Our Work

Inside a chase top replacement in Lock Arbor

Sealing the storm collar where the instructions say

The storm collar is the metal band that wraps the pipe just above the cover collar and sheds water over the gap. In the Majestic manual, the gap between storm collar and pipe and the gap between storm collar and chase top are both caulked, and installers are warned to leave the cap's air holes open. Positioned correctly, it works like a small umbrella over the gap.

When we replace a cover, the storm collar is refitted or replaced and sealed only at those points. A collar that has slid down the pipe or split along its seam is one of the first things our specialists look for during the free inspection.

Before and after hurricane season

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, according to the National Hurricane Center. A chase cover with rusted fasteners or a lifted corner is the kind of part strong wind can peel back, leaving the enclosure open to the rain that follows.

Booking the free inspection in spring leaves time to fabricate and fit a new top before the season. After a storm, our 24/7 emergency line takes calls about a chase cover that has lifted or blown off a home in Lock Arbor.

Chases that rise from the wall or from the roof

Some chases run up the outside wall from the ground, and others sit on the roof. A roof-mounted chase has flashing where it meets the shingles, and that junction can leak on its own even when the cover is sound.

We inspect the base of the chase along with the top, so the estimate separates cover work from flashing or roofing work. On a home in Lock Arbor with both problems, each one is priced on its own line. A chase that rises from the ground also has a base and lower siding to consider, and we note any water damage there while we are on site.

When a patch is enough and when it is time to replace

A single small hole in otherwise sound metal can sometimes be sealed as a short-term measure. Widespread rust, a sagging sheet or a collar that has separated are different, because the metal has reached the end of its useful life and patches tend to fail at their edges.

We explain which situation your cover is in. If a patch is the right call for now, the estimate describes it as temporary, so you know what you are paying for and how far to rely on it.