Chimney chase repair and rebuilding in Lake Mann Estates

Step flashing along the sides of a roof chase

Where a chase wall runs down the slope of a shingle roof, the joint needs flashing that works with each course of shingles. Florida's residential code, in R905.2.8.3, requires sidewall flashing by the step-flashing method or with continuous L flashing.

Step flashing uses one bent piece per shingle course, each lapped over the one below, so water is handed down the roof. The upright leg runs up the chase wall behind the barrier and siding. When siding is nailed through that leg, or the flashing sits on top of the siding, water gets behind it.

When our crew opens a chase base in Lake Mann Estates, the side flashing is checked piece by piece. Bent or corroded pieces are replaced, and the siding goes back with the right lap. If the roof itself needs work, we coordinate with your roofer.

Where the chimney passes a closet or room

On some homes the chimney pipe passes through a closet, a storage area or a bonus room on its way up. DuraVent's manual says interior chimneys are enclosed where they run through closets, storage or occupied spaces, and the enclosure keeps the required air space around the pipe.

Those inside enclosures are part of the same chase. A leak at the top can show up as a stain on a closet wall, and boxes stacked hard against a thin enclosure can press it toward the pipe. A closet enclosure also hides the pipe from view, so nobody notices when something has been pushed up against it.

When a chase repair reaches inside the house, our crew checks the enclosure walls, the air space and the firestops at each level. Drywall repairs in finished rooms are listed separately. We also suggest keeping stored items off the enclosure.

Leaving the fireplace off while the chase is open

While a chase is open, the fireplace below it should not be used. Shields and firestops may be off, the air space is disturbed while framing is replaced and the chimney top may be uncovered. A tag on the fireplace is a simple reminder for everyone in the house.

The same goes for the time between finding serious damage and fixing it. A chase with charred framing, a shifted pipe or a missing shield should not see another fire until it is repaired. Heat from a fire rises straight into the top of the chase, which is the part most likely to be open or missing its shields during the job.

Our crew tells you when the fireplace in your Lake Mann Estates home can be used again, which is after the chase is closed, the listed parts are back in place and the top is sealed. Until then, leave the tag on.

A family-owned crew on your roof

We are a family-owned and operated company, and locally owned. On a chase job, that shows up in how decisions get made. When a question comes up mid-job, like whether a stained stud can stay, you get a straight answer and a written price before anything changes.

Chase repairs run in stages, so there are several of those moments. Our crew shows you what the opened wall looks like, explains where the damage stops and waits for your approval before going past the estimate. You have one company to call about the job, and that company answers for the finished work. Our family-owned team treats a chase repair in Lake Mann Estates the way we would want our own house handled, with the yard protected, the debris hauled off and the plan in writing before the first board comes loose.