Chimney Cap Installation
Blythewood SC

Many newer homes vent a factory-built fireplace through a metal pipe inside a wood-framed chase. The top of that chase has two parts: a chase cover and a termination cap.

The Town's Town of Blythewood Town Vision page says Blythewood faced unprecedented growth, evidenced by many new schools and rapid growth of neighborhood developments, and that its master plan was adopted in 2010. The Town's projects page notes a new I-77 interchange, Exit 26, being built to serve the Scout Motors manufacturing plant. We do not know how your house was built, but a growing town means a mix of brick chimneys and sided chases, and the cap parts are different.

On a sided chase, the chase cover is the sheet-metal lid over the framed box. The termination cap sits on the metal chimney pipe that passes through the cover. If the chase cover is flat, water can pool on it, rust it and soak the framing beneath. A cover with a slope or cross break sends water off the edges, and a skirt that wraps down over the siding keeps wind from pushing rain under the lid.

A leaking chase chimney is often a chase cover problem rather than a flue cap problem. Signs include water stains on the ceiling or wall next to the fireplace, rust on the fireplace top, or a musty smell. On a flat cover, the stain may show up long after the rust started.

When we measure, we look at the cover, the storm collar where the pipe passes through, the sealant around the collar, and any soft wood we can see at the top of the chase. If the framing is soft, we point it out so you can decide on repairs before a new cover goes on. A new cover over rotted wood will not stay tight. Framing repair is carpentry work, so it is quoted separately from the cover and termination cap.

Masonry chimneys in Blythewood leak for other reasons: a missing flue cap, a cracked crown, or flashing. The 2021 IRC model text in 2021 IRC Chapter 10, Chimneys and Fireplaces uses "cap" for the crown on a masonry chimney, meaning the sloped concrete, metal or stone top with a drip edge. We check that too if you have brick.

Most of the cost on a Blythewood chase chimney comes from three parts: the chase cover, sized to the measured chase; the storm collar; and the termination cap matched to the chimney system. If the original termination is no longer made, a compatible replacement has to be found, which can affect price and timing. Soft framing at the top of the chase is separate carpentry work. Two-story homes and steep roofs add setup time. We quote after measuring.