1Over the flue opening
Cap
The cap shuts out snow, rain, birds and squirrels, and its mesh stops embers before they can land on shingles or dry grass.
We check: fit, corrosion, torn mesh, nesting material.
Next: Crown
Sound chimneys for Lafayette homes, old and new.
Sweeping, inspection and masonry repair across Lafayette, from the Old Town cottages to the streets around Indian Peaks.
- reviews on Googleas of
- Office Mon to Fri 7 AM to 7 PMSat 8 AM to 5 PM, Sun closed
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- Lafayette, COOur service area
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Six parts, cap to firebox, and how each one wears out.
Choose a part to see what we look at, and what a Lafayette winter does to it.
Start at the cap
Illustration 
Illustration 2The concrete slab
Crown
Water that works into a hairline crack in the crown swells by about 9% as it freezes, and a Lafayette winter repeats that night after night.
We check: hairline cracks, flaking, gaps around the flue tile.
Next: Flashing
Illustration 3Where chimney meets roof
Flashing
The metal and sealant where chimney meets roof. Snow banks against it and melts slowly, so one lifted edge is enough to let water in.
We check: lifted counterflashing, dried sealant, stains in the attic.
Next: Flue liner
Illustration 4Running up the middle
Flue liner
The liner carries smoke, heat and combustion gases up and out. A cracked or shifted tile can let heat reach the framing and fumes reach the rooms.
We check: cracked or shifted tiles, gaps in the mortar, the right size for the appliance.
Next: Smoke chamber
Illustration 5Over the fireplace
Smoke chamber and damper
Creosote settles here first. The Chimney Safety Institute of America advises sweeping once the deposit reaches 1/8 inch.
We check: glazed creosote, a damper that closes tight, open masonry walls.
Next: Firebox
Illustration 6Where the fire burns
Firebox
Firebrick and refractory mortar take the heat of the fire. A few open joints are a small job now and a large one once the damage reaches the masonry behind.
We check: joints that have opened, cracked firebrick, a sound hearth.
See all six
All six parts, one visit.
An inspection starts at the cap and works down to the firebox, one part at a time.
(303) 590-3768Or book online
Sweeping, inspection and repair for every part of the chimney.
Illustration Book a sweepA sweep clears the creosote and soot that build up in the flue, above the damper and in the firebox. With a clean flue the fire draws better, and a stray spark finds nothing to ignite.
- The flue, from the damper up
- The firebox and hearth
- A plain summary of what we found
Illustration Book an inspectionWe go over the whole system from the cap down to the firebox. It is worth doing every year, after a chimney fire and whenever a house changes hands: NFPA 211 asks for a Level 2 inspection at a sale.
- Crown, cap and flashing
- Flue, top to bottom
- Notes on every problem spot
Illustration Ask about repairsWork on crowns, caps, flashing, masonry joints and firebrick. A small repair made early keeps water and heat where they belong, before another freeze widens the damage.
- Crown and cap work
- Spark arrestor screens
- Tuckpointing, flashing repairs
Illustration Schedule a cleaningFirebox, smoke shelf and wood stove cleaned and looked over, so the first fire of autumn burns in a clean firebox and the damper moves freely.
- The firebox and the smoke shelf
- Stoves, inserts and their pipe
- How the damper moves
What a Lafayette winter does to a chimney.
Three forces that work on chimneys along the Front Range, and why a small repair now beats a large one later.
01 / 03
9%. Frost and thaw
Water swells by about 9% as it freezes. Lafayette sits about a mile above sea level, and when winter nights drop below freezing, every hard frost pries a cracked crown or an open mortar joint a little wider.
Source: Physics of ice; Wikipedia (elevation 5,266 ft)
Photo: Jared Winkler, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Jared Winkler, CC BY-SA 4.0
02 / 03
68 mph. Strong wind
The gust recorded in Louisville, next door to Lafayette, on the afternoon of December 30, 2021, a day when gusts along the foothills ran from 70 to 100 mph. Wind like that works caps loose, lifts flashing and drives snow into open seams.
Source: NWS Boulder, December 30, 2021
Photo: Makia Minich, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Makia Minich, CC BY-SA 3.0
03 / 03
1,084. Wind-driven grass fire
Homes destroyed in nearby Louisville and Superior by the Marshall Fire of December 30, 2021. The screen on a chimney cap, with openings no wider than 1/2 inch under the model building code, keeps embers inside the flue.
Source: NWS Boulder; IRC R1003.9.2
Photo: G. Lamar, CC BY 2.0
Photo: G. Lamar, CC BY 2.0
Rated on Google.
The rating and the review count come straight from our Google Business Profile.
Lafayette, from Indian Peaks to Old Town.
Our Google Business Profile lists Lafayette as its service area, and that means the whole city, from in the west, past and , to the miners' cottages of , with the Front Range along the western skyline.
Not sure you are in the area? Call (303) 590-3768 and we will tell you.
City of LafayetteContours every 100 ft
Terrain data: AWS Terrain Tiles. City boundary: US Census Bureau TIGERweb. Places and coordinates: OpenStreetMap contributors.
- Lafayette
- Old Town
- Indian Peaks
- Silver Creek
Photo: Mikepascoe, CC0
Questions from Lafayette homeowners.
Plain answers, and the source where there is one.
How often does a chimney need sweeping?
Sweeping follows how much wood you burn rather than the calendar. The Chimney Safety Institute of America advises it once a deposit reaches 1/8 inch (sooner if the creosote looks glazed), and the National Fire Protection Association recommends a yearly inspection, which is when the buildup is measured.
Source: CSIA, NFPA 211
Should a chimney be inspected before a home sale?
Under NFPA 211, selling or transferring a property is one of the triggers for a Level 2 inspection. Beyond what a yearly look covers, it adds the attic and crawl space and a video scan of the flue. Old Town's miners' cottages date from roughly 1895 to 1930, so what stands behind the walls can differ a lot from one Lafayette house to the next.
Source: NFPA 211; Lafayette History
Why does the fireplace smell smoky on warm days?
Creosote left in the flue gives off a smoky odor when the air turns warm and humid, and air drifting down the chimney can carry it into the room. A sweep takes away the cause, and a tight damper plus a cap keep any leftover odor out of the room.
Source: CSIA guidance
What does a chimney crown do, and why do crowns crack?
The crown is the concrete slab that caps the masonry and sheds water. Water in a hairline crack swells by about 9% as it freezes, so with freezing nights through the winter a small crack widens a little each time.
Source: Physics of ice
Do I really need a chimney cap?
A cap blocks rain, snow, birds and squirrels from entering the flue, and its screen doubles as a spark arrestor. The model International Residential Code (R1003.9.2, 2021 edition) allows screen openings from 3/8 up to 1/2 inch, so embers cannot pass yet the mesh does not clog. The code a city adopts can differ.
Source: IRC 2021, R1003.9.2
Which parts of Lafayette do you serve?
The whole city of Lafayette, the service area on our Google Business Profile, Indian Peaks and Silver Creek included. Not sure whether you are inside it? Call (303) 590-3768 and ask.
How do I book?
Call (303) 590-3768 (Mon to Fri 7 AM to 7 PM, Sat 8 AM to 5 PM), or send the form on this page at any time, and we will ring you back to set a time.
Book a visit.
Send the form with what you need and we ring you to settle a time.
- 1Book By phone, or with the form.
- 2Callback We ring to agree a time.
- 3Inspection We start at the cap and work down.
- 4Decision You choose what is done, and when.
Online
Any hour, through this form
Photo: Waneka Lake east shore panorama with Front Range, Mikepascoe, CC0
Something off with the chimney, or just ready for the first fire of the season?
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