WETT Inspection Onboarding Terms & Conditions and Checklist

The following document outlines the terms, conditions, and checklist to prepare for your upcoming WETT inspection. Please read carefully, complete all sections, and check off each item to confirm your understanding and agreement.

Welcome to our WETT inspection service.

At Safe Home Fireplace, our goal is to assess your fireplace thoroughly to determine its compliance with safety standards. Our lead inspector, Matt Lawless, who has been refining his expertise in all aspects of wood-burning fireplaces since 2004—from installation and removal to maintenance and inspections—is the most experienced and qualified professional in the London, Grand Bend, Sarnia, Chatham, and St Thomas areas. His unmatched credentials with the WETT Organization, a result of years of field experience and consistently achieving a minimum A+ on his exams, have made him the go-to expert for fire marshals’ offices and engineering firms determining the source of fires related to wood-burning appliances.

Choosing Safe Home Fireplace means opting for top-quality inspection services. Our WETT onboarding checklist sets clear expectations about the inspection process, ensuring you understand exactly what it involves and the standards it assesses. With us, you’re not just getting an inspection; you’re securing your home’s safety with the best in the business.

Meet Matt Lawless:
Your Expert in Fireplace Safety and WETT Inspections

At Safe Home Fireplace, we understand the critical importance of your fireplace’s safety and efficiency. That’s why we’re proud to spotlight Matt Lawless, a seasoned professional in the Fireplace industry since 2004 and our principal inspector, who brings unparalleled expertise and commitment to the fireplace inspection and safety domain. With our detailed WETT onboarding checklist, you’ll be confident that your fireplace is in the most skilled hands.

Matt Lawless has been a stalwart in the fireplace industry, dedicating his career to the installation, removal, maintenance, and inspection of fireplaces. With over two decades of hands-on experience, Matt’s depth of knowledge and dedication distinguishes him in a field where practical experience is invaluable.

Matt stands alone in his level of certification across the London, Grand Bend, Sarnia, Chatham, and St Thomas regions. He is the only inspector in these areas with an advanced and comprehensive designation from the WETT Organization. Many professionals in Southwestern Ontario meet only the minimum standards through coursework and exams, while Matt’s extensive field experience and advanced certifications — including Advanced Technician, Advanced Chimney Sweep, and SITE Comprehensive Inspector — ensure a superior level of service and insight.

Choosing Matt Lawless and Safe Home Fireplace means opting for a level of expertise and dedication that is unmatched in the region. Whether it’s through our thorough WETT onboarding checklist or Matt’s exceptional inspection services, we are committed to ensuring the safety and efficiency of your fireplace. At Safe Home Fireplace, we not only meet the standards — we set them.

As per the WETT Organization

Level 1: Visual Inspection — “Readily Accessible”

Readily Accessible is defined as quickly or easily reached for inspection.
A Visual inspection does not require the use of special tools for the opening or removal of any panel, door, covering, or system components; nor (unless at the discretion of the inspector and client) would it require the use of ladders.
An inspector will measure clearances, open stove doors and all ground-accessible dampers/clean-out doors, visually inspect the chimney from the ground and inspect the easily visible portions of the flue (such as first tiles of an open fireplace, or top section if the inspector has accessed the roof ).
A measuring tape, flashlight, mirror, camera, selfie-stick and/or other basic tools should comprise (but are not limited to) the typical tools required to perform for this level of inspection.

Level 2: Technical Inspection — “Accessible”

Accessible is defined as able to be reached for the purpose of inspection, without the use of invasive methods to access areas of the building, property or components of the solid-fuel-burning system.
Access may require the moving or removal of doors, panels, other coverings or system components, taking apart flue pipes, entering the attic to view additional system components or accessing the chimney from the roof.
Accessible system and/or building components can be repositioned to their original location and/or condition.
In addition to the tools used in a Visual inspection, the inspector may use a ladder and hand tools, including screwdrivers, wrenches and pliers.

Level 3: Invasive Inspection — “Concealed Accessibility”

Concealed Accessibility is defined as not able to be accessed except by invasive methods.
Access to concealed areas would require general construction work to building elements, including the opening of walls or ceilings, the disassembly or invasive work on masonry or prefab chimneys and examination of the chimney liner.
It may not be possible to reposition the removed property or system components to their original location and/or condition.
A permit would be required from the Authority Having Jurisdiction when compromising structural building components. The WETT inspector should get an agreement in writing from the client prior to any invasive methods.
In addition to the tools used in a Visual and Technical inspection, the inspector may use specialty tools such as video scanning or other equipment utilized by installers or chimney sweeps. Power tools including drills, saws or other equipment may be used, based upon work required.

Additional Important Information

An inspector will be able to help you assess which level of inspection is required based on your needs. For most insurance and real estate inspections, a Visual inspection may be sufficient. If, during the course of the inspection, the inspector sees signs of concern, a Technical or Invasive inspection may be recommended. Inspection or service of a solid fuel-burning system may result in a recommendation for further action including, but not limited to, repair or replacement of system components, and/or sweeping of the venting system, and/or a higher level of inspection.
If your wood-burning system is not functioning properly or is causing concerns such as smoke spillage, rapid creosote accumulation, etc., you should discontinue use and contact a WETT-certified technician or sweep. You will receive a written report detailing the areas in which the installation meets or does not meet the requirements of the manufacturer’s installation instructions and the appropriate codes. An installation is either in compliance with the inspection area or it is not.
WETT provides members with inspection forms for their use. Typically, most forms for Visual inspections will capture information that includes appliance type, certification markings, clearances and if the installation meets the relevant codes. Given the detailed nature of Technical and Invasive inspections, additional information may be captured.
The nature of any inspection report is that it records what was seen at the date and time of the inspection. After completing an inspection report and leaving the premises, the inspector has no control over, nor knowledge of, any changes to a solid-fuel-burning system. Consequently, an inspection report can only warrant what was seen and recorded at the time of the inspection.

Can I get a WETT inspection or a WETT certificate?

A WETT inspection is the inspection of a solid-fuel-burning system, performed by a WETT-certified professional, for compliance with applicable codes and standards. Appliances or installations cannot be WETT certified.
WETT frequently receives requests for a “WETT certificate,” a “WETT certification,” a “WETT approval” or asked if it’s a “WETT-certified installation.” We also receive requests for companies that are “WETT certified.” These are common misconceptions — they do not exist. What should be issued is an inspection report completed by someone who is WETT certified. The WETT certification number of the member should be included on his or her report.
Contact a WETT-certified professional to inspect your solid-fuel-burning system. WETT has adopted a process to help identify the level of inspection required. We call this SITE®.

CANCELLATION & RESCHEDULING POLICY

Safe Home Fireplace prefers at least 48 hours notice for cancelling or rescheduling a service. If a cancellation or reschedule is made with less than 24 hours notice (one business day), 50% of the fee will be retained, and the remaining 50% will be refunded within five business days of the originally scheduled appointment.

REFUND POLICY & SERVICE LIMITATIONS

If the chimney cannot be cleaned due to circumstances beyond our control, such as a non-functional damper or code compliance issues like the absence of a required stainless steel chimney liner for an insert, a 50% refund will be issued within five business days of the original appointment.

WETT Inspection Onboarding Terms & Conditions and Checklist

Client Information

Payment Terms

Inspection Appointment Details

Appliance and Chimney Information

Understanding WETT Inspections

Previous Inspections

Agreement and Signature

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