Fireplace and Chimney Service in Parker, Colorado
Parker grew from about 5,400 people in 1990 to more than 58,000 in 2020, and most of its fireplaces are newer gas or factory-built units. We inspect them free.
Parker began as a stage stop. The Pine Grove Way Station of 1864 was moved and enlarged as the Twenty Mile House, named for its distance to Denver, and in 1870 it was sold to James S. Parker, a Civil War veteran from Illinois. The settlement took the name Parker in 1882 but didn't incorporate until 1981. Then it grew fast: 5,450 people in 1990, 23,558 in 2000, 45,297 in 2010 and 58,512 in 2020. The restored Twenty Mile post office still stands on Mainstreet, just west of Parker Road.
Census figures (ACS 2024) put the median Parker home at 2004, and 97 percent were built in 1980 or later. Gas heats about 75 percent of homes. Most of them also postdate Colorado's 1993 rule that a new fireplace in the metro restriction area be gas, electric or a certified clean-burning unit. So Parker chimneys are mostly metal flues in framed chases, direct-vent gas fireplaces and sealed gas inserts. The work here is gas service, chase covers and hail damage far more often than brick.
Higher than Denver, harder on gas fireplaces
Parker sits at about 5,834 feet, some 550 feet above Denver. Under the usual rule that gas appliances lose about 4 percent of their input for every 1,000 feet above 2,000 feet (ACHR News), that is roughly 15 percent. A gas fireplace that isn't set up for this elevation can burn with a lazy yellow flame, soot its glass and logs, or keep losing its pilot.
At the free inspection we check the burner, pilot, glass seal and vent and tell you whether the unit is set up for where it is. A yearly service typically runs $150 to $350, a pilot, thermocouple or igniter repair $100 to $350, and a valve or control board $300 to $1,000.
Chase covers, caps and hail
A framed chase ends in a sheet-metal chase cover, and the Front Range sits in Hail Alley. A dented cover holds water instead of shedding it, then rusts, stains the siding and leaks around the flue. A new chase cover typically runs $300 to $700 and a cap $250 to $850. We usually suggest stainless steel for the replacement, since it doesn't rust the way galvanized steel does, and we photograph storm damage for your insurance adjuster.
Selling a Parker home with a fireplace
Colorado requires a working carbon monoxide alarm within 15 feet of the entrance to every bedroom when a home with a fireplace, gas appliance or attached garage is sold, and after permitted work such as replacing a gas appliance. No state law requires a chimney inspection at sale, but buyers often ask for one. Ours is free and comes with photos and a written report you can share.
Where we work in Parker
Downtown Parker (Mainstreet) · Stroh Ranch · Clarke Farms · Idyllwilde · Bradbury Ranch · Canterberry Crossing · Pradera · Pine Bluffs · Stonegate · The Pinery
FAQ
Parker chimney questions
Why does my gas fireplace leave soot on the glass?
Often because the burner or air shutter isn't adjusted for altitude, or the logs have been knocked out of place. At Parker's elevation a gas appliance loses roughly 15 percent of its input. A yearly service, typically $150 to $350, sets it right.
My pilot light keeps going out. What's wrong?
Usually a worn thermocouple or thermopile, a dirty pilot assembly, or a draft problem in the vent. A pilot, thermocouple or igniter repair typically runs $100 to $350. We find the cause at the free inspection.
Should I replace a dented chase cover even if it isn't leaking yet?
Usually, yes. A dent that holds water will rust and leak eventually, and water in the chase is far more costly than the cover. A new chase cover typically runs $300 to $700.
Do you clean gas fireplaces, and what does it cost?
Yes. Gas units need the burner, logs, glass and vent checked and cleaned. The cleaning is priced at the free inspection, in writing, before any work.
Book online
Book in Parker. The inspection is free.
Free inspection in a 3-hour window: 8 to 11, 11 to 2, or 2 to 5. We call to confirm before we arrive.