Chimney chase rotted out

[Lason]

I got up on the roof yesterday to hang christmas lights and noticed the chimney chase (I think that is what its called) is rotted out real bad at the bottom by the roof. Its wooden and I guess I need to build another but my question is, is there anything special about these are are they just a wooden box? Im not a carpenter by any means but it looks simple enough.

Also is the chimney sealed to the roof usually or is water that gets past the chase making its way into the house? I plan on painting the house in the spring and am trying to figure out if it can wait till then.

[Vertnut]

I got up on the roof yesterday to hang christmas lights and noticed the chimney chase (I think that is what its called) is rotted out real bad at the bottom by the roof. Its wooden and I guess I need to build another but my question is, is there anything special about these are are they just a wooden box? Im not a carpenter by any means but it looks simple enough.

Also is the chimney sealed to the roof usually or is water that gets past the chase making its way into the house? I plan on painting the house in the spring and am trying to figure out if it can wait till then.

Pretty simple. If you want durability, use the Hardi-plank product. It's a masonry product that won't rot. Be aware that you WILL go through some saw-blades, and use the right nails.

[Lason]

Cool thanks for the info!

Im assuming hardi plank is just a wood substitue? You said masonry but can it be nailed together like regular wood?

[Rafa]

It's a fiber-cement material. Get some good nails and a nail gun if you have one. Like Vert said, won't rot,but will chew up your saw blades. I just did my trim with 1/2'' thick hardie. You can nail them together,but just be carefull how you nail them. Don't nail them too close to edge.

[Cooter]

get a blade made for hardi-board... will make your life a lot easier

[Lason]

Sounds good, thanks for the info guys. Ill look into it next weekend.

[Rafa]

Not sure how your chimney is built,but I would think there should be some kind of flashing where chimney meets the roof so water doesn't flow down it. I'm gonna have replace mine soon, not cheap. Might be behind that chase you're talking about.

[Lason]

Whats not cheap? The chase looks to be just a box around the metal chimney tube. There is flashing but its tore up too. Thats what caught my eye was the flashing on the bottom side of the chase was pulled up and rusty. I dont know how it got pulled up though, almost as if someone pulled up the nails using a hammer.

I found a place online that sells cement board faux brick chases in kits ready to install for $300 but I can probably do it cheaper making my own.

http://www.swiftproducts.com/

[Rafa]

I'm think it's the labor involved when redoing the flash around chimney.

[Lason]

Naaaa the flashing should be the easy and cheap part. I could be wrong of course.