Our Process

Chase cover work on Elder Springs homes

Which metal part at the top is failing

A framed chase is the boxed enclosure, usually sided to match the house, that hides the metal pipe of a factory-built fireplace. Its top is closed by a sheet-metal chase cover, and the pipe rises through a hole in that cover to a termination cap of its own. The two parts wear out separately. Knowing which part failed also tells you whether the fix is a listed part from the chimney maker or a cover fabricated to measure.

On a home in Elder Springs our specialists look at both from the roof during the free inspection. A rusted cover under a sound cap needs a new cover, and a damaged cap on a sound cover needs the cap. You pay only for the part that is letting water in.

A top shaped to drain instead of pool

Rust holes in a chase cover tend to start in the low spots where rain sits after a storm, because a flat or sagging sheet holds water against the metal for hours. Manufacturer instructions call for the top to slope down and away from the pipe opening, and the Majestic manual sets that fall at a minimum of 1/4 inch per foot.

A new cover for a chase in Elder Springs is formed with the fall built in, often with diagonal cross breaks that turn a flat sheet into a shallow pyramid. Water then runs to the edges and leaves over the drip edge. The bends also stiffen the sheet, so the cover keeps its shape when someone works near it during later service.

Turndown and drip edge on every side

The edges of a chase cover turn down over the top of the siding, and the Majestic manual calls for a turndown and drip edge to keep water from seeping into the chase. The drip edge throws water outward, so it drops away from the wall rather than creeping back under the metal.

If your current skirt is short, pressed flat against the siding or missing its drip, rain can work up and under it in wind. We measure the turndown on each face and fabricate the new cover so all four sides carry a drip edge. Our specialists record the turndown on each face, and the new length appears on the written estimate.

What orange streaks on the siding tell you

Orange or brown streaks that begin at the top of the chase and run down the wall usually point to the cover. Rust forms where water pools on top, and each rain carries some of it over the edge. The streaks often show up well before a hole opens, which makes them a useful early warning.

If you see them on a chase in Elder Springs, call (645) 465-4122 and ask for a free inspection. Replacing a rusting cover before it perforates keeps the job to the metal and spares the wood beneath it.