Wall chase
In other languages: Κανάλι τοίχου · مجرى في الجدار
A groove cut into a wall so pipes or cables can run inside it. Afterwards it is closed with mortar or render and, once finished, cannot be seen.
When the plumbing or wiring is changed during a renovation, the new pipes and cables are usually hidden inside the walls. To make room for them, chases are cut with a wall chaser or a breaker, as deep and wide as needed. The pipes are fixed inside and the chase is closed with mortar or render, so the surface is ready for paint or tiles.
As a rule, chases run in straight lines, vertical or horizontal, from switches, sockets and supply points. That way, anyone drilling into the wall later can guess where they run and avoid a cable or pipe. It is worth photographing the walls before they are closed up.
Chases are cut into brick walls. Concrete columns, beams and other structural elements are not chased, because that cuts or exposes the steel reinforcement inside them.
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Load-bearing wallRender (plaster)DemolitionConcealed cistern