Family-owned chimney chase repair in Andover Lakes

Where water gets into a framed chase

Rot inside a chase traces back to a water path. Finding every path matters more than the size of the stain, because a repair that closes one route and leaves another open will be wet again after the next hard rain.

Each path gets checked during the free inspection on your Andover Lakes home, and each one gets its own note in the written estimate. That way you can see which line closes the leak and which line repairs the damage the water caused. Wind direction matters too, since the face that takes the weather tends to leak first. These are the routes our technicians trace.

• A failed metal cover that lets rain run down the inside
• Open butt joints and split boards on the walls
• Gaps at corner boards, trim and the seam with the house
• Roof-line flashing that is missing, bent or lapped backwards

The seam where the chase meets the house

A chase built against the house has a long vertical seam where its side walls meet the house wall. The house siding, the chase siding and the barrier behind each of them all have to overlap in the right order. When they do not, water runs into the seam and down into both walls.

Typical signs are swollen siding along that seam, paint that peels in a vertical line and staining inside the house near the fireplace wall. The seam can also leak where the house roof or a gutter meets the chase.

We open the seam far enough to see how the barrier layers were joined. If the house wall is damaged too, we show you where it stops and list it separately. The estimate covers the chase side and names any house-wall work, so there are no surprises at your Andover Lakes home. Until the seam is closed, both sides stay sheeted against rain.

Animals that move into chase gaps

Gaps in a chase are an open door for animals. Squirrels, birds, rats and insects move into openings at the top, at loose trim and at rotted corners. Once inside, they can nest in insulation, chew wiring and leave droppings that hold moisture against the wood.

Animal damage and water damage tend to go together, since the same gap lets in both. Birds and squirrels also pull at loose barrier and insulation to build nests, which opens new paths for rain.

Our crew closes animal entry points as part of the chase repair and checks inside for nests and chewed wiring. If an animal is still living in the chase, we tell you before closing it so the right next step can be arranged, because sealing one inside creates a bigger problem. The estimate lists each opening we closed. Screens or metal patches used to close gaps stay clear of the air space around the pipe.

Deciding what sound material can stay

Good chase repair removes what is damaged and keeps what is sound. Tearing off more than needed adds cost and adds joints where old meets new. Keeping soft wood to save money brings the rot right back.

The line between the two is set by testing, not by eye. Firm framing with surface staining can stay. Framing that takes a probe, sheathing that has swollen or lost its layers, and siding split at the ends all come out. Stain alone does not condemn a board, and a clean surface does not clear one, which is why every piece near the damage gets tested.

Our technicians explain the line they drew on your chase and why. Sound siding removed for access goes back up where it can, which helps the match. Reused boards are refastened with corrosion-resistant nails and primed wherever they were cut. Reused and new material are listed apart, so you can see how much of the old chase stayed.