceiling, or a musty smell.
- How it’s confirmed
- We trace it from the top down: cap, crown or chase cover, flashing, then siding and framing.
07Lightning damage
- What you may notice
- Brick or mortar debris on the roof or ground, a scorch mark, or a loud strike very close to the house.
- How it’s confirmed
- We check the masonry and crown from the roof and scan the flue for cracked tiles or a damaged liner.
What you can check safely from the ground
- Walk the yard and look at the chimney from several angles, with binoculars if you have them. Is the cap there and level? Is the chase cover sitting flat?
- Look for brick pieces, metal flashing, cap parts or mesh on the ground or roof.
- Inside, check the firebox for water, debris or pieces of tile or metal.
- Check ceilings and walls next to the chimney, and the attic around it if you can get there safely, for new stains or wet insulation.
- Take dated photos of everything you notice, before anything is moved or cleaned up.
Don’t climb onto the roof to look. Wet roofs and storm-loosened tiles or shingles are dangerous, and nothing on a chimney is worth a fall.
What the inspection includes
Exterior and roof
Cap, crown or chase cover, flashing, masonry or siding, and the roof covering right around the chimney, checked where it can be reached safely.
Flue check
The flue is examined along its height, as far as access allows, for displaced sections, cracked tiles, liner damage, debris and water.
Attic and interior
Accessible attic areas along the chimney, the firebox, damper and smoke chamber, and any gas fireplace vent and termination.
Findings in plain language
Each item is described with its location and labeled as a safety concern, a repair to plan for or a maintenance item.
Documentation for your own records
Your findings describe each item’s location and condition in plain language. Keep them with your own storm photos. They give you a clear record of the chimney’s condition after the event, whatever you decide to do next.
About insurance
We document the chimney’s condition. We don’t decide or advise on what a policy covers. Talk to your insurer or agent about their process and what they need from you, ideally before any permanent repair is made.
Before the next storm
A chimney is best prepared for storm season when the cap is fastened securely, the chase cover or crown is sound, and the flashing is in good condition. Our hurricane season chimney checklist covers what to look at before June and after each storm. A yearly inspection outside storm season is the easiest time to catch a loose cap or a rusting chase cover.
Documenting damage for a claim
Most storm inspections here end up feeding an insurance claim, and claims are won or lost on whether the damage is clearly described and clearly tied to the storm. The assessment is built with that in mind.
Establish what is actually damaged
Every component assessed separately — cap, crown, flashing, chase cover, masonry, liner — rather than the chimney being described as one item.
Separate storm damage from age
The distinction an adjuster will care about most. A crown that cracked over fifteen years and a crown a branch hit last Tuesday look different, and the difference is worth stating plainly.
Check the inside, not only the outside
Impact and wind damage frequently shows up as a shifted or cracked liner with nothing visible from the ground. A camera scan is what establishes it.
Set out the findings
Component by component, with what is wrong and what it will take to put right, in terms a non-specialist can follow.
Free estimate for the repair scope
A defined scope with a number, which is usually what an adjuster needs to work from rather than a general description of damage.
Things that help your claim and cost you nothing
Note the date of the storm. Photograph anything that came down, before it is cleared. Keep receipts for emergency measures such as tarping. And do not have permanent repairs done before the insurer has had the chance to look, unless leaving it would cause further damage — in which case document the state it was in first.
What wind and water actually damage
Component by component, after a storm
01Cap or chase cover gone
- What you may notice
- Nothing on top of the flue, or a cover found in the yard.
- How it’s confirmed
- The most common single loss. It also means the flue has been open to rain since the storm, which matters more than the missing part itself.
02Flashing lifted or torn
- What you may notice
- A new ceiling stain next to the chimney appearing after the storm.
- How it’s confirmed
- Wind gets under the metal and peels it away from the masonry. It frequently looks minor from the ground and leaks badly.
03Crown cracked or displaced
- What you may notice
- Fresh cracks, or pieces of the crown on the roof.
- How it’s confirmed
- A crown that has moved rather than simply weathered is a storm finding, and the distinction matters for a claim.
04Masonry shifted or the stack leaning
- What you may notice
- Visible lean, a new gap at the roofline, or displaced bricks.
- How it’s confirmed
- A structural question. It is assessed before anyone decides whether the chimney can stay as it is.
05Liner cracked or shifted by impact or lightning
- What you may notice
- Nothing visible at all, which is exactly the problem.
- How it’s confirmed
- A lightning strike or a heavy impact can crack tiles the full height of the flue. Only a camera scan shows it.
06Debris in the flue
- What you may notice
- A fire that will not draw, or visible material past the damper.
- How it’s confirmed
- Branches and roof debris get driven into an uncapped flue. Cleared before the fireplace is used again.
07Chase siding or stucco damaged
- What you may notice
- Cracked stucco, missing siding panels, or daylight visible inside the chase.
- How it’s confirmed
- A framed chase with an opening in it takes water into the structure rather than into the flue, which is slower to notice and worse.
What to do first, and in what order
The sequence that works: make the house safe, get it assessed, then deal with the claim and the permanent repair. Doing the permanent repair first is the mistake that costs people money.
Where water is actively coming in, that is an urgent call rather than an inspection booking — see what we treat as an emergency. Calls are answered 24 hours Sunday through Friday and we are closed Saturday. Roof work waits for a roof that is safe to walk, which after a storm is usually the following dry morning.
Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November, and the sensible time for a pre-season check is May rather than the week a storm is named. The hurricane season chimney checklist covers what to look at beforehand.
Storm assessments are carried out across Orange, Seminole, Osceola and Lake counties. Estimates are free. After a major storm the whole region calls at once, so the earlier you get on the list the better.
References (10)
Facts and figures on this page come from these references.
- 1Spectrum News 13: Ian, a historic storm for Central Florida
- 2NHC Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Ian
- 3NHC Tropical Cyclone Report: Nicole
- 4ClickOrlando: Strongest winds in Central Florida from Hurricane Milton
- 5NHC Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Milton
- 6FEMA Mitigation Assessment Team, Hurricane Ian Recovery Advisory 3
- 7CurrentResults: Orlando weather averages
- 8FOX 35: Central Florida community named lightning capital (2022 data)
- 9NWS Melbourne: Lightning safety
- 10Highs Chimney: Level 1 and Level 2 chimney inspections (summary of CSIA/NFPA guidance)
