Serving Bailey, Conifer, Morrison, Evergreen, Golden, Pine, Fairplay Areas
Call Us Today! 303.838.3009
Entertain All Spring Long with a Beautiful Outdoor Fireplace
Now that it’s March, another cold, snowy Colorado winter is almost over. Spring is in sight and we’re looking forward to spending some time outdoors. Whether you are into mountain climbing, hiking or walking, you’re ready for the feeling of warm sunshine. Another thing to look forward to is inviting your friends over and doing some entertaining. How much fun it is to plan a day out doing outdoor activities and then keep the fun going with some good food, drinks, and conversation around a crackling fire. Entertaining is so much easier when you can sit outside, and you can invite more people over because there’s more room to put them! If you really want to add to the fun, now’s the time to think about installing a beautiful outdoor fireplace.
Benefits of an Outdoor Fireplace
Whether you have some sort of firepit already but want to upgrade or you’ve just been thinking about it for a while, springtime is a perfect time to think about installing one and Chimney Doctors of Colorado is the perfect company to call to do the installing. We have the experience, the equipment, and the wide variety of merchandise needed to get you just the outdoor fireplace that will make your backyard a welcoming place to entertain. But you might be wondering what some of the benefits of an outdoor fireplace might be.
First, just being able to get your guests outdoors is a definite benefit. Everyone is ready to just be out in the fresh air, and this is a great way to do it. Today’s fireplaces are designed to be useful and aesthetically pleasing, so you don’t have to worry about just having a ring of rocks or bricks in the middle of your yard. No matter what look you’re wanting, whether it’s more rustic or a more sleek, modern design, we can set you up. Add some chairs and decorative side tables, and you’ve got the makings of a great party!
We can Handle Gas Line Installation
Another thing you might be worried about is adding a gas line. This is another reason that hiring Chimney Doctors of Colorado is a great idea. We can handle installing a gas line, whether it’s natural gas or propane. Our qualified professionals know all the regulations and will make sure that everything is done properly so that you need never worry about the safety of your family and friends.
Whether you have a big space or a small backyard, we can find the perfect backyard fireplace for you. Colorado has so much natural beauty that it’s a shame to waste a minute indoors. Making the decision to have a new fireplace installed is the hardest part! Just give us a call today and we’ll have you outdoors, entertaining all your friends before you know it!
It’s the Beginning of a New Year: Have Your Chimney Cleaned and Inspected
There are so many things that people want to do at the beginning of the year. There’s something so satisfying about making a list and crossing off the items. Whether it’s exercising, relaxing, or scheduling more family time, February is the time to make habits reality. Some tasks are done once, and done for the year. This may include attic cleaning, garage cleaning or deep cleaning the house. Another task to be done with it is having your chimney inspected and cleaned. It’s a good idea to give Chimney Doctors of Colorado a call soon to schedule your annual inspection and sweeping. Don’t forget about this important part of your chimney and fireplace system’s upkeep!
Importance of an Annual Inspection
Some of those items on your to-do list can probably be skipped. If they don’t get done this year, they’ll wait until the next. But when it comes to a chimney inspection, this isn’t the case. It’s very important that you have it done once a year or more you use your fireplace very regularly. We will be looking for signs of damage that may have occurred since the last inspection. If your flue liner is cracked or damaged it could be letting dangerous gases from combustion back into your home instead of out of the chimney. Damage to the liner removes a layer between the fire and any combustible items near the fireplace in your home. If these items get too hot they can catch fire, even without a spark. If we see damage, we’ll recommend a relining.
Another thing that we’ll be looking for is leakage. Water leaks can cause considerable damage to the structure of your chimney as well as to some of the metal components, such as the damper system. Precipitation can wear away at the mortar of your chimney, causing the bricks to loosen and cracks to appear. There are numerous ways that water damage can happen.
Water Damage
One reason that you may be experiencing water leaking through your roof might be because of loose or rusty flashing. The flashing is the strips of metal that are located at the base of your chimney where it meets the roof. This is the perfect spot for rain to get into your home, and those strips are layered in such a way as to redirect that rain away from this spot. The problem with metal strips, however, is that they may rust or even tear or break loose in high winds. We’ll check to be sure that your flashing is in good condition and secured so that rain stays out.
Have Your Inspection Completed Soon
These are just a few of the things that we’ll be looking for when we come in and get your chimney inspected. We have a great reputation for being thorough and providing excellent service, and we want to make sure that every customer is completely satisfied with the service we provide. Your family’s safety is the most important thing to you, so give us a call today and we’ll give you the best inspection and cleaning you can find!
We Offer an Assortment of Chimney and Masonry Repairs
If there’s one thing that you don’t want to fall into a state of disrepair, it’s your chimney. You may think that this isn’t likely, because chimneys are extremely sturdy and durable structures. However, all things are susceptible to the weathering process of wind, rain, and other precipitation. The mortar is especially vulnerable to the freeze-thaw cycle, bricks can especially fall victim to the effects of this process.
In Colorado, the winter brings some really harsh and cold weather. When precipitation falls, it gets into the pores of the bricks and mortar of your chimney. The precipitation freezes and expands, making the pores bigger. As this process continues, the pores get bigger and bigger, and that can eventually cause structural damage. Structural damage from the freeze-thaw cycle is just one types of chimney repair that the Chimney Doctors of Colorado take care of.
Water Damage
Not only can the freeze-thaw cycle cause damage to your mortar, leaks running down your chimney can also cause more damage. When water continually trickles down the interior of the chimney, it can cause a weathering effect. This wears down the mortar and weakens the structure. It also cause cracks in the mortar, and that allows smoke to come back into your home rather than out the chimney. When our team comes into your home, we’ll look for problems that can cause leaks such as loose flashing or damaged chimney cap or crown.
Undetected Chimney Fire
When you call the Chimney Doctors of Colorado to come inspect your chimney and fireplace, we’ll look for water damage and other damage since your last inspection. We’ll look for other damages as well such as damage that come from an undetected chimney fire.
When most people think of a chimney fire, the thoughts of roaring, destructive flames come to mind. More often, a chimney doesn’t offer enough draft for this to happen, and a chimney fire often burns out before it gets to this point. In fact, most chimney fires burn out before a homeowner even knows that it has occurred. This is especially dangerous because it may have caused damage to the structure that need repairs. When these repairs are not addressed, further damages occur to your chimney structure and home.
Call Chimney Doctors of Colorado
If you suspect that your chimney has been damaged and need masonry repair work, call Chimney Doctors of Colorado today. Our credentials with the Chimney Safety Institute of America, the National Fireplace Institute, and the National Chimney Sweep Guild, say it all! We are dedicated to excellent service, and we want to serve you with the best knowledge and products. When it comes to chimney and masonry repair services, call us now!
Let Us Install Your Gas Line
Now that the new year is here, you can finally start thinking about the changes that you’d like to make and the goals you’d like to reach. Maybe you’ve been putting off redecorating a certain room in your home. Or maybe you’ve been wanting to buy a new vehicle. Starting a new workout regime is probably at the top of a lot of people’s resolution list. If you are looking to make a change in 2019, one thing you might want to look into is changing from a wood burning fireplace to a gas burning fireplace. Or maybe you already have a gas fireplace, but you know it’s time to install a new gas line. Whatever the case may be, the decision of which company to call to install that new gas line is an easy one. Chimney Doctors of Colorado is the company to call when it comes to top of the line service and the best products on the market.
Why Convert To Gas?
There are a couple of reasons why it’s a great idea to convert to a gas fireplace, but the number one reason has to be convenience. Burning with wood requires some work; you need to find a source for wood, go out and cut it up, then haul it home, stack it correctly, and leave it set for at least six months so that it’s dried out enough to burn cleanly and efficiently. This is all before winter even hits! Once cold weather hits and you’re ready to build a fire, there’s hauling wood into the house, laying the fire, starting it, then adding wood as it burns down to keep a good flame going. If this seems like a lot to go through to enjoy a good fire, then gas is the way to go. After the gas line has been installed and connected, all you need to do to enjoy a burning fire is to flip a switch. Time to go to bed? Just flip the switch again and the fire is gone. Nothing could be easier or more convenient.
Another reason to convert to gas is because it’s easy on the environment. Gas is a clean fuel that uses less energy to keep you warm.
Who to Call
If it’s time to make the change from wood to gas, the company to pick to install your gas line is Chimney Doctors of Colorado. We have the expertise and the experience to do the job safely and efficiently. After we install the gas line, we do a pressure-test through the gas line to make sure that it has been installed correctly and that everything is safe. Give us a call at 303-838-3009 and make an appointment. We can start out with showing your our products and helping you pick the perfect product for your home, then go all the way to the end by installing your gas line. We look forward to working with you soon!
Chimney Waterproofing
Precipitation. In the spring, it’s a sweet sound, washing away the dirt and grime of a long winter. In the summer, it’s a much needed element to make the crops, gardens, and lawns stay green and fresh. In the fall, when the harvest is out, it replenishes the moisture level of the soil and helps get things ready for the next growing season. And in the winter, precipitation continues to add moisture to the soil, and if it’s snow, can coat the ground in a blanket of beauty. With all of the good that precipitation does, is there a downside? Well, if you own a home with a chimney, there definitely is a downside to all this precipitation. There are several ways that water can cause major damage to a chimney. Fortunately, there are also ways to make sure that this damage has as little effect as possible, and when you hire Chimney Doctors of Colorado, you know that we’ll do everything possible to make sure that your chimney and fireplace are taken care of.
Negative Effects of Precipitation
Although your brick and mortar chimney seems like an indestructible structure, this simple thing, precipitation, can wreak havoc on that structure. First, in a cold Colorado winter, you can count on the freeze-thaw cycle being a problem. Mortar is a porous substance, and when precipitation falls, it gets into those pores. When the cold winter weather hits, this moisture freezes and expands, causing the pores to get bigger. As this cycle continues, the enlarged pores can cause the very structure of your chimney to weaken. This is why we will closely inspect your chimney to make sure that no structural damage is present.
Structural damage is bad, but there are other things to look for when you suspect that water damage is occurring. If you are noticing water stains on the ceiling next to your fireplace, or if the wallpaper or floor boards are soft or weakened, it’s likely that there is a leak somewhere in your chimney. It may be that your dampers or other metal accessories are rusting, or you may just notice that there’s water in the firebox. Any water leaks can cause major damage to your fireplace and to your home.
Water Leakage Solutions
At Chimney Doctors of Colorado, we have several options to take care of your chimney leak problems. We will check out your flashing to make sure they aren’t damaged or loose, and your chimney cap and crown to be sure that no precipitation is able to get in. But for a long-lasting solution, we will also recommend that you have your chimney waterproofed. This process includes applying a solution that will keep water from entering your chimney while allowing moisture that’s already inside the mortar to escape. The best product in the industry is ChimneySaver, and that’s just the product we use to make sure that your home and fireplace are kept dry and strong.
Give Chimney Doctors of Colorado a call today and let us give your chimney a proper waterproofing soon!
We Have the Best Chimney Caps and Top Sealing Dampers
There is just something about a fireplace that makes people feel welcome. When you walk in the room out of a snowy Colorado night, if there’s a snapping, crackling fire burning in the fireplace, you’ll get warmed up in no time. A fire brings a cozy ambiance to any room. When you build a fire, it’s easy to just think about laying the wood, lighting some kindling, and enjoying the warmth. But there’s a lot more to the process if you want to continue to enjoy this feeling night after night. You need to make sure that your fireplace system has been cleaned and inspected on a regular basis and that all the parts are working properly so that you can relax by your fireplace with confidence.
Chimney Caps
If you take a look at your chimney from the outside, you’ll see that on top there is a concrete piece built right on top of the chimney. This is the chimney crown, and it serves the purpose of directing rain water away from the sides of the chimney and the juncture where the chimney meets the roof. This area is covered by the flashing, but a chimney crown is added protection against leaks occurring. But that still leaves the opening on your chimney unprotected. If you’re worried about precipitation sneaking into your house down the top of your chimney, then what you need to be considering is installing a chimney crown. A chimney cap sits on top of the chimney crown, and is uniquely designed with grated sides which allow the smoke to escape while keeping animals, birds, and other debris out of your chimney. The top of it is designed to have solid, sloping sides that direct precipitation onto the crown and onto the roof, where it will glide down to the rain gutters instead of running down your chimney. If your chimney cap needs repair work, give Chimney Doctors of Colorado a call. If you don’t have a chimney cap and you’re looking to purchase one, give us a call as well. We offer a wide range of chimney caps to match your size and style of chimney.
Top Sealing Dampers
Another route to go if you’re looking to keep the precipitation out of your chimney is to add a top-sealing damper. With regular dampers, which are located further down the chimney, you open or close them in order to allow smoke out while you’re using your fireplace or to keep the warmth of your furnace air in your home. A top sealing damper sits directly on top of the chimney crown, and it has cables attached to it so you can open or close it depending on whether your fireplace is in use or not. This allows you to keep precipitation from falling into your chimney, and allows for a better seal than regular dampers. Working together with a screened cap, you’ll have all the protection you need! Call Chimney Doctors of Colorado and we’ll get you set up in no time!
Does Your Fireplace Need a Facelift?
Now that the holiday season is rapidly approaching, you’ve got so many things on your mind. Not to mention, your to-do list is probably about a mile long! One of the great things about the holidays is the opportunity to invite friends and family over to enjoy the holidays with you. But have you noticed that when you start thinking about hosting a celebration of these sorts, you start to notice that your house isn’t looking as spiffy as you’d like it to? All the little flaws and imperfections start looking very obvious! If you’re thinking that you’d like to make some changes, one great place to start is your fireplace. Whether you’re thinking about making big changes or smaller ones, when you start with your fireplace, it’ll make a big difference with the ambiance of the room and your home.
Changes You Can Make
If you want to make a change but would like to start small, then start with something like adding a screen? There are different types of screens to choose from, so you should be able to find something that fits right in with the look you’re going for. If you have a little more time on your hands and are feeling slightly more ambitious, you might want to look at adding some color to your room by painting the fireplace surround. Contrasting colors work well and make your fireplace a focal point of a room.
If you don’t mind spending a little more, you might want to go for a completely different look by adding a new surround. There are many different looks and colors to consider. Tiles come in a wide variety of colors, and you can choose from styles varying from old fashioned to contemporary. Or opt for a traditional look by adding a stone veneer fireplace surround.
A great way to add new style to your fireplace is to replace your current mantel. Did you know that mantels come in different styles? If replacing the mantel itself isn’t an option, try decorations sure to bring life to the holiday season. You can look to the great outdoors for inspiration and add some evergreen boughs and pine cones to the mantel. An old fashioned lantern adds rustic charm, and red bows give the whole look color and cheeriness. Or look to your ornament collection to add a festive, holiday touch. Ornaments from Christmases past will sure to be great conversation starters, while bringing up fond memories. Candles add a warm glow, but remember to keep a close eye on candles that have burned down. A safe alternative to real candles are realistic looking battery operated candles that flicker just like the real thing.
Trust Chimney Doctors of Colorado
No matter what changes you are looking into making with your fireplace, the chimney company you use shouldn’t be a hard decision. Chimney Doctors of Colorado have been in business since 2003, and in that time, we’ve proven ourselves as a to-go company by offering quality service and sales. Give us a call today and we can offer great advice on changing up the look of your fireplace.
Why Dryer Vent Maintenance is Important
When you think about calling Chimney Doctors of Colorado, you probably think about all the great things they can do for your chimney.
Chimney Doctors of Colorado are experts when it comes to chimney inspections and cleanings, and they can find and fix any repairs or rebuilds that need to be undertaken. But that’s not all that we’re good at. We can also make sure that your dryer vents are cleaned out and ready for the winter months.
Why Does Your Dryer Vent Need to be Cleaned?
Your dryer is a wonderful invention which has saved many hours of work for families. Even the best washer doesn’t get all the water out of your clothes, and that’s what the dryer is for! The drum of your dryer has paddles in it, and these paddles carry your clothes from the bottom of the drum to the top. When they get to the top, the wet clothes drop down to the bottom, and the cycle continues. As the drum is turning, warm air is being blown through the drum and through the clothes that is tumbling around. This dries the clothes and fluffs them up at the same time. Another thing that happens, however, is that small particles of fluff or fibers from your clothes are being blown out of your clothes, and those fibers are called lint.
Every time you use your dryer, lint builds up. This is what the lint tray is for, right? This is why it’s so important to clean out the lint tray after every load. The lint tray does catch a lot of the lint, but unfortunately, it isn’t enough. The fact is, some of that lint gets through. These extra particles go down the hose that connects the dryer to the outdoors. Because the air that carries the particles is moist, it makes it easier for those particles to stick to the sides of that hose, and that’s where the trouble comes in. As these particles stick, they can cause a buildup that can start to block the flow of air, making your dryer run less efficiently, which means it will take longer for your clothes to dry. Not only that, but this lint buildup can easily catch a random spark and start a dryer vent fire.
Have Your Vents Cleaned Professionally
It is very important to have your dryer vents cleaned out on a regular basis, and to have them cleaned out by professionals. It may be tempting to do this job yourself, but when you have a professional do the job, you know it’s done right. The professionals to call are Chimney Doctors of Colorado. Our workers are certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America, and this guarantees that they know how to make sure that your vents are completely cleared out so that you can run your dryer with confidence, knowing that your family will be kept safe from the fear of a dryer vent fire.
Benefits of a Prefabricated Chimney
It’s the time of year when the weather starts to cool down, the days get shorter, and people start to think about snowfall and hot cocoa. There’s nothing quite as nice as snuggling down in front of a warm, crackling fire on a dark, snowy evening after you’ve spent a long day working, whether outside in the cold weather or in front of a desk. But some people don’t have that luxury. Many people would like to have that comforting experience, but not everyone has the money or the floor space to put in a fireplace. Or sometimes the problem is the support system that would be necessary to hold the chimney needed to vent out the smoke from a wood burning fire. If you’ve been thinking about adding a fireplace to your home, a good option to think about is a prefabricated chimney.
Benefits of a Prefabricated Chimney
One of the biggest benefits of installing a prefabricated chimney in your home is the weight of it. Rather than building a traditional fireplace from brick and mortar, which requires extensive footing to support it, a prefab chimney is made of metal and comes from the factory as a complete unit that can be installed without needing a substantial support system. The chimney and fireplace come as a complete system that are made to go together. It is important that this system be installed by professionals, and the professionals at Chimney Doctors of Colorado are the ones to get the job done right.
Prefabricated chimney systems are quick to install, especially when the installation process is done by Chimney Doctors of Colorado. Another benefit of installing a prefab chimney is price. These systems are much less expensive than a brick and mortar system, and spending less is something that makes every homeowner happy!
Another benefit of prefabricated chimneys is that they are constructed with less seams and joints, which means there are less places that could be weak and leaky. Therefore, you can rest easy knowing that it is less likely that smoke and exhaust will leak into your home.
Safety and Functionality
Because prefabricated chimneys are made in the factory, they are tested in the factory for safety and efficiency. This means that you can use your new fireplace knowing that your family will be safe and warm, and your wallet won’t take a hit from higher heating costs. Because it’s made from inexpensive, lightweight materials, you don’t have to worry about overspending on the initial cost, either. Not only this, but when you have your new appliance installed by the professionals at Chimney Doctors of Colorado, it will last 10 to 20 years. Additionally, replacement is an easy, as well as inexpensive, process.
If you’re looking to install a new prefabricated chimney system before the holidays hit, give us a call today. We’ll have you relaxing in front of your new fireplace system before you know it!
What is Tuckpointing and Does Your Chimney Need It?
Just like other industry, the chimney industry has its own terminology. Terms like dampers, chimney crowns, efflorescence, creosote, and spalling are words you’ll hear when you get your chimney inspected and cleaned. Another term you may hear is tuckpointing, or repointing. It’s important for you to understand these terms, especially when it comes to having work done on your chimney. No one wants to have unnecessary work done, but at Chimney Doctors of Colorado, the only repair work we suggest is necessary repairs.
Mortar Work
When we come inspect your chimney, one of the things we look at is the condition of the structure. We’ll make sure that the bricks and mortar are secure and in good condition. Although your masonry may seem like it’s built to lasting for generations, just like everything else, your chimney can suffer damages from continual exposure to wind, rain, sleet,hail, and other types of bad weather. Precipitation, in particular, is very bad on your mortar and bricks.
Bricks and mortar are porous materials, and when precipitation hits, the moisture gets into the pores. When the cold Colorado winter hits, that precipitation freezes and expands, and that causes the pores to expand and get even bigger. This process is called the freeze-thaw cycle. When the pores get bigger, it can cause the structure of your chimney to weaken.
Signs of Weak Bricks and Mortar
If you look around your house at the base of the chimney, you may see white flakes and crumbles. This is called spalling, and it’s a good sign that you have problems with the mortar. The white stuff is actually crumbling mortar that are flaking off the existing structure of your chimney. Spalling is not good, as this can weaken the integrity of your chimney system.
Solution
If you’ve noticed spalling, it’s time to give Chimney Doctors of Colorado a call. We have the solution for it: tuckpointing. Tuckpointing is the process of removing the old, weakened mortar out of the space between the bricks and replacing it with new, strong mortar. This may sound like an easy process, but it’s best left to the professionals at Chimney Doctors of Colorado. We have the proper tools to handle the job, and we also have the experience of matching new mortar to the existing mortar, so the result of your newly repaired chimney is identical.
Make sure to call in the CSIA certified professionals at Chimney Doctors of Colorado for your tuckpointing needs. We’re dedicated to fixing your chimney and making it strong so you can enjoy your fireplace all winter long and for years to come!