Family-owned chimney chase repair in Belle Isle

The screed along the bottom edge of the stucco

Stucco on a framed wall needs a clean stop at the bottom. A screed is a metal or plastic strip fastened along the base of the wall, and the stucco is finished against it. R703.7.2 says that on wood-frame construction with an on-grade floor slab, exterior plaster covers the lath, paper and screed but does not extend below them.

When stucco runs past the screed onto the roof, a slab or the flashing, water draining down the barrier has no way out. The bottom edge stays wet, and over time the plate behind it can rot.

On a stucco chase in Belle Isle, our crew checks where the stucco stops at the base and along any roof line. If it runs past the screed or is buried in roofing, we cut it back to a clean edge so water can leave the wall. That edge detail is written into the scope, since it is easy to lose once the finish coat goes on.

Matching siding on part of a chase

When only one face of a chase needs new siding, matching the rest is the next question. Profile, board width, texture and paint all have to line up, and the siding on the chase may no longer be made. Primed boards bought today may differ slightly in thickness from boards milled years ago.

Our crew measures the existing profile and brings samples to the house. If an exact match is not available, two answers usually work. One is to re-side the whole chase in a close match. The other is to move sound old boards to the face people see and put new boards where they show least.

We tell you before the job how close the match will be for your Belle Isle home. The estimate states whether paint on the full chase is included, since fresh paint on new siding next to faded paint stands out.

Opening the chase one section at a time

Some damage can only be seen once the siding comes off. Rather than stripping the whole chase on the first day, our crew opens the worst area first and works outward until the wood is firm.

Opening in stages keeps as much sound siding in place as possible and limits how much of the chase is exposed at once. It also gives you a clear point to decide on any extra work before we go further. The first area opened is usually the base or the corner with the worst probe readings.

Each opened section is covered at the end of the day. When the edge of the damage is found, we show you, patch the barrier into the old and close that area before opening the next. On homes in Belle Isle, this is how we keep the repair no larger than it needs to be.

Keeping a repaired chase dry

A repaired chase stays sound when water keeps running off it. Most of what keeps a chase dry happens at ground level and in the gutters, not on the chase itself.

Sealant at siding joints and trim tends to wear out first, so it is worth a look from the yard now and then. A failed sealant joint caught early is a small fix, while the same gap left for years can reach a corner stud.

If you spot something new, call and our crew can take a look before it grows into rot. In between, a few habits do most of the work, and none of them need a ladder.

• Keep gutters and valleys around the chase clear of leaves
• Turn sprinkler heads away from wall chases
• Look over the chase from the yard after big storms
• Watch the ceiling near the fireplace for new stains