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Gable and Chimney Chase Siding in Cedar Park
Two places on a half-masonry house are almost always siding, almost always the highest point, and almost never looked at: the gable ends and the box around the fireplace flue.
A gable is the triangle of wall under the roof peak. A chimney chase is the framed box that hides a metal fireplace flue. Both are framed in wood and covered in siding even on houses with stone fronts.
The contractor replaces failed boards and trim, re-flashes the chase where it meets the roof, replaces a rusted chase cap, and repaints.
Why These Two Go First
- Exposure. They stand above the roof line with nothing sheltering them.
- Sun. A west-facing gable or chase takes the hottest part of every summer day.
- Neglect. Painters working from ladders often stop at the eave. The chase may still have its original coat.
- Water from above. A chase has a flat metal cap. When the cap rusts or was built without a slope, water sits on it and runs down inside the siding.
The Chimney Chase, Top to Bottom
- Cap. A metal pan over the top with a collar around the flue. It should slope and overhang the sides. Rust streaks down the siding mean it is finished.
- Corner boards. Trim on all four corners. Splits and open joints let water into the framing.
- Siding. The lowest boards rot first, where rain bounces off the roof.
- Flashing. Metal on all four sides where the chase meets the shingles, with a small diverter on the uphill side of a wide chase.
- Clearance. A gap between the bottom board and the roof.
Because it involves both the roof and the siding, chase work falls between trades. A contractor who does both, or a roofer and sider working together, avoids each one blaming the other's part.
Gables
Gable siding problems are mostly paint and joints: peeling on the sunny side, open butt joints, and trim pulling away at the peak. Gable vents are part of the same wall, and their screens and louvers are worth checking while someone is up there.
After a storm, the gable facing the wind shows hail chips and cracked boards before any other wall does.
If the attic is being re-vented through the ridge, ask whether the gable vents should stay open. See ridge and attic vents.
Questions About Gable and Chimney Chase Siding in Cedar Park
How do I know if my chimney is a siding chase or masonry?
If it is covered in the same boards as the upper walls, or is a plain box with a flat metal top, it is a framed chase. A masonry chimney is brick or stone all the way up with a mortar or concrete crown.
Can the chase be re-sided in something tougher?
Yes. Fiber cement is a common choice because it holds paint and does not rot. Some owners have the chase wrapped in metal.
Who replaces a chase cap, a roofer or a chimney company?
Either can. Roofers and sheet-metal shops make them to measure. What matters is that it slopes, overhangs and is sealed at the flue collar.
Paint Peeling Off the Chimney Box?
A local contractor can get up there and tell you what it needs.
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