Our Process

How we replace a chase cover in Longwood

The small gap that must stay open

The narrow ring of air between the pipe and the cover collar looks like an oversight, but it is deliberate. In the Majestic manual that ring is set at 1/8 inch around the flue pipe, and the manual warns that caulking the pipe to the collar of the chase top creates a fire risk.

Water is kept out of that gap by the storm collar above it. If an earlier repair on your Longwood home filled the gap with sealant, our team removes it and restores the arrangement the instructions describe. It is one of the details that separate a cover built to the instructions from a generic lid, and we point it out when we show you the finished work.

How the new cover is fastened

Screws driven straight down through the flat top put holes in the one place water sits. A replacement cover is fastened through the turndown into the sides of the chase, where water runs past the fasteners instead of standing on them.

We use fasteners suited to the cover metal and seal their heads where the design calls for it. In Longwood, the fastener layout is part of what we explain at the end of the job. Rusted screws are one way old covers come loose in strong wind, so the fastener layout gets as much attention as the metal.

Clearing old tar, tape and caulk

Older covers often carry layers of roofing cement, tape or caulk from past attempts to stop a leak. Those patches trap water at their edges and hide the state of the metal beneath, and they make it hard to tell where the water was really getting in.

The patches come off with the old cover, and the top of the chase is cleaned before the new cover is set. The replacement keeps water out with its shape, collar and drip edge, with sealant used only at the seams and joints the instructions name.

What you learn at the end of the job

When the new cover is on, we walk you through what was installed: the metal and gauge, where it is fastened, how the collar and storm collar were sealed, and the condition of the cap and deck we found.

You also get simple notes for the future, such as checking for streaks or lifted corners from the ground after storms. The new cover is backed by our workmanship warranty, and the whole visit to your Longwood home by our 100% satisfaction guarantee. If anything we found needs a later visit, such as a cap part on order, the date and the reason are written down before we leave.