How should I answer the fireplace question on a Minnesota seller's disclosure?
Answer from what you know, and if you are not sure, find out before you list. Minn. Stat. 513.55 requires sellers to disclose known material facts in writing before a purchase agreement is signed. The Minnesota Realtors disclosure form asks whether the fireplace, fireplace mechanisms, wood-burning stove and carbon monoxide detector are in working order. A free chimney inspection gives you photos and a written answer.
Minneapolis Fireplace & Chimney · October 31, 2026
What the law requires
Minnesota's seller disclosure statute, Minn. Stat. 513.55, says a seller must disclose in writing all material facts the seller is aware of that could adversely and significantly affect an ordinary buyer's use or enjoyment of the property. The disclosure is due before the buyer signs a purchase agreement.
The statute itself does not list fireplaces or chimneys. It is a general duty to share what you know. The form also reminds sellers that if something changes before closing, they must tell the buyer in writing, under 513.58.
Where the fireplace shows up on the form
Most Twin Cities sales use the Seller's Property Disclosure Statement published by the Minnesota Association of Realtors. One section is a checklist of items, each marked as present or not and as in working order or not. The ones that touch our work:
- Fireplace
- Fireplace mechanisms
- Wood-burning stove
- Carbon monoxide detector
Why sellers get stuck on it
Plenty of owners have not lit a fire in years. A gas fireplace may have been turned off at the valve since the last owner moved out. An old masonry fireplace may draw fine but have a cracked flue tile no one has seen. Checking "yes" without knowing, or "no" without explaining, both leave room for trouble later in the sale.
Buyers ask too. A buyer's general home inspection usually looks at the fireplace from the room and the chimney from the ground or a ladder. If the inspector notes a cracked crown, missing cap or rusted damper, the question lands back on the seller, often in the middle of negotiations. Having photos and a written report from before the listing keeps that conversation short.
What our home-sale inspection covers
The home-sale inspection is free, for sellers before listing and for buyers during the inspection period. We look at the chimney from the roof and the fireplace, stove or gas unit from inside, photograph what we find and write it up in plain language you can attach to your disclosure or share with the other side.
If something looks wrong deep inside the flue and we cannot see it from the top or the firebox, we will tell you. A camera scan is priced at the inspection. Repairs, if any, come with a written price so you can decide whether to fix it, credit it or disclose it.
- Crown, cap, flashing and the brick or siding of the chimney.
- Damper, firebox, smoke chamber and flue as far as we can see.
- For gas units: pilot, burner, glass, vent and whether it lights and stays lit.
- Whether a furnace or water heater shares the chimney and how it is lined, under Minnesota's fuel gas rules.
- CO alarm placement near the bedrooms, under Minn. Stat. 299F.51.
Timing
Book it before photos and listing, if you can. Chimney repairs in fall and winter can be weather dependent, and a crown or flashing job is easier to schedule on your timeline than on the buyer's. Nationally, HomeGuide puts chimney inspections at $100 to $250. Ours costs nothing, and visits run Sunday through Friday in 3-hour windows.
FAQ
More answers
Do I have to disclose a fireplace I never use?
The duty is to disclose material facts you know about. If you know the fireplace is unsafe or does not work, that is the kind of thing the form asks about. If you do not know, an inspection tells you.
I am buying. Can I get the inspection during my contingency period?
Yes. The home-sale inspection is free for buyers too. Tell us your deadline when you book so we can fit it in.
Will you give me something in writing?
Yes. You get photos and written findings, plus a written price for anything that needs repair.
Keep reading
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What happens to the water heater when a new furnace stops using the chimney?A new side-vented furnace can leave the water heater alone in an oversized brick flue. What IFGC 501.15 says about resizing, and how the fix works in Twin Cities homes.
Is the winter leak in my ceiling an ice dam or the chimney?Water on the ceiling after a thaw can be an ice dam or a leaking chimney. Where the stain shows, what UMN Extension says about ice dams, and what each repair costs.
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Free inspection in a 3-hour arrival window: 8 to 11, 11 to 2, or 2 to 5, Sunday through Friday. We phone to confirm before we come.