Chimney chase cover replacement in Tildenville

The air space around the pipe inside the chase

Inside the chase, the factory-built chimney pipe needs a stated clearance to wood framing and insulation. One manufacturer lists two inches for its chimney series, and manuals also call for firestops where the pipe passes each floor level. With the cover off, we look down into the top of the chase and see whether insulation, debris or a nest has crept into that space. Anything we find is written down, and work outside the cover job is priced separately for your approval.

When the stain shows up inside the house

Water entering through a failed chase top can travel a long way before it shows. It may run down the chimney pipe, soak framing and finally appear as a stain on a ceiling or wall near the fireplace. Because the path is hidden, we inspect the top and the visible chase, then describe the route the evidence suggests. When that evidence points past the cover, for example to wet framing, the added repair becomes its own line on the estimate.

Comparing two chase cover quotes

Two quotes can both say chase cover replacement and describe very different jobs. Our estimate lists each of these items in plain language so a side-by-side comparison is easy. A lower price that leaves out the storm collar or uses a thinner sheet is a different job, even if both say chase cover.

• The metal and its grade, and the sheet thickness
• How the top is shaped to drain, and the collar height
• Skirt depth, drip edge and fasteners
• Whether the storm collar and cap are included
• How hidden damage under the old cover will be handled

When the pipe sits off center in the chase

Few chimney pipes rise exactly through the middle of the chase. Framing, offsets and elbows in the pipe route shift the termination toward one side or corner. The new collar goes where the pipe actually is, measured from two sides of the chase. We also shape the slope so water drains away from an off-center pipe on the short side as well as the long side. On a narrow chase, that can mean a pitched top rather than simple cross-breaks.