Baileys Chimney Logo

Did you know that fire extinguishers expire after 12 years? We carry fire extinguishers in our trucks and our shops because a lot of people do not have them, or the ones they have are expired. We sell them at our cost, as a service to the community. At Bailey’s, chimney cleanings/inspections come with a free fire extinguisher check.

[av_section min_height='' min_height_px='500px' padding='small' shadow='no-border-styling' bottom_border='no-border-styling' id='' color='main_color' custom_bg='#e0e0e0' src='' attachment='' attachment_size='' attach='scroll' position='top left' repeat='no-repeat' video='' video_ratio='16:9' overlay_opacity='0.5' overlay_color='' overlay_pattern='' overlay_custom_pattern='' av_uid='av-7hkkl']

[av_two_third first min_height='' vertical_alignment='' space='' custom_margin='' margin='0px' padding='0px' border='' border_color='' radius='0px' background_color='' src='' background_position='top left' background_repeat='no-repeat' animation='' mobile_display='' av_uid='av-6mpdt']

[av_textblock size='' font_color='' color='' av-medium-font-size='' av-small-font-size='' av-mini-font-size='' av_uid='av-6cf0h' id='' custom_class='' admin_preview_bg='']
This is why we video scan every fireplace chimney we sweep: A recent house fire in Taos Ski Valley started in the chimney. Over a million dollars of damage could have been prevented if the chimney sweep for this house had done his due diligence. Are you going to hire the cheapest chimney sweep, or the one who invests in the education and safety training that will prevent this kind of thing from happening?


[/av_textblock]

[/av_two_third][av_one_third min_height='' vertical_alignment='' space='' custom_margin='' margin='0px' padding='0px' border='' border_color='' radius='0px' background_color='' src='' background_position='top left' background_repeat='no-repeat' animation='' mobile_display='' av_uid='av-6mpdt']

[av_textblock size='' font_color='' color='' av-medium-font-size='' av-small-font-size='' av-mini-font-size='' av_uid='av-kb1e16sa' id='' custom_class='' admin_preview_bg='']
Santa Fe 505-988-2771 / Taos 575-770-7769
Mailing Address
1470 Paseo Del Pueblo Norte (Unit #2)
El Prado, NM 87529

baileyschimney@gmail.com

If we don’t pick up right away, send a text for the quickest response. We do our best to answer the phone when it rings, but if we can’t pick up we check our voicemail at least once a day.

Los Alamos customers, please call the Santa Fe office.
[/av_textblock]

[av_sidebar widget_area='Sidebar Blog' av_uid='av-3ap078']

[/av_one_third][/av_section]

[av_textblock size='' font_color='' color='' av-medium-font-size='' av-small-font-size='' av-mini-font-size='' av_uid='av-2ku5cu' id='' custom_class='' admin_preview_bg='']
Victor Salazar from the Hondo-Seco Volunteer Fire Department said crews responded to the blaze around 7 p.m. Sunday. He said a male resident got out of the house and was believed to have been treated at the scene for smoke inhalation but was not taken to the hospital.

The residence suffered a partial roof collapse during the fire, Salazar said. As of 1 a.m Monday, crews were still on scene dousing hotspots in the front of the house and on the remaining roof. - Taos News

Read the full article HERE.
[/av_textblock]

[av_image src='https://baileyschimney.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2.21.20.jpg' attachment='1295' attachment_size='full' align='center' styling='' hover='' link='' target='' caption='' font_size='' appearance='' overlay_opacity='0.4' overlay_color='#000000' overlay_text_color='#ffffff' copyright='' animation='no-animation' av_uid='av-k8vs31dl' id='' custom_class='' admin_preview_bg=''][/av_image]

[av_textblock size='' font_color='' color='' av-medium-font-size='' av-small-font-size='' av-mini-font-size='' av_uid='av-k689lnmi' id='' custom_class='' admin_preview_bg='']
Chris Kovac ready to do some demo in a kiva fireplace, wearing personal protective equipment.
[/av_textblock]

[av_one_half first min_height='' vertical_alignment='' space='' custom_margin='' margin='0px' row_boxshadow='' row_boxshadow_color='' row_boxshadow_width='10' link='' linktarget='' link_hover='' title_attr='' alt_attr='' padding='0px' highlight='' highlight_size='' border='' border_color='' radius='0px' column_boxshadow='' column_boxshadow_color='' column_boxshadow_width='10' background='bg_color' background_color='' background_gradient_color1='' background_gradient_color2='' background_gradient_direction='vertical' src='' background_position='top left' background_repeat='no-repeat' animation='' mobile_breaking='' mobile_display='' av_uid='']

[av_image src='https://baileyschimney.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/10.22.19.jpg' attachment='1257' attachment_size='full' align='center' styling='' hover='' link='' target='' caption='' font_size='' appearance='' overlay_opacity='0.4' overlay_color='#000000' overlay_text_color='#ffffff' copyright='' animation='no-animation' av_uid='av-k689me6b' id='' custom_class='' admin_preview_bg=''][/av_image]

[/av_one_half][av_one_half min_height='' vertical_alignment='' space='' custom_margin='' margin='0px' row_boxshadow='' row_boxshadow_color='' row_boxshadow_width='10' link='' linktarget='' link_hover='' title_attr='' alt_attr='' padding='0px' highlight='' highlight_size='' border='' border_color='' radius='0px' column_boxshadow='' column_boxshadow_color='' column_boxshadow_width='10' background='bg_color' background_color='' background_gradient_color1='' background_gradient_color2='' background_gradient_direction='vertical' src='' background_position='top left' background_repeat='no-repeat' animation='' mobile_breaking='' mobile_display='' av_uid='']

[av_image src='https://baileyschimney.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/10.22.19-2.jpg' attachment='1258' attachment_size='full' align='center' styling='' hover='' link='' target='' caption='' font_size='' appearance='' overlay_opacity='0.4' overlay_color='#000000' overlay_text_color='#ffffff' copyright='' animation='no-animation' av_uid='av-k689mtkm' id='' custom_class='' admin_preview_bg=''][/av_image]

[/av_one_half]

[av_section min_height='' min_height_px='500px' padding='small' shadow='no-border-styling' bottom_border='no-border-styling' bottom_border_diagonal_color='#333333' bottom_border_diagonal_direction='' bottom_border_style='' custom_margin='0px' custom_margin_sync='true' custom_arrow_bg='' id='' color='main_color' background='bg_color' custom_bg='#000000' background_gradient_color1='' background_gradient_color2='' background_gradient_direction='vertical' src='' attachment='' attachment_size='' attach='scroll' position='top left' repeat='no-repeat' video='' video_ratio='16:9' overlay_opacity='0.5' overlay_color='' overlay_pattern='' overlay_custom_pattern='' av_element_hidden_in_editor='0' av_uid='av-jyrikmpo']
[av_heading heading='Rebuilding a Dangerous Kiva Fireplace' tag='h1' link_apply='' link='manually,http://' link_target='' style='blockquote modern-quote modern-centered' size='' subheading_active='' subheading_size='15' margin='' margin_sync='true' padding='10' color='custom-color-heading' custom_font='#ffffff' av-medium-font-size-title='' av-small-font-size-title='' av-mini-font-size-title='' av-medium-font-size='' av-small-font-size='' av-mini-font-size='' av_uid='av-jyrivyws' admin_preview_bg=''][/av_heading]

[av_textblock size='' font_color='custom' color='#ffffff' av-medium-font-size='' av-small-font-size='' av-mini-font-size='' av_uid='av-jypyykeh' admin_preview_bg='']
In the 1950's a developer named Mr. Stam built hundreds of houses in Santa Fe, NM. There are at least two large neighborhoods full of Stam Houses in Santa Fe. Most of them have kiva fireplaces. They are well-built houses with hardwood floors, plaster ceilings, and large back yards. Though small, they are desirable homes that in today's (2019) real estate market are valued in the $400,000.00 range if they are in good condition. (Blog continued below images)
[/av_textblock]
[/av_section]

[av_section min_height='' min_height_px='500px' padding='small' shadow='no-border-styling' bottom_border='no-border-styling' bottom_border_diagonal_color='#333333' bottom_border_diagonal_direction='' bottom_border_style='' custom_margin='0px' custom_margin_sync='true' custom_arrow_bg='' id='' color='main_color' background='bg_color' custom_bg='#000000' background_gradient_color1='' background_gradient_color2='' background_gradient_direction='vertical' src='' attachment='' attachment_size='' attach='scroll' position='top left' repeat='no-repeat' video='' video_ratio='16:9' overlay_opacity='0.5' overlay_color='' overlay_pattern='' overlay_custom_pattern='' av_element_hidden_in_editor='0' av_uid='av-jyrimwpy']

[av_masonry_gallery ids='875,876,877,878,879,880,881,882,883,884,885,886,887,888,889,890,891,892,893,894,895,896,897,898,899,900,901,902,903,904,905,906,907,908,910' items='35' columns='4' paginate='pagination' size='flex' orientation='' gap='large' overlay_fx='bluronhover' animation='active' container_links='active' id='' caption_elements='excerpt' caption_styling='' caption_display='on-hover' color='' custom_bg='' av-medium-columns='' av-small-columns='' av-mini-columns='' av_uid='av-jypz06os']

[av_textblock size='' font_color='custom' color='#ffffff' av-medium-font-size='' av-small-font-size='' av-mini-font-size='' av_uid='av-jypyykeh' admin_preview_bg='']
Many of the kiva fireplaces in Stam houses, though built to the standards of the 1950's, have fallen into disrepair. The masonry work, including fireplace thickness, hearth thickness, and hearth extension measure, is not up to current codes. The rears of the fireplaces are only two inches from the combustible walls. Oftentimes, when we clean and inspect them we can pull firebricks out of the fireplaces with our bare hands, because the fireplaces are falling apart. When we put our inspection cameras inside these chimneys we see there are gaps between the terra cotta clay chimney liners, and usually we find that the clay liners are cracked.

We recently had the opportunity to remove a kiva fireplace from a Stam house and rebuild it to current standards. The masonry construction project was informative and satisfying. Demolition provided useful information on how dangerous these fireplaces really are. Once we removed the fireplace, we saw the paper on the original fiberglass insulation in the wall behind the fireplace had already been on fire, and in a couple spots had turned to ash. We don't know why the house did not burn down. We also found two char marks on the 2x4 studs behind the fireplace. We show photos of the bricks, after demolition, that were behind the fire chamber and around the flue liner that are coated in creosote deposits. These highly combustible deposits are left over from the smoke that was escaping the flue passageway for all those years. Also we show creosote deposits on the outside of the flue liner, showing the consequences of breached chimney liners. The creosote in the masonry is extraordinarily dangerous because if it were to catch fire, the only way for the fire department to put out the fire is to demolish the entire chimney. Using a jackhammer-like demo hammer, it took three of our men an entire day to demo this chimney and fireplace.

If you own a Stam house with a kiva fireplace in Santa Fe, this post is important for you to look at. If you want to have a safe, working, site-built kiva fireplace in your Stam house, this photo essay will show you how its done. If you are wondering on how to build a kiva fireplace from scratch, this will be useful information for you. One of the challenges we encountered here was the limited space in the corner due to the doorway from the living room into the foyer. That's why we kept the fireplace narrow and used extra ceramic insulation between the fire chamber and the rear wall of the fireplace so we could tuck the fireplace as far back into the corner as possible. We also installed a noncombustible heat shield, with air space on both sides, between the rear of the fireplace and the combustible walls.

Following is a slide show that shows the process we undertook, using photos we took during the project. The photos are captioned to explain the steps of the project. To demo and rebuild the kiva fireplace took 9 work days, not including the final coat of plaster and the flagstone hearthstone the client will have another contractor install. The price for this project after the flagstone and final plaster is installed, including tax, is less than $15,000.

We believe that's well worth it, for a several reasons:
Performance: though not designed to be a primary source of heat for the house, the craftsmanship, knowledge and superior materials that went into the construction of the fireplace guarantees optimal performance of the fireplace. The fireplace will warm up the room without any smoke spillage.Value: In a house with a real estate value of $400,000, the new fireplace cost around 3 percent of the home's worth. That's only about half the real estate broker's commission if the owner ever decides to sell the house. Having a safe, working fireplace, according to some studies, can add approximately twelve percent to the value of a home. Twelve percent of $400,000 is $48,000. Spending $15,000 to get $48,000 of real estate value is a return on investment that's hard to beat. Focal point: The fireplace is the focal point of the home. The hearth is the "heart" of the home. Building a fire in the fireplace warms up the room. It also warms one's body, spirit and soul. It will be featured prominently in any and all marketing materials if the home is listed for sale. Chimney Warranty: The new chimney has a "Forever Warranty," meaning the warranty lasts forever as long as the owner has the chimney serviced annually and keeps records of the service. There is no way the new chimney liner can crack or come separated. Durability: The fireplace will provide a lifetime of enjoyment if it is maintained with annual cleanings and inspections by a CSIA certified chimney sweep. Craftsmanship: The masonry work is meticulous, with all joints between the fire chamber and smoke chamber firebricks tight and completely sealed with the highest quality fireplace mortar. Custom: during masonry construction the homeowner was able to decide for herself on the shape of the fireplace and mantle. Safety: Safety, safety, safety!
[/av_textblock]

[/av_section]


By Justin Bailey

At the 2017 NCSG trade show, Brian Barnhill told me a story about why his supply company, Barnhill Chimney Supply, is selling a line of climbing helmets made by Petzl. I called him up recently and asked if he would go on the record. He agreed, and told me the whole story over the phone:

“We’ve been pushing safety, we’ve got the safety manual, we have the safety meetings. We’re following the accepted guidelines for our trade to the best of our ability. And that didn’t keep our guy from getting hurt.

“If you listen to safety guys talk, they always say ‘Its not if, but when.’

They also say that a majority of falls occur at the transition point between the ladder and the roof.

“We had a guy who was working on a ranch [single story house], guy’s 6’4”, name’s Blake Giles, he’s been with me for years. It was a low pitch roof. We don’t know what happened, because he doesn’t remember, but there was a fall.

“He hit his forehead and cracked his skull. Long story short, he ends up at the ER and [it seemed like] we might lose Blake. It was terrifying. It’s every business owner’s worst nightmare. There were a lot of days of touch and go.

“Yesterday was his first day back. He was out for a few months with this injury, and it could have killed him. This kind of fall has killed other folks.

“I really did some deep soul searching, I thought ‘Is this worth it?’ I can go do something else to earn a living. Is it worth it to have a business that can get people killed? I really got into a dark place with that. But I came to the conclusion that, firefighters don’t not do their job because it’s dangerous. Their job is to protect people and save lives…

“One of the big things with safety is culture. I can tell people to wear gloves and place their ladders carefully but if there’s not a culture to support it, it doesn’t happen. I wanted to make safety cool, and have good good gear, and give my guys the best gear to be safe with and go help people and continue in this business that we’re passionate about...

I read about the five second rule… It’s if you want to start something new, like say meditating, you don’t start and say ‘I’m gonna do an hour of meditating every day.’ Because you’re probably not gonna do that. But you can say, ‘I’m gonna meditate for five seconds,’ and five seconds turns into more.

“Instead of throwing everything at the guys at once, we asked, what could be the safest thing we could start with, that doesn’t take a lot of training and that we can just do? That was the helmets.

“We picked up a helmet line that’s the lightest, most functional thing which is made for climbers and is certified for what we do.

“I thought we would have some difficulty getting the guys to wear helmets because they just never had to before. The opposite was true. They love them. I think they were ready for it after what happened. I think our guys, they had their own dark nights [after the accident], thinking ‘is this for me?’ They adopted them wholeheartedly.

“Our motto with it is ‘Every roof, every job, every time.’”

“I picked up those helmets because I want to be a part of positive affective change, I want to help change the culture. [Putting on a helmet] is easy to do.

“If you fall and break a leg or an arm, you’re most likely not gonna die from that, but the same blow to the head can kill.

“When folks stopped at our booth, the stories started coming out. There was a whole lot of ‘Me too,’ or ‘We had a fall last year.’

“I think that we all need to wake up and realize that this job is potentially hazardous and we need to gear up to take care of ourselves so we go home to our wives and children and we can show up to help somebody tomorrow.”

In hearing this story, I remembered how when I used to ski as a kid in high school, nobody wore a helmets. We would be going fifty or sixty miles an hour sometimes. People died. Now the vast majority of skiers wear helmets. Same with seatbelts - when I was a kid nobody wore them. Now everybody wears them. The car seat we grew up with our mom sticking her arm out to keep us from slamming into the dashboard. Now people have car seats for kids. I mentioned these things to Barnhill.

“I think in two years, anybody who is anybody in this industry will be requiring their guys to wear helmets,” he said.

Let’s hope so. In the meantime, if you are interested in purchasing helmets for your crew, call Barnhill Chimney Supply at 859-389-8607 or go to www.barnhillchimney.com.

Baileys Chimney Service Trust Symbols
2024 Bailey's Chimney Cleaning and Repair
1470 Paseo Del Pueblo Norte (Unit #2) El Prado, NM 87529
Santa Fe (505) 988-2771 · Taos (575) 770-7769 · office@baileyschimney.com
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram