Rusted chimney chase covers replaced in Keystone

A raised collar around each pipe opening

Where the chimney pipe passes through the cover, a raised collar keeps water on the cover from running down the opening. One manufacturer specifies a collar two inches tall, soldered, welded or spun so it has no open seam. A flat hole with a bead of sealant around it is not the same detail.

We check the height and condition of the existing collar before quoting. A replacement cover is ordered with each collar located over its pipe, because a collar that sits off center crowds the pipe on one side and leaves a wide gap on the other.

When a chase cover can be repaired instead

Not every leaking chase cover needs replacing. A cover in sound metal with one open seam, a loose fastener or a storm collar that has slipped can often be repaired, and the estimate shows that smaller repair when it fits.

Replacement makes sense when the metal is rusted through in several places, when the cover holds water across its surface or when it was never shaped to drain. Patching those covers tends to buy a short time before the next leak.

• Repair: one failed seam, loose fasteners or a slipped storm collar on sound metal
• Replace: rust holes, a dished surface or an opening with no raised collar
• Look further: soft framing, wet insulation or stains well below the top

Keeping records of the chase cover work

Keep the estimate and the completion summary for the chase cover with the fireplace manual if you have it. The metal, the collar arrangement and the date of replacement help anyone who works on the chimney later, and they answer questions that come up when the home is sold.

If the fireplace label or manual is missing, keep the model details we record during the visit. Having the chimney system identified makes the next repair simpler and helps avoid mismatched parts on the pipe or cap.

Chase cover or masonry crown

Not every chimney top is a chase cover. A masonry chimney built of brick or block usually ends in a crown of concrete or stone around the flue, while a framed chase around a factory-built chimney ends in a sheet-metal cover. The two fail in different ways and call for different repairs.

You do not need to know which you have before calling. Describe what you can see from the ground, whether the chimney is sided like the house or looks like brick, and we will confirm the construction during the free inspection before recommending any work.