Chimney chase repair and framing work in Isleworth
Honest chase repair. We fix what is rotted, keep what is sound and show you the line in writing.
- Licensed & insured
- Locally run
- Family owned and operated
- Same-day service available
The chase layers we price for Isleworth homes
- Damage boundary marked on each face
- Siding removed and reused where boards are sound
- Rotted studs, plates and corners replaced or sistered
- Cricket behind a wide chase where needed
Chase repair details that keep the wall dry
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.
Vinyl siding on a chase and room to move
Vinyl siding shows up on plenty of chases because it is light and easy to match. It moves as it heats and cools, and how it is nailed has to allow for that movement. Under R703.11.1, vinyl siding and its accessories go on following the siding maker's instructions.
Vinyl nailed too tight can buckle and pull away at the corners, opening gaps for rain. It also hides what is behind it, so a chase can look fine while the sheathing underneath has gone soft. A panel that has cracked or pulled loose at a corner is the usual first clue.
Our crew removes and reuses vinyl where the panels are sound and rehangs everything the way the maker spells out. For homes in Isleworth, the estimate notes whether matching panels are still available. Broken pieces are cut out and replaced without stripping the whole wall where the panels allow it.
The insulation shield at an insulated attic
When a factory-built chimney passes through an insulated attic, the insulation has to be held back from the pipe. Florida's code, in R1005.8, calls for an insulation shield that keeps insulation at the clearance the chimney maker specifies, and where the chimney passes through attic space, the shield ends above the insulation.
DuraVent's DuraChimney II manual, as one example, calls for its attic insulation shield where the chimney passes into an attic, unless the chimney is fully enclosed through the attic. The same maker's DuraTech instructions say an installed shield must be high enough to cover current or future insulation. Insulation added in later years is worth checking against the shield height.
On roof-mounted chases, our technicians look at the attic side of the chimney during the inspection when it can be reached. A missing or buried shield is written up with the chase repair, since the two share the same opening.
Sealant at siding joints versus near the pipe
Sealant has a job on a chase, but a narrow one. At siding joints, trim and the seam with the house, an exterior-grade sealant closes gaps where the siding maker calls for a seal. It is maintenance, not a stand-in for flashing or a barrier. Old sealant is cut out before new goes in.
Near the chimney pipe it is a different matter. Chimney makers can name specific sealants for specific joints at the chase top. DuraVent's instructions, for example, call for a non-hardening waterproof sealant at certain chase-top joints and keep the ventilation openings clear.
Our crew uses the product each maker calls for in each place and never fills the air space with caulk or foam. If old caulk is bridging the gap to the pipe, we remove it and tell you why.
Other work in Isleworth
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Questions about your chase in Isleworth
Do I need a new cover on top when the chase is repaired?
Only if the cover has failed or no longer fits the repaired top. When it has, the cover goes on its own estimate line and is installed after the top framing is sound. If the cover is in good shape, we take it off carefully and put it back.
Can a chase be changed from siding to stucco?
Yes, as long as the framing is sound and flat. Stucco over wood needs a two-layer barrier, corrosion-resistant lath and three coats, so we price it as its own option next to a like-for-like siding repair.
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