Here at 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc., we love animals. That’s why we think they belong out in nature, where they can roam free, and not in the confines of your home. One of the most common calls that we get in our office is homeowners frantically looking for a way to get animals out of the chimney. While we’re happy to help, we want you to protect yourself from this possibility, which is why we have a couple of tips to help keep them out.
Install a Chimney Cap!
This is simply the best way to prevent animals from getting into or nesting on your chimney in the first place. A chimney cap is a simple installation that helps your chimney in a number of ways. First, it keeps moisture out of the chimney. This is important because water is actually one of the biggest threats to the construction of your chimney, creating a potential for water damage that could contribute to the spread of a chimney fire.
And, as the Humane Society of the United States recommends, a quality stainless steel chimney cap with wire mesh is the best way to keep creatures from crawling or flying into the structure. This needs to have holes small enough to block animals from entering, and large enough to safely vent combustion gases. Call your local technician for more information or chimney cap installation.
Call a Certified Chimney Sweep
A certified chimney sweep is the only person you should allow to handle animal removal and sanitizing in your chimney. But you should know that some protected birds that choose to nest on your chimney cannot be removed until they choose to leave. That’s one of the reasons prevention is so important. If you have certified chimney technicians inspect your chimney in the summer, they can tell you whether or not your chimney is properly guarded against local critters. In most cases, any critters (or the messes they leave behind) can be removed and cleaned out by your technician.
Call the certified chimney sweeps at 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. for animal removing and chimney sanitizing in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.