Our Services
Getting the chase right on your Woodruff Springs home
You see how far we expect to open the chase before you decide, and the inspection is free.
What a chimney chase is
A chimney chase is a framed enclosure, usually wood studs and sheathing finished with siding or stucco, that surrounds a factory-built chimney pipe. It hides the pipe, carries it up past the roof line and gives the outside of the house a chimney shape.
The chase is building structure, and the pipe inside it is a listed chimney system. They are repaired differently. When we inspect a chase, we look at both and explain which findings belong to the enclosure and which belong to the chimney itself.
The storm collar at the pipe
A storm collar rings the pipe just above the chase top and throws water off the opening around it. For its system, the DuraTech manual wants a one-inch gap below the collar, above the chase top flashing, and six inches or more between the underside of the chimney cap and the chase top.
A collar that has slipped, cracked its sealant or been caulked solid to the pipe can let water run straight down inside the chase. We check its position and seal against the chimney's manual and correct it as part of the repair.
A water barrier behind the siding
Siding and stucco are not waterproof on their own. The Florida Building Code requires at least one layer of water-resistive barrier over the studs or sheathing of exterior walls, and a chase is an exterior wall on every side.
When we open a chase, we often find the barrier missing, torn or lapped the wrong way, so water that got behind the siding ran straight into the sheathing. We install new barrier lapped to shed water before any finish goes back on.
Every part of the chase priced in writing
A chase repair can include framing, sheathing, barrier, finish, flashing and the chase top. We list each one separately on the estimate, with what it covers and why it is needed. Where some damage can only be confirmed once the chase is open, the estimate says so and explains how any added work would be priced.
That makes it easy to see what has to be done now and what could wait. The total holds no hidden fees, and whatever you book within 72 hours of the inspection is 10% off.
