Honest chimney chase repair for Pine Hills homes
Leaking chase? We cover it, trace the water and give you a free written estimate before any permanent work.
- Licensed & insured
- Locally run
- Family owned and operated
- Same-day service available
Siding to framing, what gets priced
- Sheathing replaced back to firm wood
- Step or L flashing where the chase meets shingles
- Air space around the chimney pipe kept clear
- Wiring or insulation moved out of the clearance
The wall behind the siding
Roof-mounted chases and chases on an outside wall
Some chases start on the roof. The fireplace sits inside the house, the chimney pipe runs up through the attic, and the framed box is built on top of the roof framing. Others are built against an outside wall and run from the ground or a lower roof up past the eaves.
The two types fail in different places. A roof-mounted chase leaks where its walls meet the roofing and at the top. A wall chase adds a long vertical seam against the house and a bottom edge that sits close to soil, mulch and sprinkler spray. Some chases combine both, starting on a lower roof and running up beside a second-story wall.
Our crew in Pine Hills starts by working out which type you have and how it is supported. That decides where we probe first and whether other trades, like a roofer, belong in the plan.
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 Pine Hills, 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.
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.
Water or rust inside a factory-built firebox
In a factory-built fireplace, water from a leaking chase can run down the chimney pipe and into the firebox. Signs include rust streaks on the metal walls, damp ash, water marks on the refractory panels or a musty smell after rain. The leak may only show after long or wind-driven rains, which makes it easy to miss.
The metal parts of a factory-built firebox are not meant to be soaked again and again. Repeated wetting can rust them badly, and then the fireplace itself may need parts, which is a bigger job than stopping the leak.
When you see water in the firebox, stop using the fireplace until the source is found. Our crew traces the water from the top of the chase down, repairs the chase along that path, and notes any firebox damage for a separate fireplace estimate. Water that reaches the firebox has often sat in the chase for a while first.
Other work in Pine Hills
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Before you book chase repair in Pine Hills
Can you repair only the rotted part of my chase?
Often, yes. When rot is limited to the base, a corner or the top, our crew removes siding in that area, replaces the damaged wood and laps new barrier and flashing into the old. If probing shows rot running through most of the framing, we price a rebuild alongside the repair so you can compare.
Do you charge to look at my chase?
No. The inspection and the written estimate are free, with no obligation to book the repair. If the chase only needs small fixes, we tell you that too.
Request your free estimate
Share the job details and arrange a free inspection with our local team.
- Free inspection
- No hidden fees
- Family owned and operated
Need an answer now? Call (352) 675-6376
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