Your chimney chase repair crew in Cypress Springs

Flashing that laps the right way and drains out

Flashing on a chase works by lapping. The upper layer goes over the lower layer, so water runs down and out instead of behind. R703.4 of the Florida Building Code calls for flashing applied shingle-fashion or per the maker's instructions, placed so water stays out of the wall cavity and away from the framing.

The same section says flashing extends to the surface of the exterior finish. A flashing that ends behind the siding can dump water onto the sheathing instead of outside.

We check laps at the base, around trim that breaks the wall and where the chase meets the house. A reversed lap can stay hidden until the rot is deep, so our crew points out each one we find and corrects it in the new work. Trim ledges and horizontal joints get a small flashing that kicks water out past the siding face.

What cracks in chase stucco can point to

Cracks in stucco on a framed chase mean something different from cracks on a block wall. A framed chase can move as the wood takes on and gives up moisture, and cracks often follow the edges of sheathing panels or run out from the corners of the top.

A few fine surface cracks can be sealed and painted. Cracks that are wide, stained or paired with a hollow sound usually mean water has been getting behind the stucco for a while, and the sheathing may be soft. Cracks running down from the top corners are worth tracing back to the cover edge.

Our technicians check cracks by tapping and probing around them, and by looking at the framing from the attic side where it can be reached. The written estimate says whether a crack is cosmetic or a sign of damage, and it prices each option.

The paperwork worth keeping after a repair

Once a chase is repaired, most of the work is hidden behind new siding or stucco. Siding hides framing, stucco hides lath, and the next person to look at your chase will not know what is behind either unless it is written down.

Keep the paperwork with your home records. The written estimate names each layer, and any approved change adds what turned up once the chase was opened. Together they tell the next inspector, a buyer or a future repair crew what went into the wall. For homes in Cypress Springs, our estimates are written layer by layer partly for this reason.

If you sell the home, those papers give the buyer's inspector answers instead of guesses. These are the details worth keeping together.

• Which faces were opened and how far
• The framing, sheathing, barrier and flashing replaced
• The siding or stucco system and the paint color
• The chimney maker and model, and any listed parts replaced

What the free chase inspection covers

Our free inspection is a real look at the chase, not a sales stop. A technician walks the house, gets on the roof where it is safe, probes the siding and base, checks the flashing and the top, and looks at the attic and fireplace side where there is access.

You get the findings in plain language and a written estimate that lists each layer, the cover and any roofing work separately. There is no charge for the inspection and no pressure to book. If the chase is sound, we tell you that too. We also note the chimney maker and model from the label, so the estimate follows the right instructions.

Homeowners in Cypress Springs can ask for the free inspection whether the chase shows a clear problem or only raises a question. If you are not home for the roof part, the findings come to you with the written estimate.