In the classical sense, life in Northern New Mexico is elemental. Each day offers contact with the dry earth, mountain water, crisp air and, for many residents, a seat beside a roaring fire, the woodsy perfume of piñon smoke drifting upwind.
Burro driven firewood delivery carts are prominent in the local folklore, and old-timers tell of treacherous trips in overloaded pickups to haul wood up the icy Slide Trail, formerly a state highway.
Today, for all your fireplace and wood stove needs, Bailey’s Chimney is as essential as a well-stacked cord of perfectly seasoned firewood. Their courteous staff of certified chimney professionals has been serving residents of Taos County and beyond for over twenty years. Whether it’s a kiva in a historic adobe that requires a careful restoration, a decorative masonry fireplace with a fussy draft, or routine woodstove maintenance (owner and technician Pat Rael urges customers to heed the National Fire Protection Association’s recommendation for annual inspection of fireplaces and wood stoves), Bailey’s team of experts has you covered. A glance at their overwhelmingly positive reviews and glowing testimonials confirms the cornerstones of their business model: building quality relationships, a client-centered approach to every job regardless of size and scope, providing great career opportunities for good people, and a peerless dedication to the values of professionalism and safety.
Bailey’s invests considerable time and energy into training and professional certification. Each of its competent technicians and apprentices are able to clean, inspect, troubleshoot and repair all types of wood burning hearth systems. Clients may be sure that whoever arrives for a service-call has thorough knowledge in wood burning hearth systems through the contributions of certifying agencies like the Chimney Safety Institute of America, National Fireplace Institute, National Chimney Sweeps Guild, National Fire Protection Association and International Residential Code.
Baileys regularly inspects, cleans, and repairs chimneys and fireplaces in residential and commercial properties across the region, from as far as southern Colorado to Tijeras, and are GB98 licensed contractors. They also maintain a warehouse in Santa Fe that stocks a range of woodstoves from the sleek, contemporary design of the Norsk Kleber to the traditional cast iron and steel styling of Napoleon, Osburn, and Kuma Stoves, a consistent top seller. Kuma and Osburn are two of the few manufacturers on the market that qualifies for a 26 percent tax credit on your federal tax returns. Bailey’s does both new installations and replacements of prefabricated fireplace systems. They most often recommend prefabricated high efficiency fireplaces, because they offer the ambiance of a fireplace along with supplemental heat output.
Nonetheless, they specialize in both prefabricated low- and high-efficiency units. From conception to installation, if a client can envision it, then Bailey’s can execute the job.
Of course, Bailey’s core concern for any hearth system is to have it inspected. Safety is often overlooked or taken for granted when it comes to burning wood in North Central New Mexico. The most common problem for wood burning systems is damage to clay flue lining systems for masonry fireplaces. Damage can be caused by many variables, the most concerning being a chimney fire event—which most individuals can simply be unaware of. Another common problem is wood stoves, fireplaces and chimneys not meeting clearance requirements. Often times combustible materials are located too close in proximity to the areas required to have proper distance to avoid potential hazards. If these or any other problems appear, Bailey’s goal is to bring the system into compliance through integrative knowledge and understanding of industry standards and code requirements. Underscoring Bailey’s commitment to safety, they provide complimentary dryer vent inspections alongside their chimney service. Thousands of fires occur annually due to improperly maintained dryer vents. Each call to Bailey’s results in one less possibility for a devastating loss of property, or even life.
Owner and General Manager Doreenda Martinez cites the company’s connection to the community, high wages, and charitable contributions to nonprofit organizations as key to its mission to be more than just your average chimney company. This April, Bailey’s is donating time to repairing a chimney in the blacksmith room at the Martinez Hacienda, a labor of love in keeping with the care and respect they give to the region’s many historic properties. Little gets by Doreenda’s keen eye—in fact, she ended our recent brief chat with a gentle reminder that, according to her records, my own chimney was due for inspection. This level of personal service is why I use Bailey’s—and recommend them to friends and neighbors without hesitation.
Bailey’s Chimney LLC1470 Paseo Del Pueblo Norte Unit #2, El Prado, NM 87529 (505) 988-2771 BaileysChimney.com