Animals in Your Chimney

 Spring and Summer in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky are lovely seasons when plants and animals flourish. While this is wonderful to experience in a majority of cases, it can also cause some annoyances. Just ask anyone with allergies how much they love spring. 

Extra pollen in the air isn’t the only issue that might come from this time of year. All of those little critters may be looking for a nice place to call home and some of them may mistake your chimney for a great piece of real estate. It’s warm, dry, and safe–at least until you start up the fireplace! Racoons, possums, chimney swifts, squirrels and many other friends of the wild can set up residence in your home, and cause damage to your chimney and they don’t pay taxes. 

Animals getting into your chimney isn’t something that we advise trying to address yourself. Let the experts at Best Cincinnati Chimney walk through the process of getting those unwelcomed guests removed from your chimney. 

Step 1Warning signs of invaders 

Knowing what warning signs to watch is the first step in identifying unwelcomed guests, and we are not talking about your mother-in-law. If you aren’t sure about whether there is an animal in your chimney, make sure to check for these warning signs: 

• • Bad aromas: It may smell musty or dirty or, in a worst-case scenario, you may even be smelling decay from an animal that passed while in your chimney. If something smells weird in your chimney it is always best to call Best Cincinnati Chimney to check it out. 
• • You can hear something in the chimney: Animals, even small ones, go about their business eating, sleeping, moving around. They love clean chimneys but they don’t stay clean for long. This is why it is a good idea to listen for those little squeaks and squawks. The sooner you detect them, the better. 
• • You can see them. Sometimes the animals use your chimney as a pathway to your kitchen, so if you see them or evidence in your home, check the chimney. 

• • There is visible debris: Maybe it is fur or droppings or dirt or something else. Whatever form it takes, animal debris is going to be one of the more obvious signs that there is an unwanted guest in your chimney. 

Step 2. Getting them out of there 

If you discover that there is indeed an animal or animals in your chimney, We would recommend first, that you contact an animal removal agency. Animal removal requires emergency equipment and gear that most chimney companies do not have. We can then clean and inspect your chimney for damage that they might have done. 

Step 3. Talk to a Chimney Technician About Ways to Keep Critters Out 

And the big AHA moment is: Close up their entry way. Many houses are equipped with galvanized caps and screens that racoons and other critters can chew right through. We can help install stainless steel chimney screens and caps to keep animals and other debris out of your chimney, that have a lifetime warranty. 

Animal entry is no joke. Animals can cause many diseases and can cause much physical damage to your property. Call Best Cincinnati Chimney today if you suspect that you have an animal in your chimney.