The Benefits of a Chimney Chase Cover

A beautiful chimney is a worthwhile investment that adds value to your home. Unfortunately, neglect of chimneys can add up to costly repairs or even structural damage that affects the whole house. The main culprit is often water damage. Water is the mortal enemy to chimneys everywhere and it has plenty of ways to get in and erode brick and mortar. Thankfully, there are ways to stave off water damage and keep a chimney strong and healthy. The protection involves 3 important parts of your chimney. The chimney cap, chimney crown, and a chimney chase cover.

What is a Chimney Chase Cover?

The chimney crown is made of cement and fits around the chimney flue. The chimney chase fits over the crown, the most common comparison is just as a shoe box lid fits over a box. A chase can be custom-made to precisely fit your chimney. It is usually made of metal and slopes at the sides to allow water to run off and away from the chimney, because it is made of metal it does need to be inspected at least once a year to make sure that it does not begin to rust. Rust can eat away at the chase cover and allow water to continue to damage the rest of the chimney.

Benefits of a chimney chase cover

Have you ever seen a battered chimney with cracked bricks and missing mortar? How about chimneys with unsightly stains and crumbling brick? All of these are signs of water damage. When the very top of the chimney equipment is damaged, then water can make its way into the chimney to weaken surrounding structures, encourage mold and create a hold host of potential problems. A chase cover will maintain your chimney crown, keeping it from the damaging effects of wind, rain, sleet, and snow. A chimney crown that is protected will stand up against water damage for years to come.

Do you Need a Chimney Cap?

The chimney cap fits on top of the chimney flue allowing smoke to escape but keeping excess water, debris, and even small animals from getting into the chimney. Technically a chimney can function without a chimney cap, but it will function longer and more effectively with one installed. A chimney cap means less debris to clear from the chimney, less chance of chimney fires, and as mentioned before less chance of water damage, so in our opinion, each chimney should be equipped with a chimney cap. The chimney chase and cap are a dynamic duo that will extend the life of your chimney.

Each part of your chimney has a unique function. If you think any part of your chimney is damaged or is not working effectively, call for a chimney inspection. Here at Hudson Valley Chimney, we have the tools and experience necessary to find exactly what ails your chimney and repair it. If you have not been able to check the condition of your chimney cap, crown, and chimney chase because of the significant height of your roof or chimney,
don’t hesitate to give us a call today.