From a Drip in the Wall to a Rebuilt Chimney Chase
What began as the sound of dripping water inside a Lake Oswego home turned into a larger investigation of the chimney chase above it. The homeowner initially suspected the aging metal chase cover. Once the project was investigated, Pinnacle found that water had also reached the plywood behind the siding. Pinnacle Contractors was brought in to evaluate the exterior chase, determine the extent of the damage, and complete the siding, trim, waterproofing, and related repairs.
Problem Discovery
The First Clue Was a Tapping Sound in the Wall
The homeowner could hear a small tapping or dripping sound inside the wall of the primary bedroom when it rained.
Because the sound seemed to be coming from the chimney area, Portland Chimney & Masonry was contacted. Their original scope was limited to fabricating and installing a new metal chase cover.
When their team began taking measurements, they noticed that the siding and trim around the chimney chase were also in poor condition.
Rather than replace the chase cover while leaving the surrounding exterior unresolved, they referred the homeowner to Pinnacle Contractors to evaluate the siding, trim, and chase assembly.
Diagnosis
Looking Inside Confirmed Water Was Getting Through
Pinnacle inspected the home in person.
Andrew also took photos from the street and entered the attic, where he could look up into the interior portion of the chimney chase. Inside the chase, he found visibly rotten plywood.
That confirmed that water had already reached the interior side of the assembly.
The siding and trim were also in poor condition. Pinnacle found that the waterproofing membrane behind the siding had been poorly installed and was not preventing water from reaching the plywood.
Scope Clarification
The Roof Flashing Was Not the Problem
The existing step flashing alongside the chimney chase was installed correctly.
That mattered because Pinnacle did not have to remove or disturb the roof shingles to complete this repair.
The damage was concentrated in the exterior chase assembly rather than requiring a larger roofing repair.
Pinnacle could focus on the failed waterproofing, damaged sheathing, siding, and trim.
The Repair
Rebuilding the Exterior Chase
Exposed Sheathing / Waterproofing Work
New Siding Going on the Chase
Trim, caulking and paint / Color Match
Material Choice
The home had cedar lap siding. For the chimney chase, Pinnacle used Hardie fiber cement lap siding. Andrew explained that the Hardie option cost less than cedar for this project and looked the same from roughly 28 feet away.
Coordination
Pinnacle completed the siding, trim, caulking, painting, and color matching. Portland Chimney & Masonry handled the replacement metal chase cover.
The Complication
One Side of the Chimney Changed the Access Plan
The chimney chase was tall and positioned near the corner of the house. A fence, shed, large tree, roof slope, and surrounding geometry limited where the crew could safely work.
Most of the chase could be reached using conventional access. One face could not.
From the roof, the upper portion was just beyond a safe working reach. From the ground, the surrounding structures and tree prevented practical ladder access. Pinnacle rented a specialized articulated lift that allowed the crew to reach the difficult face of the chimney and work around the corner.
Schedule
A Three-Day Plan Became a Longer Project
The chimney chase repair was originally expected to take about three days.
The access conditions made the chimney portion more time-consuming than expected. Andrew estimated the chimney chase work itself at roughly four days.
The homeowner also asked Pinnacle to address additional siding and trim issues near the chimney while the crew was already performing exterior repairs.
Those added items expanded Pinnacle’s total time at the property to about seven days.
The distinction is important: the additional days were not all part of the original chimney chase scope.
The same basic chimney chase repair can become much more complicated because of height, roof slope, trees, fences, sheds, and equipment access.
Andrew — Pinnacle Contractors
The Result
The Finished Chimney Chase
By the end of the project, the damaged exterior materials had been removed and rebuilt. The plywood sheathing was repaired where needed. The waterproofing behind the siding was redone. New siding and trim were installed, caulked, painted, and color matched to the home.
Portland Chimney & Masonry completed the new metal chase cover.
Takeaway
What This Project Showed Us
This Lake Oswego project began with a drip that the homeowner believed was related to the metal chase cover. The cover did need replacement, but Pinnacle’s inspection also found rotten plywood and poorly installed waterproofing behind the siding.
The project then presented a second challenge that wasn’t visible in a simple scope of work: access. Andrew contrasted this Lake Oswego repair with another recent chimney chase project on a single-story home with a low-slope roof. The repair work itself was similar, but the easier setting allowed the crew to complete that project much more quickly without specialized equipment.
That contrast is why Pinnacle evaluates chimney chase projects in the context of the home itself. Height, roof slope, surrounding structures, trees, and equipment access can materially affect how the work must be planned.