Chimney Care Company's Blog

What To Do About Animals in Your Chimney

Each spring, animals from squirrels and raccoons to bats and birds look for the perfect place to build their nests. Often times, that “perfect place” turns out to be a chimney. If you hear the telltale sounds of scuffling animal paws, flapping wings or chirping in your chimney, you’re probably left wondering what to do when an animal is in your chimney. Here’s your step-by-step guide to dealing with this particular issue.

Don’t try to deal with the animals on your own.

Trying to extract an animal from your chimney could be a dangerous task and even at times lead to injuries. Resist the temptation to deal with an animal on your own. Never try to smoke an animal out of the chimney, this will likely kill or severely injure the animal, leaving you with an even bigger problem. Additionally, some species, such as chimney swifts, are protected – to remove them from your chimney during their nesting is illegal.

Close off openings between your chimney in your home.

A major problem of having an animal in your chimney is that it could make its way into your home, bringing unwanted diseases and causing extensive damages to your home. If you can hear an animal in your chimney,  first, create as many barriers as possible between the flue and your home. Next, close your chimney damper to prevent the animal or bird from descending into your firebox, and finally, close your fireplace doors to create one final barrier to prevent the animal from invading your home.

Call in the professionals.

Once you have your chimney blocked off as well as possible, call in a professional to help deal with the animal nesting in your chimney. Some chimney sweeps will remove animals themselves, or you might need a company specifically skilled in animal removal.

Have your chimney cleaned and inspected.

Once the animal has been removed from the chimney, you will need the chimney swept and inspected to remove any debris and ensure that the animal hasn’t left behind any damages. The debris and damages left behind can leave your home at risk for a chimney fire. You’ll want to rely on a CSIA-certified chimney sweep to be sure that your chimney is safe to use again.

Install a chimney cap to prevent future animal intrusion.

To prevent animal intrusions from happening, have your chimney outfitted with a caged chimney cap.  With a chimney cap firmly in place, animals and birds won’t be able to access the flue opening when they’re looking for a place to nest. Your chimney sweep should always check the condition of your chimney cap during your annual inspection to verify that it is secure and will continue to protect your chimney.

If you have animals or birds rustling in your chimney — or if you’d like to prevent an animal from nesting in your chimney this spring — call the Chimney Care Co. to schedule an appointment. We can clean and inspect your chimney after an animal intrusion or install a new chimney cap to keep animals out of your flue.

Why do I Need a New Chimney Cap?

Chimney Cap Replacement - Cincinnati OH - Chimney Care CompanyChimney caps are a lot like the topper on a Christmas tree, with one glaring difference—a chimney cap is much more than decoration. They’re vital organs to a chimney that should be well taken care of and replaced when needed. Chimney caps come in many different designs, shapes and sizes. Just choosing the right one can be a chore sometimes. They’re generally made out of some kind of metal, whether it’s copper, stainless steel or galvanized steel. Some are better quality than others, and some look better than others. No matter which type of chimney cap you have, however, it should be inspected regularly and replaced when necessary.

WHEN TO INSPECT YOUR CHIMNEY CAP

Inspection of the chimney cap should occur right alongside your annual chimney inspection. If the cap becomes clogged with creosote or begins to come loose from the chimney, it can hinder the proper functioning of the chimney and/or allow unwanted things inside your chimney. Pay close attention to the following during cap inspections:

    You’ll need to see how securely the cap is attached to the structure. Generally speaking, caps that are screwed into the chimney crown coming loose should not be much of a problem. However, if not installed correctly using the appropriate masonry screws, the screws may begin to slowly back themselves out over time. As a result, the chimney cap may need to be re-secured via the correct methods and materials.

  • You’ll need to check the assembly of the chimney cap. Over time, whether it’s due to the weather, the heat of the chimney or animals, parts of the chimney cap may begin loosening. The metal top of the cap could have warped over the years and could be pulling away from the sides. If this is the case, it should be repaired or replaced. Sometimes, tightening or adding screws may also fix the problem.
  • You’ll need to ensure that the metal mesh is in good shape. Just because it’s there to keep birds and animals out doesn’t mean they won’t still try to get in. Hopefully, the mesh will be in good shape when one of your friendly neighborhood squirrels starts tugging at it. If not, it’ll eventually work its way in to the chimney liner. Also, creosote buildup can occur on the mesh, which can limit the airflow and hinder the chimney draft.
  • You’ll need to check for rust. This shouldn’t be an issue with stainless steel or copper caps, however, the galvanized steel caps, which are of lower quality, will eventually begin to rust. These caps are usually treated with heat-resistant paint to hinder rusting, but the paint will eventually start to crack and peel, thereby enabling rust to set in. The best thing to do in this instance is to replace the chimney cap altogether, preferably with a stainless steel variety.

WHEN TO HAVE YOUR CHIMNEY CAP REPLACED

If the mesh on the cap is heavily clogged or separating from the rest of the cap, the entire cap should be replaced. The mesh is one of the most important parts and should be kept in excellent condition. You never know when an animal will attempt to get in there by pulling at it. If it’s weak, the animal will be successful and you’ll have to call an animal removal specialist to get it out. Any time you’ve had a chimney fire, the cap should be replaced. Chances are, it’ll be warped and damaged beyond repair, leaving you no choice but to replace it. If your cap is on a metal chimney liner, and you’ve had a chimney fire, you’ll have to replace the liner, too.

The chimney cap protects the upper opening of your chimney and prevents rainwater, debris and animals from entering. Inspect it regularly and, if necessary, don’t be hesitant to have it replaced by a certified chimney sweep. Your home is an investment, and those of us at Chimney Care Company want to help you protect that investment. Do your part to protect your home and family from the devastation of fire and structural compromise by keeping up with your annual maintenance service. For more information of to set up your appointment, please click here or call us at 513-248-9600. We look forward to serving you!

By Jeff Keefer | Tagged with: Tags: , | Leave a Comment

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