Stainless steel chase covers
Stainless steel is the most common replacement material and do not leave rust streaks.
Chimney Parts
Chase Cover Replacement Jenkintown, PA
The chase cover on a Jenkintown home with a factory-built fireplace can be swapped for one that sheds water before rust and standing water cause leaks into the chase and fireplace. Call (267) 633-0240 to reach a local chimney sweep.
If your chimney is covered in siding instead of brick, it is probably a chase built around a metal flue. A chase cover is the metal lid on top of the chase, with a collar where the flue comes through. It is what keeps rain and snow out of the chase.
Many chase covers installed by builders are made of galvanized steel, and they are often flat. Flat covers hold standing water, and galvanized steel rusts once the coating wears, which leaves brown streaks down the siding and eventually holes in the pan. Rust stains on the siding are often the first visible sign of a failing cover.
Once water gets in, it can travel down the chase and into the fireplace. It can rot the wood framing and sheathing, soak insulation, rust the metal fireplace and flue pipe and leave stains on ceilings or walls near the fireplace. The sooner the cover is replaced, the less damage there is to fix.
Chase Cover Replacement is often paired with chimney cap installation and chimney leak repair, depending on the cause.
Need chase cover replacement in Jenkintown? Call (267) 633-0240 to talk to a local chimney sweep.
Call nowThe process
What happens during a chase cover replacement
Here is how a sweep usually handles a chase cover replacement.
Check the top
The condition of the cover, collar and chase top is checked. Soft wood under the cover is a sign of a longer leak.
Take measurements
Exact measurements are taken so the new cover fits snugly. Covers are usually custom fabricated to fit.
Remove the old cover
The cap comes off first, then the old cover is unscrewed and lifted away. The framing below is checked once it is exposed.
Set the cover
The new cover goes on with a slope or cross break so water runs off, and a drip edge that sheds water away from the siding. Screws go through the sides so the top stays watertight.
Finish the top
The storm collar is sealed around the flue pipe and the chimney cap is reinstalled or replaced. The sweep makes sure water has nowhere to get in.
What is included
Chase cover work
Copper chase covers
A copper chase top adds a finished look and resists corrosion that pairs well with copper flashing.
Chimney caps
The collar around the flue pipe is sealed, and the cap is replaced if it is worn so water cannot run down the flue pipe.
Sloped tops
Covers are made with a slope, cross break or raised center so water runs off so rust has less chance to start.
Drip edges
Drip edges stop water from running down the siding and reduce staining.
Related service
Chimney Chase Repair Jenkintown, PA
When a chase cover has leaked for a while, the chase itself often needs repair too. Common repairs include replacing rotted framing and sheathing, fixing or replacing siding, resealing trim and replacing wet insulation. The framed chase also needs proper flashing where it meets the roof.
Calling (267) 633-0240 from Jenkintown with details about stains or leaks helps the sweep plan the visit. Chase repairs may involve a carpenter or siding contractor for larger framing work. Fixing the cover without fixing rot underneath only delays the problem.
Local help
Chase Cover Replacement Near Me
In Jenkintown, many newer homes have prefab fireplaces with chimney chases and builder grade chase tops. Homes in Jenkintown and nearby towns such as Wyncote, Glenside, Elkins Park and McKinley often have chase covers that were installed when the house was built and never replaced, so replacing an old cover before it fails saves a lot of repair work.
For chase cover replacement in Jenkintown, PA or nearby towns like Wyncote, Glenside, Elkins Park and McKinley, call (267) 633-0240 to reach a chimney sweep who covers your street.
What the local climate does to a chimney
Winters here are long and cold, and the heating season usually runs from October well into April. The hardest thing on brick here is not the cold itself but the constant swing above and below freezing: rain and melting snow soak into the crown and joints, then freeze and push them apart, and each winter widens the cracks a little more. Nor'easters drive rain sideways into flashing and mortar that looked fine in summer. Most homeowners in Jenkintown, PA schedule a sweep in early fall, and a repair check after a hard winter.
Why call
Why fix it now
Smaller repairs
A chimney problem fixed early rarely spreads to the masonry, the liner or the house.
Familiar with local homes
Local sweeps see the same chimney types and weather wear across Jenkintown and nearby towns.
Clear next steps
Ask the sweep about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Common questions about chase cover replacement
Why are there rust streaks on my chimney siding?
Many original chase covers are made of galvanized steel, which rusts once its protective coating wears away. Flat covers make it worse, since standing water sits on the metal. The rust then runs down the siding as brown streaks.
What does a chase cover do?
It is the metal lid on top of a chimney chase, which is the framed box around a prefab chimney. It keeps rain and snow out of the chase, which protects the framing and the fireplace below. The chimney cap is a separate part that sits on the flue above it.
How long will a new chase cover hold up?
A well made stainless or copper cover often outlasts the galvanized original by many years. A sloped design and drip edge help it last by keeping water moving. Inspections every year catch problems early.
Why is there water in my prefab fireplace?
Water from a leaking chase cover often runs down the flue pipe or framing and into the fireplace. Over time, it can rust the metal firebox and flue and damage panels. The sweep will check the cover, collar and cap to find the source.
Can a leaking chase cover be repaired?
Small holes can sometimes be patched, but patches on a rusting galvanized cover rarely last. A new stainless or copper cover with a slope usually solves the problem for good. Any rot underneath should be repaired at the same time.
More questions? Call (267) 633-0240
Often needed together
Chimney Cap Installation
Fitting a metal cap over the top of the flue sized to the flue tile or the whole crown.
Learn moreChimney Leak Repair
Finding and stopping water that gets in through the crown, cap, flashing or brick, instead of patching the stain on the ceiling.
Learn moreChimney Waterproofing
Treating chimney brick and mortar with a breathable water repellent, as the last step in keeping a chimney dry.
Learn moreChimney Repair
Repairs for the masonry, crown, flashing and flue of a damaged chimney, so the chimney stays dry and safe to use.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
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Call (267) 633-0240 for a local chimney sweep in Jenkintown and nearby towns.
(267) 633-0240
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