What is a WETT Certified Inspection?
Wood Energy Technical Training provides all the information an inspector requires to check your wood stove, fireplace or pellet stove to ensure it meets or exceeds the current requirements of Ontario Building Code, the Ontario Fire Code, CSA, ULC or other acceptable listing agency.
A $75.00 WETT inspection is available with all our home inspection packages, our regular price is $200.00. Most home insurance companies now require an inspection prior to issuing policy. An inspection involves checking the appliance for certification by a registered agency such as ULC or Warnock Hersey and ensuring all clearance requirements are met.
If unit is not certified requirements are more stringent. Chimneys also have to be inspected which requires that they be visible. One common problem often found in older homes is the fireplace hearth usually projects only 12 inches. Today’s requirement is 16 inches of non-combustible projection from the front of fireplace. We provide WETT inspection services to Orillia and Simcoe County.
As part of the Home Inspection we always inspect your chimney for visible damage and proper sealing of chimney cap and flue tile. We always recommend installing a rain cap if none if present and water and moisture are a chimney’s biggest enemy except for a chimney fire. Chimney fires can seriously compromise the structure of your chimney and if you have one or even suspect you might have had one it would be wise to call in a certified chimney sweep for a through cleaning and inspection. There might not be any protection left in the chimney which is between your home and your fire. Read more about Fireplace Construction and Safety
WETT Inspections are usually required when people are buying a new home with a Wood Burning Appliance or the Home Owner decides to install a wood stove, pellet stove or fireplace.
When purchasing your new home the wood burning appliance will have to be inspected. The chimney or flue pipe is part of this inspection and will normally include using a ladder to reach the roof and visually inspect the flue pipe for correct installation and also for any visible damages.
The most common damage is from water entry into chimney cap or flue pipe area. Many homes with masonry chimneys have no rain cap 
so water, moisture and snow all enter your chimney at will. During the winter months water penetrates any small or hairline crack and expands when the water is frozen. This is a slow process but eventually the freezing action will crack your flue tile and your chimney cap if not properly sealed.
The old style mortar chimney caps are no longer in use and a one-piece cap is used. This cap comes with a built in drip edge which prevents water from running under cap and attacking the brick joints underneath. Clay bricks are especially vulnerable to moisture which causes brick spalling and can cause quite a lot of damage if not properly maintained. Clay bricks are not capable of being in contact with moisture on a continual basis and the moisture contact will cause bricks to spall. Moisture will first erode the mortar joints and then start attacking the brick.
Concrete bricks are a lot more moisture resistant than clay bricks due to having the same consistency throughout the brick. Clay bricks have a fired surface and when moisture gets behind the fired surface and expands the front of brick breaks off, sometime in small chips or even in large sections of brick.
An ounce of prevention is definitely worth a pound of cure as far as masonry chimneys are concerned. Installing a rain cap and ensuring all joints and surfaces are sealed to the elements is a good investment in your time when considering the savings incurred by not having to hire a brick mason for brick or flue tile repair.
Learn more about WETT Certified Inspections
Satisfied WETT Inspection Customers
Installation Guides for most of the Popular Wood Stoves and Fireplace Inserts
Century Wood Stove | Hearthstone Stoves | Heat & Glo Fireplaces | Napoleon - Wolf Steel Stoves | Osburn Wood Stoves | Pacific Energy Stoves | Vermont Castings | Uncertified Wood Stoves | | Appalachian Wood Stoves | Wood Stoves in Garages | Discontinued Napoleon Models | Regency Wood Stoves