Chimney chase repair for Parramore homeowners

Stucco that sounds hollow or bulges

Tapping stucco tells a lot. Sound stucco gives a solid, dull knock. Stucco that has let go of its lath or sheathing sounds hollow and may flex under light pressure. Tapping works best in a grid across each face, since hollow areas seldom show to the eye.

Hollow areas and bulges on a chase usually mean water has reached the lath, or the sheathing has swollen and pushed the stucco out. A bulge near the base or just under the top tends to line up with soft wood behind it. Left in place, a loose section can keep growing.

During the inspection on your Parramore home, our technicians tap each face of a stucco chase and mark the hollow areas. Those areas are opened first, since they show how far the damage goes. Each hollow area is marked on the written estimate, and what turns up behind it is shown to you before the work goes further.

Getting a chase ready for wind-driven rain

Wind-driven rain hits a chase from the side and pushes water into joints that stay dry in a straight-down shower. Loose siding, open trim gaps and lifted flashing let in far more water in a storm than on a calm day.

The time to find those weak spots is before heavy weather, not after the first leak. A walk-around check for loose boards, open joints and flashing that has lifted catches many of them while they are still small fixes. From the ground, look for boards that flap, trim that has pulled away and flashing edges you can see lifting.

Our technicians can look over the chase ahead of time and close small gaps before they become rot. If the inspection finds deeper damage, you get a written estimate and a plan to close the chase before heavy weather. If a storm is close, temporary protection comes first.

Keeping a repaired chase dry

A repaired chase stays sound when water keeps running off it. Most of what keeps a chase dry happens at ground level and in the gutters, not on the chase itself.

Sealant at siding joints and trim tends to wear out first, so it is worth a look from the yard now and then. A failed sealant joint caught early is a small fix, while the same gap left for years can reach a corner stud.

If you spot something new, call and our crew can take a look before it grows into rot. In between, a few habits do most of the work, and none of them need a ladder.

• Keep gutters and valleys around the chase clear of leaves
• Turn sprinkler heads away from wall chases
• Look over the chase from the yard after big storms
• Watch the ceiling near the fireplace for new stains

Upfront pricing on chase repairs

Chase repairs have a reputation for growing once the siding comes off. Our pricing is set up so that does not catch you off guard. The estimate prices what the inspection can confirm and states in writing how any hidden damage will be handled. Framing is priced for the extent the probe found, and the estimate says so, so you know what the number is based on.

Every line has a price, from siding and trim to sheathing, framing, barrier, flashing and access. There are no hidden fees for disposal, setup or cleanup. If more damage turns up, you get a written change with its price before we do it.

That same approach applies to every home we work on in Parramore, whether the chase needs a few boards or a full rebuild. You can hold our estimate against any other quote line by line and see exactly where the two differ.