A customer in Greenville made me rethink my whole approach to inspections

I was doing a routine cleaning for a nice older couple last fall, and the husband, a retired engineer, asked if I ever checked the smoke shelf with a mirror. I admitted I usually just go by feel. He brought out a small dental mirror he had, and when I angled it up there, I saw a crack in the flue liner I would have completely missed. He just said, 'Sometimes the old ways are the best for a reason.' Now I carry a telescoping inspection mirror on every job. Has anyone else added a simple tool that made a big difference?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_hugo4d ago

But how big was this crack really? A small hairline crack in the flue liner isn't always an emergency. Did it actually need fixing right away, or was it just something minor the homeowner freaked out about? Sometimes guys overreact to tiny things they see with a new tool.

the_patricia4d ago

That hairline crack was three inches long.