Inspection reports, hazard notices and relining contracts, signed at the hearth
A sweep is a twenty-minute job; the conversation afterward is the part that matters. You've found a cracked flue tile or glazed creosote, and the homeowner needs to understand that the fireplace shouldn't be used until it's fixed. SignMaster gets that finding acknowledged in writing at the hearth, then sends the relining proposal by link so the decision doesn't wait for your next visit.
Updated November 9, 2026 · 4 min read
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The paperwork in a chimney business
- Sweep and inspection ticketThe flues swept, the inspection level, drop cloths and vacuum, and what's extra, like removing a nest or a stuck damper. Signed before the brushes come out.
- Inspection findings acknowledgmentWhat you saw and what you recommend, item by item, with the homeowner's initials beside each one. The report itself can travel in the same envelope.
- Unsafe to use noticeWhen a flue is cracked, a liner is missing or creosote is glazed, the homeowner signs that they were told not to use the appliance until it's repaired.
- Camera scan or Level 3 authorizationThe fee for a video scan, or permission to open a wall or ceiling when a hidden hazard can only be checked that way, and who restores the finish.
- Repair proposalStainless liner, crown rebuild, cap, top-sealing damper, tuckpointing or waterproofing, with options the homeowner picks. The estimate acceptance form fits.
- Dryer vent and add-on servicesMany sweeps clean dryer vents too. Keep the ticket short and put both services on one envelope when you do both on the same visit.
Inspection levels and home sales
NFPA 211 sets three levels of chimney inspection. According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America's summary of the standard, a Level 2 inspection is required when a new heating appliance is added or the fuel type changes, upon the sale or transfer of a property, and after an operating malfunction or external event likely to have damaged the chimney. CSIA and NFPA recommend a yearly inspection either way.
The sale is where your paperwork travels furthest. The seller lets you in, the buyer wants the report, and two agents want a copy. Send the inspection agreement to the seller by link before the appointment, and when the report is ready, send it with the buyer as a signer who acknowledges receipt and the agents as CCs. A CC gets the finished, signed copy without having to sign anything.
Getting a hazard acknowledged on site
- 1
Write it up on your phone
Open your findings template, tick the conditions you found, and add a short description. A Photo field can show the cracked tile or the creosote, printed inside the signed PDF.
- 2
Walk the homeowner through it
Choose Sign in person and hand over the phone. The homeowner reads each finding, initials it, and signs the unsafe to use notice if you've issued one.
- 3
Both get a copy
When the envelope completes, the homeowner and your office get the sealed PDF by email with its certificate of completion: who signed, when and from which IP address. Each send is an envelope, SignMaster's word for one or more documents going to one or more signers.
- 4
Send the fix
Back at the truck, send the relining proposal by link with an expiry, so a price based on this season's liner cost can't be signed next fall. The homeowner approves on their phone.
If they won't sign
Some homeowners decline to sign a hazard notice. They can decline with a reason, which closes the envelope and records why. Keep your own note of what you told them, and ask your insurer how they want a refusal documented.
Busy season, sorted early
Everyone wants a sweep the week of the first cold snap. Spread the load by bulk sending a spring or summer booking agreement to last year's customers, with each address and the number of flues in labeled text boxes. Each row becomes its own envelope, and the batch shows who has booked. Solo sends up to 250 rows at a time and Crew 500.
Pricing for a sweep company
Solo is $15 a month, unlimited envelopes, for a sweep who works alone. Crew is $49 a month for 5 people, so your sweeps, your mason and the office share templates. New workspaces get 14 days of Crew free, no card. See every plan.
What SignMaster doesn't do
- It doesn't write inspection reports. Bring the PDF your reporting software makes, or your own form.
- It doesn't schedule sweeps or take payments.
- It doesn't decide what your notices should say. Have your insurer or lawyer word the unsafe to use notice.
- It sends signing links by email. Copy a link if you'd rather text it.
Questions? Answers.
When is a Level 2 chimney inspection required?
Under NFPA 211, as summarized by the Chimney Safety Institute of America: when the appliance or fuel type changes, when the property is sold or transferred, and after a malfunction or event likely to have damaged the chimney.
Can homeowners sign an inspection report on my phone?
Yes. Send the report with an acknowledgment page, choose Sign in person and hand over the phone. They initial each finding and sign, with no account needed.
How do I send an inspection report to the buyer and both agents?
Add the buyer as a signer who acknowledges receipt and the agents as CCs. Everyone gets the same signed PDF when the buyer signs.
Can a repair proposal expire?
Yes. Set an expiry when you send it and the signing link stops working after that many days, so an old price can't be accepted later.