Chimney chase repair and framing work in Lake Avalon

A chase pulling away from the house

A gap opening between a chase and the house wall is a sign the chase has moved. Typical causes are rotted sill plates on a wall chase, loose connections to the house framing or a soft base under a cantilevered chase. On a roof chase, the gap may also show as a split where the chase siding meets the house siding at the roof line.

The gap lets water straight into both walls, and a chase that keeps moving can stress the chimney pipe inside it. It should be looked at before more rain gets in, and the fireplace should stay out of use until it is.

Our technicians measure the gap, open the joint and find what let the chase move. The fix may be new sill framing, new connections to the house framing or a partial rebuild. You get the reason and the repair in writing before we start.

A chase that leans or twists

A chase should stand plumb and square. When one corner rots, the box can lean toward it or twist, and you may see it in the gap under the cover, the line of the siding or a chimney cap that no longer sits straight. Measuring the lean at the top and the base shows whether it is still moving.

A lean inside the chase can push framing toward the chimney pipe and close the air space the maker requires. It can also pull the roof flashing loose at the base.

A level and a plumb line show how far the chase has moved, and our crew then opens the low corner to find the cause. A slight lean can be pulled back and reframed, while a chase that has moved a lot may need rebuilding. We explain which fits your Lake Avalon chase and why, in writing. The cause gets fixed before any siding goes back up.

Selling or renting a home with a framed chase

A chase in poor shape can hold up a sale or cause trouble with a tenant. Visible rot, stained ceilings and a fireplace that cannot be used all come up during showings and walk-throughs. A buyer's inspector is likely to probe the same soft spots we do, and a vague note in a report can stall a deal. Sellers and landlords usually want a clear answer and a fixed scope, done on a schedule that works around move-outs, listing dates or tenants.

Our crew works with owners, agents and property managers to set access times and keep the work inside the agreed scope. You get a written estimate up front that you can hand to a buyer or keep in the rental file. For a rental, we can coordinate entry with the tenant, keep the fireplace out of use during the work and keep the owner updated as each stage is done.

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 Lake Avalon, 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