Drones are becoming an increasingly common way to conduct reality inspections.
While they come with a steep sticker price, they are actually affordable from a commercial perspective, particularly when one considers their unique ability to access hard-to-reach spots.
The idea of using a drone for your yearly chimney inspection is an exciting perspective—one that is sure to excite your young children in a way that traditional chimney sweeps never quite have in the past.
And yet it’s natural to wonder if drones really can perform an effective yearly chimney inspection the way more traditional methods can.
Read on to learn more!
How Chimney Drone Inspections Work
Drone chimney photography is quite different from your average yearly chimney inspection.
In this part of the article, we highlight how the preparation work differs from what you might be used to.
Pre-flight Preparation
Pre-flight preparation for your yearly chimney inspection is relatively straightforward.
The battery life will need to be verified.
Even very high-quality drones can usually only run for about thirty minutes without a backup charge.
That should be enough for just about any yearly chimney inspection.
The technician may also need to adjust the sensitivity controls to ensure safe piloting—through onboard sensors significantly reducing the risk of significant issues.
Launch the Drone
Now that the drone has been prepped, it will be ready to go.
The technician will launch the drone to perform your yearly chimney inspection.
Inspect the Chimney
Once airborne, the drone can conduct a pretty standard yearly chimney inspection, but without any of the usual infrastructure that is required for performing a detailed evaluation.
Review The Drone Images and Analyze the Data
Once the drone is finished performing the yearly chimney inspection it is time to take a look at the images and analyze the data.
Modern drones can take incredibly vivid pictures, making them a very reliable resource.
The Benefits of Chimney Drone Inspections
Of course, drones are about more than just using a flashy new technology for your yearly chimney inspection.
Below we highlight the benefits you can inspect to encounter.
Drone Inspections Are Safe
Because drones are piloted remotely, they are significantly safer than climber-led inspections.
When something goes wrong in a traditional inspection, people can get hurt.
There is never that risk when you use a drone.
Efficiency and Fast Turn Around
Drones are also very fast.
Traditional chimney inspections can require climbing, ladders, and even complex scaffolding depending on the type of building that is being treated.
These things can cost a significant amount of time and money.
Drones make them unnecessary.
High-Quality Imagery Is Guaranteed
Drones also just take excellent pictures.
The best drones match or even exceed DSLR quality and are made with the specific purpose of taking photography to—please pardon the pun—new heights.
The better the pictures, the easier it is to evaluate the chimney and identify potential issues.
The Environmental Impact
It’s also worth pointing out that drones are broadly considered to be environmentally friendly.
Powered by battery, they do not contribute to significant carbon emissions.
Consequently, many industries—including delivery and transportation—are looking to drones as a way to dramatically cut their carbon footprint.
Finding the Best Chimney Inspector
Drones or no drones, you want to make sure you use the best possible chimney inspector in your area.
Below, we highlight a few considerations that will help you find the right person for the job.
Ask for Referrals
Most high-quality chimney inspectors will only be too delighted to provide you with a list of previous customers who are willing to attest to the good work that they do.
While there are exceptions (newer businesses, for example) there is usually a bad reason behind businesses that aren’t willing to supply references.
Check Online Reviews
Online reviews are another great way to get a feel for how a reputable masonry business interacts with its customers.
Look not just at what people say, but also at how the business responds to it.
A professional, courteous response even to negative feedback says a great deal about the company.
Look for Certifications and Insurance
Certifications and insurance will ensure that the company you select is above board.
This is something that you should be able to verify with a quick web search.
Compare Pricing
Chimney inspections can vary somewhat dramatically in price.
You should make a point of comparing prices.
The lowest price isn’t necessarily the best buy, but it is good to know what your options are before you make your final choice.
Stay On Top Of Your Chimney’s Health And Get Your Yearly Chimney Inspection
Your chimney’s health is important for both your safety and the value of your home.
Yearly chimney inspections are all it takes to stay on top of your chimney health.
Drones are an exciting new way to do a job that has been vital for many decades.
Contact us today to find out more about how you can set up your yearly inspection.
If you found this helpful, you may also be interested in Chimney Sweeping 101.
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