Chimney sweep in Fort Collins, CO

Chimney care in the 970 area

Around Fort Collins, Greeley and Grand Junction, dry air, big day-to-night temperature swings and long cold seasons are common, and wood stoves are popular. Heavy use builds creosote fast. In wildfire-prone areas, a spark arrestor cap matters; check your local fire code and HOA rules for what is required.

The Census Bureau counts about 600,200 homes and apartments in the 970 territory. 37.3% were built before 1980 and 7.1% before 1940, lower than the Colorado figure of 41.6% built before 1980. The median home here dates from the 1980s, and 62.9% of homes are single-family detached houses.

64.8% of occupied homes heat mainly with utility gas and 21.7% with electricity. Wood is the main heating fuel in 3.2% of homes, higher than the national rate of 1.5%.

30.7% of homes here were built in 2000 or later, so many fireplaces are factory-built or gas units. These still need their vents and manufacturer-listed parts checked, and the dryer vent runs in newer homes are often long. Wood heat is common in this area. Homes that burn wood as their main heat build creosote faster than occasional fireplace users, so plan on more frequent cleaning. Cold winters mean freeze-thaw cycles: water that gets into brick, mortar and the crown expands when it freezes. A sound cap and crown keep that water out.

Under the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code, 82% of residents live in climate zone 5B (cool, dry), and the rest mostly in 7NA (very cold, undefined) and 6B (cold, dry).

The 970 territory (with overlay 748) is home to roughly 1,278,000 people across 235 ZIP codes in Larimer County, Weld County, Mesa County, La Plata County and 28 more counties.

Services in Fort Collins

• Chimney inspection in Fort Collins: Level 1, 2 and 3 to NFPA 211
• Chimney cleaning in Fort Collins: creosote and soot removal
• Dryer vent cleaning in Fort Collins: full vent run to the outside hood
• Chimney repairs, chimney relining and wood stove installs: ask your local company whether they offer them

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates (tables B25034, B25040, B25024) for the ZIP codes in this territory; climate zones from PNNL, Guide to Determining Climate Zone by County (2022). Population from our ZIP code data.