Blue Sky Chimney Sweeps Urges Public to Get Their Chimney Inspected and Cleaned Now

EDEN PRAIRIE, MN – Blue Sky Chimney Sweeps https://www.mplsblueskychimneysweeps.com in Eden Prairie, is explaining to the public why now is the best time for homeowners to get their chimney cleaned and inspected.

Your chimney has served its purpose during the winter in keeping you warm, and now that summer is here, it is important to get your chimney cleaned and inspected so the air in your home is clean and fresh. With that said, there are three important reasons why homeowners should get their chimney cleaned and inspected in the spring:

• Homeowners tend to schedule chimney maintenance in the fall, so you are more likely to get a convenient appointment date and time.
• Creosote can accumulate in your chimney during the winter months, which can cause damage to the inside of the chimney and produce a foul odor. Getting rid of creosote build-up in the spring will help your chimney stay in good condition as well as keep the air in your home fresh.
• Getting your chimney inspected early on will help find potential issues so you have time to get them repaired, along with setting aside a budget before winter comes back around.

Dave Lambert, owner of Blue Sky Chimney Sweeps, says: “Blue Sky will do a comprehensive safety and maintenance inspection of your fireplace and chimney. We’ll provide you with a full inspection report and go over what we find with you and answer all your questions and give you all your options. We have very economical prices and we fully warranty all our work!”

Blue Sky Chimney Sweeps is family owned and operated, and has over 20 years of experience in the chimney repair and cleaning field, and all of their masons and sweeps are licensed and insured. They are members of the National Chimney Sweeps Guild and are certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America. Blue Sky offers chimney cleaning in the Minneapolis metro area. For more information on chimney services from Blue Sky Chimney Sweeps, visit https://www.mplsblueskychimneysweeps.com, or call 952-944-1744.

Big Trees Inc. Helped a Homeowner with a Large Scale Screening Situation

SNOHOMISH, WA: Big Trees Inc., (http://bigtreesupply.com/), a tree sales and transplant company in the Seattle area, recently helped a client with a large scale screening situation that needed to be resolved before the client could sell their home.

Last month, a couple came to the Big Trees nursery with a difficult situation. A five-story tall apartment building had been built up in their backyard view, and even though it is across the street from their backyard fence, it took away from the privacy of their home.

The couple was attempting to sell their home at the time and knew they had to bring privacy back to their home before they could easily sell it. Big Trees decided to plant large 20-foot Excelsa Cedars and large flowering Cherry trees along the back border of the property to help with the clients’ situation. The problem with installing these trees into this property was that there was no access for tractors to bring these 3,000-pound trees into the backyard. Big Trees called in their associates in the crane industry, and used a 140-ton class crane to safely place the trees into the backyard.

“These kind of large tree installations are extremely satisfying,” said Todd Holmes, Big Trees’ Operation Manager. “From the logistics all coming together, to the set-up of each impressive tree, and all to the moment where we get to step back and see the difference that has been accomplished; it’s a very unique thrill to get to be a part of!”

Nancy Penrose is the owner of Big Trees Inc., located in Snohomish, WA in the Seattle area. The company is one of the largest tree nurseries in the Seattle area with over 120,000 trees available in over 300 varieties. They not only deliver young trees, but also mature trees in a wide range of sizes. Some types of trees available include spring flowering, deciduous, evergreen, and privacy trees. The company also does tree transplanting including large trees. Their blog can be seen at http://www.bigtreesupply.com/blog/ or http://arboristblog.com/. They can be reached at 360-563-2700.

Increase Property Value by Adding (or Cutting Down) Trees

By Nancy Penrose

You may be ready to sell your house now, or you’re planning on staying in your home for several years. Either way, you’ll want to add as much value to your house as possible, and the outside is just as important as the inside.

The best way to add value to the outside of your property is to add healthy trees or cut down diseased, dangerous trees. Did you know, according to PNW Research Station, a tree in front of a house can increase the home’s sale price by an average of $7,130? That’s huge!

So, which trees should you add to your home?

There isn’t really any specific tree that adds more value over another type of tree. The most important thing is to plant healthy, disease-resistant trees. If you’re in an area where a specific tree is popular, such as palm trees in Florida or California, then adding those trees can help as well.
Some popular trees that could enhance your home value include:

• Katsura
• Dogwood
• Red maple

Which trees should you cut down?

Trees should always be healthy, well maintained and planted in the correct location. Cutting down a tree that looks infected, is covering up too much of the front of your home, is closer than 15-feet from your home, or is completely dead can help increase the value of your home.

We offer tree inspections and have a nursery of over 120,000 trees for you to choose from. Just contact us at (866) 313-2333 to get started.

Nancy Penrose is owner of Big Trees Inc. (http://www.bigtreesupply.com), (tree nursery Snohomish, WA), one of the largest Seattle tree nurseries, specializing in large trees for sale and transplant tree service. Learn more about tree preservation at http://bigtreesupply.com/tree-care-maintenance/ and for more tips on tree care or installation go to privacytree.net. See our video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6vVhNW1XJI and connect with us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Trees-Inc/193731105108.

Blue Sky Chimney Sweeps Warns Homeowners of Possible Winter Chimney Damage

EDEN PRAIRIE, MN – Blue Sky Chimney Sweeps ( http://www.mplsblueskychimneysweeps.com/), in Eden Prairie, is warning homeowners in the Minneapolis area that large amounts of snowfall this past winter could have caused damage to their chimney. The company urges homeowners to get a chimney inspection.

Dave Lambert, owner of Blue Sky Chimney Sweeps, stated “Heavy amounts of snowfall can sometimes lead to big problems with your chimney, and, if left unhandled, these problems can get worse. If you have noticed cracked or loose bricks on the outside of your chimney, this can be a sign of winter-related damage that can lead to water leaks in your chimney. After each snow storm, Blue Sky Chimney Sweeps receives many calls from customers for chimney repairs, and we have the experience to know exactly how to fix these problems.”

Lambert described specific damage that can occur to a chimney during the winter months:

“Flashing Damage: The place where your chimney meets the roof is called the flashing, made out of metal, and is one of the most vulnerable areas for water leaks, as water tends to pool there. Heavy snow can damage the flashing, causing it to bend. When this happens, water from melted snow can flow into the chimney, and this water can cause damage to the wooden structure around the chimney, and to your ceiling and walls. If you have seen water stains on your ceiling or walls, you could have a damaged flashing system.

“Spalling Damage: Bricks and mortar are porous and easily absorb water. When the temperature drops below freezing, water that has been absorbed into the masonry materials freezes and expands. Then as the temperature warms back up, this water thaws out and causes the bricks and mortar to crack and break apart. This is known as spalling damage, and it can also affect your chimney crown. This type of damage can lead to serious structural damage if left unrepaired.

“Get a Spring Inspection: In the case of water damage to your masonry chimney, the best offense is a good defense. By having your chimney regularly inspected and maintained, any masonry damage can be detected and handled quickly. And an annual inspection will alert you to any problems with your chimney, allowing repairs to be made quickly to prevent further decay.”

Blue Sky Chimney Sweeps is family owned and operated, and has over 20 years of experience in the chimney repair and cleaning field, and all of their masons and sweeps are licensed and insured. They are members of the National Chimney Sweeps Guild and are certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America. Blue Sky offers chimney cleaning in Minneapolis and the metro area. For more information on chimney services from Blue Sky Chimney Sweeps, visit http://www.mplsblueskychimneysweeps.com, or call 952-944-1744.