For the modern fireplace owner, the summer is often the best time of year for various inspections or maintenance. Most fireplaces see less use at this time of year, making it ideal for any tune-ups or upgrades it requires.

At Comfort Solutions, we can help with any such maintenance areas you come upon. One big one that some homeowners forget about? Checking the chimney chase cover, which plays a vital role for those who have chimney-involved fireplace systems. Let’s look at the basic role of this cover, signs of issues, and one good solution we can offer.

What is It?

The chimney chase cover is a flat metal cover you’ll find on top of your chimney. As the name suggests, its job is to cover the chimney and provide a water-tight seal for any moisture that may be present. If it’s faulty or not working properly, not only will water be able to potentially seep into your fireplace, but other elements or even debris might as well.

Signs of Issues

The most common sign of a chimney chase cover that’s having issues is rust. You’ll be able to see this on the top or sides of the metal, which can be viewed during a basic roof inspection.

As those who are familiar with it will know, rust is a sign that water has been interacting with the metal. Because the job of this metal piece is to actively prevent water, rust is a sign that it’s not accomplishing this efficiently enough.

Possible Fix

In many cases, the cause of this rust is chase covers made of a low grade of steel. This is often galvanized steel, which can both stain and deteriorate due to rust.

As a solution, if you’re dealing with chimney chase cover rust issues, we recommend a stainless steel cover as a replacement. Stainless steel resists this kind of deterioration from rust, and even resists rust itself. Furthermore, stainless steel covers can be custom-made, ensuring they’re the perfect fit for your chimney.

For more on chimney covers, or to learn about any of our custom or gas fireplace options, speak to the pros at Comfort Solutions today.