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In the old country, legend states that you would have good luck if you touched a chimney sweep.
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Call us at (719)784-4343
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Canon City
Florence
Penrose
Cotopaxi
Howard
Wetmore
Westcliff
and surrounding areas..........
Looking to expand into Pueblo West, Beulah,
Rye.
Call or e-mail us to see if we serve your area
Discounts for multiple Chimneys.
We offer free estimates in person, over the phone and via the internet
What is the best way to clean bricks?
Simple Brick Cleaning Tips
(Wear Rubber Gloves Through Any Process Below)
Mix one ounce of salt and one ounce off soap with enough water to make a
cream. Rub Mixture into brick surface with cloth,allow to dry at least 20
minutes and remove with wire brush....
Make a thick mixture of soap or detergent,pumice, a little ammonia and hot
water. Spread the mixture on the surface and let dry.Rub off with a wet scrub
brush.You are using alkali and mild abrasives to remove the greasy soil....
Shave a bar of naphtha soap into a container and add 3 quarts of water.Bring
mixture to a full boil until the soap melts. Cool down. Add 1cup of ammonia
and one pound of pumice. Mix well! Brush in into all sooty surfaces and let
stand 2 hours.Rub Off with a stiff wire......
To clean white brick, Mix bleach & water in a spray bottle. Protect your
clothes and surrounding area. Spray liberally and let dry.
There are also some products available at
the local hardware stores that I have found work well. So you might
want to give some of them a try as well.
How often should I have my chimney cleaned?
Once a year is most commonly recommended. Some recommend to have it cleaned after every cord of wood. It mostly depends on how much you use it and what kind of wood you burn. Once a year even if you use it very little, sometimes critters will make a home inside the flue during the spring and summer, which can lead to small disasters when first starting a fire in the fall.
How can I tell if my chimney needs cleaned?
If you are having a draw problem or smoke backing up in the house, you most definetly need to have it cleaned. We inspect the inside of the flue for build up, which can be deceiving. What looks like a fine film buildup can actually be much thicker. This can lead to poor performance for the fireplace or woodstove and could possibly lead to a chimney fire.
What is the best type of wood to burn?
In this area, aspen is probably the best and the easiest to come by. Always use dried wood, as greenwood will lead to problems. Hardwoods work best. They burn hotter and burn cleaner. Any treated lumber is not recommended, this includes railroad ties.
Why do I need a Cap?
Imagine how much water would come into your home during a rainstorm if you had a hole in your roof twelve inches square. Chimney flues can be even larger than that, so where does the water go? It runs down the chimney and seeps into the brick and mortar, settling behind the firebricks. There is little air circulation in the chimney (unless your using it) and no sunlight, so the inside of the chimney stays wet long after the rain stops. The moisture erodes the mortar joints and weakens the brick. Add to this a freeze/thaw cycle during the cold months, and you have all the needed ingredients for a deteriorate. Even though you can't see the danger happening, it's there, slowly eating away your beautiful fireplace and chimney. This is a particularly important consideration if you have a metal firebox incorporating a metal damper and smoke shelf. All fireplace dampers made of metal are subject to this deterioration as the water mixes with creosote and mild acids are formed. Even chimneys serving wood stoves are in need of a cover.
November/December 1998
Burning Issues
Before the start of every heating season, have your chimney inspected by a professional for proper installation, cracks, blockages, leaks, or creosote build-up. Creosote, a chemical substance that forms when wood burns, accumulates in chimneys and can cause a chimney fire if not removed.
Have your chimney cleaned, if necessary, and be sure to open the flue for adequate ventilation when using the fireplace.
Always use a fire screen, and burn only material appropriate for fireplaces.
Never burn trash or paper in a fireplace. Burning paper can float up your chimney and onto your roof or into your yard.
Add wood to fireplaces carefully; sparks can fly into the room while the screen is open.
Remove ashes from the grate in a metal container and store them somewhere outside your home.
Keep space heaters at least 3 feet (1 meter) away from furniture, bedding, walls, clothing, and other things that can burn.
Always use the proper fuel for liquid-fuel heaters, be sure they're properly vented, and refill them only when they're cool, in well-ventilated areas--ideally, outside.
Make sure the type of space heater you use is legal in your area and bears the mark of an independent testing laboratory.
Imagine a cold winter night, you're in your living room, all cozy and warm by your fireplace, when all of a sudden it sounds like as if a freight train is comming down the chimney. Your are experiencing a chimney fire!
Each year thousands of homes experience this due to improper maintenance of their chimney. These fires can be prevented by making sure your flue is lined and is in good repair, by having it inspected and cleaned regularly by a professional and by learning how to build fires that reduce the build up of creosote.
The cause of most chimney fires is creosote, which is a by product resulting from the incomplete combustion of wood. It accumulates on the sides of your chimney and stovepipe as a liquid and later condenses into a solid. As it builds up, it not only blocks the flue, but can ignite into a roaring flame.
It is recommended that you have your chimney professionally cleaned and inspected at least once a year. If you use your fireplace or wood stove as a primary source of heat, you should consider a cleaning and inspection at the beginning and end of each heating season.
So you can safely enjoy your fireplace, please consider the following tips:
1. Have your chimney and fireplace professionally serviced each year.
2. Burn only hard woods such as oak or hickory. Soft woods like pine and lumber scraps, etc., do not burn as hot, leaving soot and combustibles on the chimney lining. This is a cause for chimney fires.
3. Never use a flammable or combustible liquid to start or accelerate a fire.
4. Make sure the screen or glass door covers the opening. Sparks will shoot out of the fire box and can cause a fire.
5. Be totally certain the fireplace assembly is in good structural condition. No voids, cracks or openings can be accepted.
6. Make sure ashes are cold before cleaning them out of the firebox. Make sure there are no hidden embers.
7. Dispose of cold ashes in a proper manner.
8. Make sure the damper is operating the way it is suppose to.
9. When installing/replacing the doors on the front of a prefabricated fireplace, check that the proper doors listed for that fireplace are used. Numerous fires have occurred from installing improper doors, causing an excess of heat build up, resulting in a fire in the wall behind and above the fireplace
10. Most important--use common sense and be careful!
Having a fire in the fireplace can be both e source of enjoyment as well as a source of heat. Building a safe fire requires attention to some details.
1. Before you start your fire, make sure the room is well ventilated. The fireplace damper must be open. To build the fire, place to logs on the grate or on the iron legs several inches apart. Lay crumpled paper between them. Place a handful of thin or split soft wood kindling atop the paper. Place sticks about 2 inches in diameter across the base, crisscrossing them to provide air spaces and drafts between them. Light the paper with a long match.
2. When the sticks are burning, add a third, larger log. Add new logs as needed. Rake coals and ashes to the front of the grate or fireplace after each use. The ash should be allowed to accumulate to the depth of one or two inches. This concentrates the heat and directs the draft up to the base of the fire.
3. If you use synthetic logs, read and follow the instructions on the label. Plastics, scrap lumber, cardboard or other refuse should never be burned.
4. To extinguish the fire, use fire tongs to stand partially burned logs on end in the corners of the fireplace. Never close the damper while the wood is smoldering or burning. Keep the screen pulled or the doors shut until the fire is out.
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Set an appointment on-line
E-Mail us at
or
Call us at (719)784-4343
and leave a message on our voice mail