There are some plumbers working in the West End, including Michael Rayborn and also Bob Ralph, but still some property owners struggle to find support for their service or new construction because those working in the industry are often booked out. Now, a new company is on the scene, Copperhead Mechanical Services, LLC. Owner Jared Sandifer told the Forum last week, he agrees there’s a shortage of blue collar services in the area, and he’s ready to help by being a solution.
Sandifer worked for Carl Kelly, CK Plumbing, for 12 years. He said Kelly is “a really good guy,” and he left the company on the best of terms. Now, Sandifer is running his own business, Copperhead, and has Dillon Smuin working for him.
Sandifer said he understands that some operators have to take their skills to Telluride to make a living. He’s really trying to keep his costs affordable, however, and make himself available in the West End. He is working in Norwood, Nucla, Naturita and surrounding areas — possibly Ridgway too. As he’s just starting out on his own, he said he’s throwing the “fishing line” out in many places.
He’s a master plumber and has been doing the work since 1997. His dad is also a plumber, and Sandifer has “no fear” of anything plumbing-related. He started as an apprentice previously working in the Roaring Fork area at the beginning of his career. He got his hours in, took his tests and is licensed.
He told the Forum he is very proficient in boilers: steam boilers, hydronic boilers, cool boilers and “about anything you can think of.” He said it’s one of his favorite things to do for his work.
Regarding HVAC, he can work on furnaces, air conditioning units and also mini-splits. He said he’s been doing heating and cooling since the early 2000s, and the mini-split is a type of air conditioning that requires no ducting. A property owner can get heating and cooling in the same unit, and it works well in a single room add-on, or a big room. He said it’s a new off-shoot of HVAC.
Sandifer is capable of working on residential and commercial properties, and he can work on new construction or service existing equipment. Currently, he’s got at least three new builds on the books coming right up.
At his home office the last few months, Sandifer has been working on getting the business up and running. As of September, Copperhead is officially open. He said he’s glad to have Smuin on this team and that he and Smuin are “partnered pretty tight.”
The Forum asked if Copperhead will also take on apprentices in the future. Sandifer said if it’s feasible, he may be bringing his son on board. His son is a senior in high school, and depending on the business’ growth, he might be able to have his son work under him, something the son is eager to do. That means the Sandifers will be three generations working in the plumbing industry.
Sandifer told the Forum he loves the work he does. In fact, if he could do it for free, he surely would. Still, he’s got a family to support and bills to pay.
Anyone who’d like to reach out to Sandifer should call 970-258-6738 or email copperheadmechanical@outlook.com.
