What to Do If a Wildlife is Stuck in Your Chimney?
Getting any type of wildlife in your chimney is a relatively common occurrence, particularly in homes that have an unprotected chimney, as well as homes in areas in close proximity to wildlife. If you know that you have wildlife stuck in your chimney, there are some things you should consider before taking action. Continue reading to learn what to do if wildlife is stuck in your chimney.
Why Are Animals in My Chimney?
It may seem odd that wildlife would want to be in your chimney in the first place. Chimneys provide great places of shelter for many different animal species. Bats, raccoons, squirrels, and birds are the most common chimney invaders, and they all go into chimneys for the same reason. Chimneys provide an excellent place to stay out of the wind when it gets cold. In addition, chimneys are a safe place to raise young, as these critters find a way to get comfortable.
Why Should I Remove Them?
Since the wildlife have found a good shelter, you may be wondering why they need to be removed. The answer comes down to a simple reason: danger. When any of these animals live in your chimney, they all present a serious fire hazard. Birds and squirrels present the biggest fire hazard, but rats and raccoons can cause problems as well. When birds and squirrels build nests, these nests can easily catch on fire, potentially causing your chimney, and then your house, to catch on fire. In addition, any of the animals can die in your chimney, possibly causing an obstruction that can catch on fire or block smoke from escaping. Removing these animals is important in order to get rid of fire risks.
Professional Removal
Since chimneys are often hazardous to work on, most people opt to have a professional wildlife removal company, such as A&D Construction Plus, perform the removal. When a professional company removes the wildlife for you, you can rest assured knowing that they have done this many times and will get the job done completely, preventing you and your family from being in danger of a fire hazard. Often, these companies will also provide you with some prevention steps and suggestions you can use to prevent any future chimney invasions.
Do It Yourself Removal
While doing things yourself might appear to save you money, it can also expose you to danger in the form of animal disease and not getting the job done completely. However, if you do want to give a do it yourself removal approach a try, there are some things to be aware of. Visit pestcontrolwildlife.com to learn more about wild animal removal from the chimney. Most of these animals can be caught using an exclusion door, which is simply a one-way door that allows animals to leave and not get back in. With birds and squirrels, you will also have to try to locate the nest and remove it from your chimney. Some tips for removing raccoons from the chimney are to be aware of baby raccoons, and also avoid coming into contact with raccoon droppings, as they can carry many diseases. If you are sure you got all of the wildlife out of your chimney and have removed all nests, you will be good to go.
Once you get done with your removal, be sure to look into installing a chimney cap or cover on your chimney. Chimney caps are basically covers that prevent any wildlife from being able to access your chimney, while allowing smoke to go through. When installed properly, these are completely effective at preventing animal invasions.
