The biggest sign that your chimney chase cover needs replacing is corrosion from rusting. If you are looking to replace yours, you probably have lightweight aluminum or rusted galvanized steel. First, remove the rain cap that is attached to either the chimney pipe or the chase cover. COVID-19 Notice: Doctor Flue Remains Open for Business, Common Old Chimney Problems in Aging & Historic Homes, Tips for Buying a New House with a Fireplace, FAQs About Chimney & Fireplaces for Your Home. C & L Chimney is a licensed and insured contracting company specializing in all your chimney needs. We here at Dr. Flue specialize in chimney cover repair. I could have a painted galvanized one or stainless steel (I went with the galvanized). From rebuilds, repairs, cleanings, and chimney liner installations, we are your experts with 20 years experience. One solution is to install an insulated and sealed chase and to vent it to the interior so warm air can circulate. We are headquartered in Portland, Oregon, and serve the Pacific Northwest through our 6 satellite offices. While this could be caused by leaks in other areas of the chimney structure or from damaged flashing around the gap between the chimney and the roof, the chase cover always should be suspected in cases of water dripping into the fireplace. Contact Doctor Flue to schedule your chimney cover replacement. In the late 70s and early 80s, chase covers were common in prefabricated fireplaces, but due to the lack of details during this time, many chimney chase covers were improperly installed. The chase, which is the metal “stack” of a prefabricated chimney serves to protect the chimney flue and to add visual appeal to a factory-built unit. The Chase Cover covers the entire top of your chimney. Extending the cricket past the corners helps divert water flowing down the roof away from the chase and also simplifies step-flashing installation. Missing or inadequate weather resistant barrier. Water Will Make a Chimney Dangerous. If your house doesn't have a chimney cap or you notice large holes in the sides, find a local chimney cap company who can replace it. A chimney chase cover is installed at the top of a chimney and works to protect it from wear and tear. We consult with the homeowner to diagnose the problem then determine if your fireplace needs an upgrade. But what exactly is a chimney chase and how do you know when to replace it? Recent Review: Based on Angie's List recommendations, I went with Ace to replace an old, rusted chimney chase cover. Explore other popular Home Services near you from over 7 million businesses … If you can see rust stains on your chase cover, it is obvious that your chase cover is damaged. Our chimney pros have been repairing and replacing chimney chase cover in St. Louis for over 25 years! Facebook | Twitter | Google + | YouTube | Pinterest | Houzz. When Should I Replace My Chimney Chase Top? Some of our services include; siding repair, dry rot repair, and lead paint abatement. You can count on our chimney professionals to remove any damaged wooden panels from the chase and replace them. King County: 206-782-0151 Pierce County: 253-475-0399 The main issue with chimney chases is that they are often added to the home last, so they often missing flashing, weather-resistant barriers, and sometimes the siding is nailed right to the framing. We recommend replacing your rusted chase cover with a new stainless steel chase cover with metal ribbing designed to maintain a convex shape and shed water away from the chimney structure. Chimney chases are often added to the home last and not built on the same foundation, Chimney chases are not constructed to the same standard as the rest of the house, They are often missing essential steps during the installation process like f, , and nailing the siding the frame of the house, Due to these issues, it’s easy for water to enter the structure and cause dry rot to form, Due to their height, Chimney chases are often missed during routine home maintenance. The chimney on a home is exposed to elements inside and outside, leaving the area looking older and damaged. Best would be to remove and replace any damaged or questionable chimney sections of the chimney. It also reduces the amount of moisture that can get down in your chimney. Especially on or around wood parts of the chimney chases as they are one of the more common areas for exterior repairs. Often installed at the time of the home’s construction, chase covers do have a lifespan and require replacing after time. Chimney chases connect to many of the different home systems, the siding, the foundation, the roofing, the internal ducting, etc. Copper and stainless steel chimney chase covers are higher quality and most durable. At this time, we will remain open and keep all scheduled appointments. Chase covers are an external top covering for a pre-fab chimney or a brick chimney. If you have a chimney, you need a chimney cap. And at the top of the chase should sit a chase cover, which is the prefabricated chimney’s version of a chimney crown. However, if you have a factory-built chimney made of metal or wood, then you’ll need to examine your chimney chase cover. If you’re experiencing unexplained cold air circulating in or around your fireplace, it might be time to replace your chimney chase. Smoke, heat, rain, tree debris, and animals are just a few of the reasons your chimney chase may need a repair. Get a Quote for Cleaning, Repair, Replacement, or Rebuild. Smoke, heat, rain, tree debris, and animals are just a few of the reasons your chimney chase may need a repair. But what exactly is a chimney chase and how do you know when to replace it? So, it is of the utmost importance you hire a contractor who can repair all of these issues. Contact the certified chimney professionals at the Chimney Care Company in Cincinnati at 513-248-9600 to repair yours! Chases generally do not contain the classic ceramic tile flues, but instead provide an enclosure for stainless steel flues for fireplaces and fuel-fired appliances, such as furnaces. The smallest gap or hole on the chase cover can lead to expensive water damage. A possible obvious sign that your chimney chase cover needs replacing is water on the floor of the firebox. Be careful: you don't want a … Using a high temperature caulk, apply a bead around the top edge of the chimney chase. This can also include dripping sounds in the chimney after a rainstorm or when snow is melting, … Chimney Liners for your HVAC System. Chase tops, also known as a chase cover, is the metal top of a chimney that encloses the top and terminates the chimney pipe. Next, place the new stainless steel chimney cover onto the chase. When we do a chase repair, we usually rebuild — or add — a water diverter, or cricket, at the top (see image 1). A chimney cap is the small barrier of metal and wire on top of your chimney that keeps weather and pests out. Replace Chimney Chase Tops. Many homeowners in suburban Chicago choose Valley Chimney to replace their chimney chase covers. This relates to the time needed to … The warm air inside the house rises and must be replaced, and in turn, creates negative air pressure inside the home. There are several choices of materials when selecting a chase cover, but only Stainless Steel or Copper will offer you a Lifetime Warranty. An important part of the chimney that homeowners often tend to overlook is the chimney chase cover. Copper chimney chases are considered top-of-the-line but their high cost usually makes them impractical. Stay healthy! While chimney chase tops do a great job at protecting against water when it is new, most styles are prone to rust and will need to be replaced every seven to 10 years. Give us a call at 800-438-3583 or send us an email at office@drflue.com to request and appointment today! We recommend stainless steel chimney chase covers. If you have a masonry chimney, which is the most common type of chimney, a chimney cap attaches directly to the brick. We make the cricket wider than the chase by about 6 inches on each side. As soon as your chase cover starts rusting, the cover will develop holes in it, and these holes allow rain to easily enter your chimney. We are a licensed bonded and insured general contractor specializing in home repairs since 2005. We install custom-built chase covers from one piece of metal, usually vinyl-coated sheet metal, but we can also install stainless steel or copper, and we fit them individually for your specific chimney. A chase top or cover protects your chimney from water damage. Why Do Chimney Chases Have So Many Issues? The chimney cap seals the flue system to prevent animals and debris from getting into the house. Without a chase top you chimney can take on a lot of excess water that will damage the masonry and structure. 1 priority. Stainless steel is one of the strongest metals which makes it an excellent material for a chase cover. Chimney Chase Covers. The first is any signs of water or moisture in the fireplace structure. The chimney cap and cover protect the top of the chimney from debris, snow, rain, and animals and keep hot fireplace embers contained. Chimney Chase Tops. Pre-tap holes in all four sides of the new chase cover. We CONSTANTLY find clearance issues, disconnected flue systems, missing firestops, and improper draft stopping when we … Another issue chimney chases face is the construction is not to the same standard as the rest of the house. Replacing a chimney chase cover is a job that most homeowners can do themselves. If you are feeling ill or would prefer to reschedule, please contact our office and we will work with you to push back your appointment. If you need a professional chimney repair contractor, contact SFW Construction today. The chimney on a home is exposed to elements inside and outside, leaving the area looking older and damaged. It might be possible to do this from the top, lifting, replacing, reinserting - avoiding having to wreck the stone veneer on your chimney chase. Home Carbon Monoxide Risks: How to Stay Safe This Fall. What can I expect from Atlas Chimney’s wood chimney chase rebuilding services? Our goal is to provide the best materials, quality, and service to our clients by listening to our customers. We take great care to follow every measurement, building codes, and fire safety requirements when rebuilding wood chimney chases. This negative pressure then draws the cold air from outside into the home. By hiring a professional chimney repair contractor you get someone that can assess the situation correctly and do the repair right. It's a quick and easy job that can add many years to the life of your chimney and prevent costly long term repairs. The first sign of a faulty chase cover would be rust stains streaking down the side of your chimney. A chimney chase is a chimney by any other name, but usually one built of framed wood or siding. Especially on or around wood parts of the chimney chases as they are one of the more common areas for exterior repairs. Another potential solution is to make the chase enclosure airtight at the top where the fire stops and where the fireplace is inserted through the wall. When a chase cover shows signs of rusting, the metal has been damaged. Negative pressure draws cold air from the outside. The clearest signs of a deteriorated chase cover are rust streaks on the sides of the chimney. While Hudson Chimney can repair chase covers, if the cover is made from galvanized steel, the metal is probably to weak to repair. We help eliminate problems before they start by replacing masonry and rusty metal chase tops. Chimney Cap Replacement Cost Replacing a chimney cap averages about $350, which is $50 to $100 more than installing a new one. Having your chimney repaired correctly means less external debris which, will allow your chimney to function at its standard capability, safely and efficiently. Chimney chase fire blocking requirements: fire-blocking (perhaps 3/4" thick plywood or OSB (fire rated?)) Due to these issues, it’s easy for water to enter the structure and cause dry rot to form. Used frequently to cover chimney chase surrounds, it fits over the top of the … Find the best Chimney Repair near you on Yelp - see all Chimney Repair open now. Call Welsch Chimney Service Inc. today at 314-921-3427. is intended to slow or even prevent the movement of a chimney chase fire between building floors, and to prevent the increase of fire intensity and spread by the chimney effects that would occur inside the chimney chase without fires topping. If you're noticing a leak or rust stains down the side of your chimney, it is time to replace the rusted cover … Not only will this prevent moisture from entering the chimney, but also, relieve the negative pressure problem. Chimney Specialists offers free estimates on chimney repair to King and Pierce County, including chimney rebuilds and replacing chase covers, caps and flue liners. Replacing Your Chimney Chase Cover When it comes to keeping your chimney and fireplace system safe and sound, keeping water out should be your No. It is essentially a wood chimney. If you’re experiencing unexplained cold air circulating in or around your fireplace, it might be time to replace your chimney chase. During the winter or colder months, when the fireplace is not being used, the air cavity around the chimney and inside the chase closure is cold. Although it requires climbing on your roof, the job is fairly simple and you should be able to replace the chimney chase cover in about 1-2 hours. There are two major red flags that indicate a chimney chase cover needs to be immediately replaced. The first thing you want to determine is the type of chimney you have in your home. Chimney cap or chase cover replacement costs $200 to $700 on average, depending on the material, dimensions, accessibility, and season. If the fireplace and chimney are damaged, sparks, heat, and fire can escape to the surrounding wood framing. Stainless Steel Chase Covers Chase covers are used at the top of chimneys to keep out rain, snow, critters, and everything else. Whether a metal or masonry chase top, poorly installed, leaking or damaged chase tops are potential hazards on prefabricated metal fireplaces. Also specializing in Stainless Steel Chimney Tops and Pans for 'chase' style chimneys. Water damaged prefab chimneys and fireplaces can be a fire hazard. Manufacturers used cheap materials to build these chimneys and in many cases chase covers rusted after only five years. When a chase top is in disrepair, it can allow water to infiltrate the chimney system and cause significant damage. Chimneys built on an outside wall, whether exposed or boxed with a chase, are prone to backdrafting. Chimney chase covers are typically made from low grade steel, which will rust over a short period of time. It should be replaced regularly, especially if … It then passes through the top of the chase enclosure, through the fire stops, and around the fireplace. The first thing you want to determine is the type of chimney you have in your home. The most important part of replacing a Chimney Chase Cover is the INSPECTION that happens of what’s visible inside that chase structure. Roof flashing issues can lead to dry rot, and that can lead to siding and framing issues. They came out to measure it without me having to be home. Often this chimney damage can go unnoticed for years, making chimney chase cover replacement more important than most people realize. Once a chase cover fails, it allows water to get inside the chase and soak into wood or even drywall and can be mistaken for a leaky roof. With the recent concerns about COVID-19, Doctor Flue has implemented additional measures to ensure the safety and health of our crew and clients. 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