Chimney chase repair with a written estimate in Southport

Opening the chase one section at a time

Some damage can only be seen once the siding comes off. Rather than stripping the whole chase on the first day, our crew opens the worst area first and works outward until the wood is firm.

Opening in stages keeps as much sound siding in place as possible and limits how much of the chase is exposed at once. It also gives you a clear point to decide on any extra work before we go further. The first area opened is usually the base or the corner with the worst probe readings.

Each opened section is covered at the end of the day. When the edge of the damage is found, we show you, patch the barrier into the old and close that area before opening the next. On homes in Southport, this is how we keep the repair no larger than it needs to be.

Two chimney pipes sharing one chase

Some chases hold two chimney pipes, for two fireplaces stacked on different floors or set side by side. Each pipe is its own chimney. One maker's manual, DuraVent's for DuraChimney II, says to connect only one fireplace per chimney, and each pipe keeps its own listed clearance.

A wide two-pipe chase has a bigger top, longer walls and may need a cricket behind it. More pipe also means more firestops, shields and supports to check while the chase is open. The top framing of a two-pipe chase also carries two sets of shields and openings, so rot up there has more to disturb when it is repaired.

Both chimneys get checked, including the one tied to a fireplace you seldom use. The estimate for your Southport home lists work for each pipe separately, and shared items, like framing and siding, are priced only once.

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.

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 Southport, 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