Apprentice exam study guide
Chimney parts, terms and picture ID. These are the topics the Apprentice exam draws from and the pages in The Chimney Inspector Training Manual that cover each one. Read those pages, then take the exam.
Topics and manual pages
The exam picks 20 questions at random from 47 apprentice-level questions, so the count shows how often a topic can come up. Page numbers are the flipbook's page numbers and open the online manual at that page. No questions or answers are shown here.
| Topic | Questions in the bank | Study these pages |
|---|---|---|
| Masonry chimney parts Naming the parts of a masonry chimney and fireplace on the manual’s cutaway diagrams. | 19 (13 with a picture) | p. 15, pp. 44–45, p. 47, p. 49, p. 54, pp. 56–57, p. 65, p. 67, p. 70, p. 75, p. 78, p. 80, p. 82, p. 84, p. 115, p. 177, p. 230 |
| Factory-built chimney parts Naming the parts of factory-built (prefab) fireplaces and chimneys. | 10 (5 with a picture) | pp. 7–8, p. 10, p. 15, p. 18, p. 30, p. 35, p. 191, pp. 193–194 |
| Creosote What creosote is, how it forms and how it builds up. | 5 | p. 151, p. 153, p. 157, p. 159 |
| Leaks Where chimney leaks start and the parts involved. | 3 | p. 57, p. 182, p. 187 |
| Masonry basics Brick, mortar and the masonry parts of a chimney. | 3 | pp. 59–60, p. 75, p. 391 |
| Dampers Throat and top-sealing dampers. | 2 | pp. 80–81 |
| Draft basics What makes a chimney draw. | 2 | p. 102, p. 107 |
| Dryer vents Dryer vent parts and safe venting. | 2 | p. 333, pp. 339–340 |
| Code basics How the codes apply to chimneys and fireplaces. | 1 | p. 12, p. 107 |
Background reading
Plain-English Knowledge Center articles on some of these topics:
- Components of a Chimney That Are Inspected During a Professional Inspection (Masonry chimney parts)
- What Is a Chimney Chase Cover? (Factory-built chimney parts)
- The Importance of Creosote Removal (Creosote)
- Important Tips to Prevent a Chimney Fire (Creosote)
- Waterproofing Your Chimney (Leaks)
- Why Is Chimney Flashing Important? (Leaks)
- What You Need to Know About Chimney Repointing (Masonry basics)
- A Comprehensive Guide to Chimney Damper Repair (Dampers)
- Understanding the Causes of Chimney Downdraft (Draft basics)
- The Importance of Dryer Vent Cleaning (Dryer vents)
Also helpful
Ray's free training videos cover the same material. The Certified Master exam draws from all three levels (15 apprentice, 45 journeyman, 40 master questions).
Other guides: Journeyman study guide · Master study guide
Based on The Chimney Inspector Training Manual (Soot to Success) by Ray Gessner, P.E. Chimney Testing is a ChimneySweeps.com practice program, not an official certification.