How can a person keep animals out of chimney? A chimney cap can be bought at a store or through a professional chimney cleaner to keep pests out of the chimney. Most homeowners with chimneys have at some...
Most homeowners with chimneys have at some point dealt with one of nature's critters. Maybe it was a bird, squirrel, or raccoon that became trapped inside your home. It can be scary and troublesome. Our chimney expert, Stewart Rabon, owner of Lone Star Sweeps in Austin, Texas, says chimney sweeps and inspections can prevent this from happening in your home.
"Everyone needs to have a proper chimney cap. It's always better to have a professional go up there and measure and get everything right. This way you don't have to worry about it falling off. Sometimes if you try to save a nickel, you end up spending a lot more," Rabon says.
If you don't have a chimney cap, and you already have an animal living in your chimney, here's some important information: According to the website, wildlifeanimals.ncf, the most common birthing season for animals like raccoons is from late March until June. If a raccoon has moved in during the spring, it is probably pregnant. You shouldn't do anything at this point. If you try to push the animal away, it will have its babies and then leave them there. There isn't that much space in a chimney and as the babies grow, this normally forces mom to move on with the babies. There is little harm they can cause to a chimney; just be sure the damper is shut safely.
You can place a bunched up ball of paper towel in the chimney and a spark arrestor screen made from 1"x1" welded wire mesh. You should install this so you can see if the animals have left or not. If the paper moves, this means there is still something coming and going. Wait a week and then do it again. It is necessary to supervise their departure. Raccoons can have young even into mid-August.
Rabon and other chimney sweepers suggest never smoking out an animal. A small amount of smoke can kill a small animal fast.
If you have an animal that gets stuck in your chimney, there are two tricks. Once an animal gets to the damper/smoke shelf, it can't get back out of the chimney. You can get a thick rope and hang that from the top of the chimney all the way to the bottom. This will provide an escape mechanism for the animal. The other way is to choose a door or window that is closest to the fireplace, if the window is raised more than a foot from the floor. Use some boxes as a step up to it. Darken the room so that the squirrel will be attracted to the light and the smell of fresh air coming from the window or door that is open. Make a path to the door or window using cardboard boxes or the coffee table on its side, anything to direct the squirrel towards the window. If you want to protect the floor from soot you can use an old sheet. Close off other doors. Once the path is in place, and you have the door or window open, gently open the damper to allow the squirrel access to the hearth. Leave the room. Be sure there is no noise at all. If a squirrel is scared by a noise, it will either not come out or rush out and hide behind the wall unit. It may take a half hour or more for the squirrel to feel safe enough to come down. It is important to do this during daylight; after dark squirrels are not normally active. You can give it a small dish of water or a piece of apple and try first thing in the morning.
Having an annual chimney sweeping can help eliminate any animal from getting trapped in your chimney. Chimney sweepers will conduct their inspections, and prevent the smallest critters from entering your home. On top of that it will help safeguard your family.
