The Importance of a Chase Cover
There are so many parts to a chimney. There’s the damper, which helps seal the fireplace closed when you’re not using it and to allow enough draft when there is a fire burning. There’s the flue, which lines the inner part of your chimney and protects it from the smoke gases and chemicals that could damage it. A chimney cap or rain cover serves as a protection to the interior of your chimney from rain and other types of precipitation that can cause damage to the mortar of the chimney. But there’s another piece, the chase cover, which is often mistaken for the chimney cap. It’s important to understand the difference between these two and to know why each is so important.
Chimney Cap or Chimney Chase Cover?
A chimney cap can do many things for your chimney. It can keep out rain, and it can keep out animals and debris. It offers protection from a downdraft from the wind, and also offers protection to your roof from stray sparks that may work their way up the chimney and land there, possibly causing a fire. A chimney cap has wire or mesh around the outside which allows for the air flow to continue while the top keeps the rain out.
The chimney chase is a “structure built around, and enclosing portions of a chimney exterior to the house.” This structure protects the exterior of your chimney from the effects of weather, which can wear away at both the brick and the mortar, weakening the structure. It can also be a beautiful addition to your home, covering up any imperfections that your chimney might have.
If your chimney has a chase, then you’ll definitely need a chase cover. Rather than fitting on top of the chimney, like a chimney cap does, a chase cover fits over the top of the chase itself. It is made out of metal and has slanted sides so that the rain that falls on it doesn’t go straight down the chase to the metal chimney flashing (metal sheets that cover the joints where your chimney meets the roof). If the precipitation lands there, it could cause these flashings to rust. This is why it is so important that the chase cover fits properly, has a slant to it, and is installed properly.
It’s quite apparent that a chimney chase cover and cap hold two very different purposes. If your chimney has a chase, then a chase cover is what you are looking for.
Call Santa’s Friend Chimney Service
If you’re looking for a chase cover, make sure you call Santa’s Friend Chimney Service. Their expert technicians will make sure that you get the chase cover that fits your chase to a “T” and will be able to properly install it so that your chimney is protected from the effects of wind and precipitation. Give them a call today!