Chimney chase cover service for Florida Center North

Rust and water marks inside the fireplace

On many prefabricated fireplaces, rain that gets past the chase top ends up inside the unit. Rust flakes on the firebox floor, water marks on the refractory panels or a damp smell after storms are clues worth mentioning when you call. None of them proves the cover is at fault, since a damaged cap or pipe joint can do the same. The inspection starts at the top, and our written findings tie each symptom to the part we believe is responsible.

What we check while the top is open

The time the cover is off gives the only full view of the chase top, so we use it. Findings are recorded in writing, and anything outside the cover replacement is priced as its own item for you to approve or decline.

• The outer casing of the chimney pipe, for rust or damage
• The joints where pipe sections lock together
• The edges of the framing and sheathing at the top
• Debris, nests or wet insulation inside the enclosure

Fitting a cover to a stucco chase

On a stucco chase, the skirt laps over a hard, textured finish that does not flex the way siding does. The top edge of the stucco needs to be sound, since cracks there let water in behind the skirt. We check the stucco at the top before measuring and size the skirt to clear its thickness. Any cracking we find is noted, and stucco repair is described separately from the cover so you can decide on each. Where the stucco has a foam trim band at the top, we check that it is sound before the skirt goes over it.

Screws through the top surface

Screws driven down through the flat of a chase cover invite leaks. Each one is a hole in the part of the cover that sees the heaviest water, and their rubber washers age in the sun. When we find them, the new cover is fastened through the skirt only. If the old screws went into the framing, the holes are checked for moisture while the top is open. Sealant dabbed over each screw head helps for a while, then cracks and lets water in again around the shank.