Now that the weather has gotten significantly cooler, you’re probably spending more time indoors. Animals like to do the same—sort of. Typically, they will find someplace to nest to protect them from the cold. Unfortunately, they just might choose your chimney in which to do so if you don’t have a chimney cap. If you suspect that you have an unwanted animal tenant in your chimney, it’s probably one of the critters below.
Do you have an unwanted tenant in your chimney? If so, it’s probably one of these animals.
Squirrels
Have you ever seen a squirrel’s nest? They tend to make big, bulky nests high up in trees. Unfortunately, sometimes a chimney can mimic this natural habitat. If you have a squirrel nesting in your chimney, contact animal control as soon as you can. Unlike some other creatures on this list, their nests do pose a fire hazard.
Birds
If you’ve heard the chirping of birds coming from your fireplace, you likely have some birds nesting there. Almost any bird species small enough to fit into your chimney could end caught in your chimney. But the species most likely to nest there is the chimney swift.
You might feel disconcerted by the knowledge that these birds are nesting in your chimney, but the truth is that they are pretty harmless. Their nests are too small to pose a fire hazard or blockage problem. Also, they only nest in our areas during the summertime, so there’s little risk of you lighting a fire and harming them. They’ll be long gone by the time the urge to light the first fire of the year strikes.
Raccoons
Of all the animals that might take up residence in your chimney, the most concerning one is probably the raccoon. Female raccoons in particular have a track record of entering chimneys to give birth to their young. They can pose a considerable threat of spreading diseases, such as rabies and roundworm. If you have even the slightest inkling that there might be a raccoon in your chimney, get the attention of an animal removal expert right away.
What Can I Do About It?
Now that we’ve gone over a few of the animals that might nest in your chimneys, you might be wondering what you can do about it. Beyond contacting animal control, the best thing you can do is to prevent them from entering. Thankfully, this isn’t difficult or expensive.
The solution lies with chimney caps. Chimney caps do one thing extremely well: they keep things out of your chimney. With a proper chimney cap, this won’t be an issue.
Call the Experts at Champion Chimneys for Chimney Cap and Damper Installation Today!
Champion Chimneys, Inc. is a fully licensed, bonded, and insured chimney service company that has been serving customers in Baltimore County, Howard County, and Anne Arundel County, Maryland since 2001. Our team is trained and certified by Certified Chimney Professionals, Inc. (CCP, Inc.). Courteous service is our trademark, and our crews arrive on time in uniform, driving fully equipped trucks. We specialize in all aspects of your chimney system. Whether you need chimney and flue cleaning service or a full chimney rebuild or inspection, contact us at 443-Chimney today and let us fix all your chimney problems. Also, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.