Flue or gutter?

[sepefrio]

You can see the rust line along the aluminum siding. Do you think it is from the gutter above it over flowing/leaking or from the flue condensation? To make sure I'm clear, I mean when the fireplace is lit, the flue obviously gets warm and I'm thinking the warm inside/cold outside would create condensation. BTW, it's surface rust (but does not penetrate) and not a rust stain.

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[hausdok]

There probably aren't any kickouts at the sides of that chimney chase and runoff is shooting off the roof, misses the ends of the gutter, and runs down the side of the chase.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Bill Kibbel]

The step flashings probably don't deliver to daylight, but the rust is from this:

[sepefrio]

Originally posted by hausdok

There probably aren't any kickouts at the sides of that chimney chase and runoff is shooting off the roof, misses the ends of the gutter, and runs down the side of the chase.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

That actually makes sense, and since I couldn't get on the roof I didn't even think about it.

[Neal Lewis]

Rusty A/C condensate in gutter leaking at the endcap?

[sepefrio]

Originally posted by Neal Lewis

Rusty A/C condensate in gutter leaking at the endcap?

LOL the AC drain is a separate issue

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Went through my pictures again, and it's a bit, well, bright white, but you can see the gutter end cap and chimney and the separation between the two.

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BTW, lets make this an education issue too. My guess at the condensation, how plausible is that? I don't think it can be proved except under actual conditions (in the winter with a fire going).

[Brandon Whitmore]

My guess was the same as Mike's until I noticed the stain did not start near where the kick out flashing would be missing. The stain looks like a rust color as well. I would go along with the chimney flashing/ cap rusting along with missing kick out flashing.

I've never seen condensation form on the wood chase walls, but I guess it's possible in some climates.

[hausdok]

Originally posted by sepefrio

BTW, lets make this an education issue too. My guess at the condensation, how plausible is that? I don't think it can be proved except under actual conditions (in the winter with a fire going).

Implausible - I've never seen it. If any condensation is going to occur in a chase, it's going to occur inside and you'll never know about it until the frame is rotting and crawling with bugs or the top of the zero-clearance fireplace rusts through. It's not going to show up on the outside like that. That's dirt or rust that's either bypassed the end of that gutter or has overflowed onto the siding.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[sepefrio]

Thanks guys