Local chimney and fireplace work in Palm Valley

Rust stains on or around a chimney mean metal somewhere above is corroding, and the position of the streak points to the part. Streaks running down the siding of a framed chase come from the chase cover, a sheet-metal top that, when made from galvanized steel, loses its zinc coating over time and then rusts, fastest where water ponds on a flat or sagging top.

Streaks down the brick below the flue come from a cap, its fasteners or its mesh. Stains at the edges of the stack where it meets the roof point to flashing or the nails that hold it. Rust inside the firebox, on the damper or on the firebox floor tells you water is coming down the flue through an opening at the top, such as a missing cap or a failed crown.

The repair goes to the source. A rusted chase cover is replaced with a new top fabricated to the chase, with a slope or cross-breaks so water runs off, a collar sized to the chimney pipe, and a metal chosen for the exposure following the maker's guidance, such as stainless steel. Fasteners are matched to the metal so that two different metals are not left touching and corroding each other.

A rusted cap is replaced with one sized to the flue and made of stainless steel or copper. Once the source is fixed, the stain on the siding or brick can be cleaned with a method that suits the surface. Cleaning the stain first only hides the clue. The estimate names the corroding part, the new material and the fastening.

Rust on the damper itself can also freeze it, so the damper is checked on the same visit. A chase cover that is only stained and still solid may simply need its source of standing water fixed, and the estimate says which case you have. If your Palm Valley siding or crown is streaked, our pros trace the streak to the part above it before quoting. Ready to have someone look at it? Call (904) 920-5495 or send the form from Palm Valley.