What is a Chimney Chase Cover? What Does it Do?
A chimney chase cover (sometimes called a top pan, top flashing, or chase pan) is found on pre-fab or factory-built fireplaces. A chase cover is a metal covering which fits securely over your chimney’s (chase’s) top. Some folks describe it as looking like a giant shoebox lid; it covers the whole chimney top and comes down over the sides a few inches. Its primary job is to prevent any water from entering your chimney.
What is the Difference Between a Chimney Chase Cover and a Chimney Cap?
Chimney Caps are placed at the very top of the chimney, covering only your round flue opening. Chimney caps primarily prevent sparks from escaping the top of your chimney and wildlife from nesting in your flue. Chimney caps work together with chase covers to keep leaves and debris, moisture, and wildlife out of your chimney system.
What Type of Chimney Chase Covers are There?
The most important thing to look for when a chimney chase cover is installed is to make sure it is angled so that water can run off properly. If a flat chase cover is installed, water can pool at the lowest point and create rust stains. If the rust is severe enough, it will eat through the chase cover and result in a leaky chimney and eventually, water damage. Water damage in your prefabricated fireplace can create a dangerous fire hazard, allowing the nearby wood framing to catch fire. You will want to make sure your chase cover is shaped correctly, creating a dome effect (commonly created with cross-breaks) so the water is able to drain off safely.
The next most important element of your chase cover is the material it is made out of. Chimney chase covers are typically made out of galvanized steel, stainless steel, or copper. Galvanized sheet metal chase covers are often the most inexpensive option, but in our years of experience we have found that they rust more quickly than stainless steel chase covers.
Black Goose Chimney offers shop-formed replacement chase covers in a variety of materials including galvanized metal and stainless steel. We find that chase covers made in a local sheet metal shop to our specifications (based on your chimney measurements) fit more securely than covers that are hand-made on the spot.
Why Call Black Goose Chimney?
Black Goose brings 21st-century technology to a century-old trade with extensive experience and state of the art tools. Our training and dedication to excellence makes Black Goose Chimney the company you want when credentials and quality count! ALL our lead sweeps are nationally certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), and we perform our sweeps to the standards and guidelines outlined in the CSIA manual Chimney and Venting Essentials.
If you or someone you know has rust stains on their chimney siding, give us a call at 757-596-2298!