Clean Sweeps of Michigan's Blog

When Animals Live in Your Chimney

Animals in Chimney

There is nothing cute or cuddly about animals in chimneys. Thankfully, the vast majority of homeowners realize that, even if they are not fully aware of the danger that animal intrusions pose to a fireplace system. Unfortunately, too many undertake the removal of animals from their chimneys themselves, placing themselves in harm’s way and often inadvertently causing more damage.

Removing Animals from your Chimney – Ann Arbor MI – Clean Sweeps

A Difficult and Dangerous Position to Be In

Extracting a live animal from a place like a chimney, where it is completely cornered and surrounded, is extremely difficult and dangerous. Removing a dead one, along with associated debris, droppings, and snagged tufts of fur, is difficult and altogether unpleasant. Both are difficult and both are hazardous for your chimney as well if you do not know what you are doing.

Animal extraction for chimneys should always be handled by certified chimney professionals. If the animal is alive, its humane handling is guaranteed and all involved are less likely to be injured. Homeowners worried about what happens after removal can relax as well, because animals not ready to be released back into the wild are first taken to vets or local shelters.

Concern for the animals in their chimneys is often the reason homeowners do not call for professional help. Certified chimney sweeps, however, are specifically skilled in this, have experience and love animals as much as you do! Furthermore, they are highly trained to examine the condition of your chimney once the animal has been removed, and this is critical.

Now the Animal is Gone, What Now?

The same claws that can scratch you up so badly may have done the same thing to the interior of your chimney. Even the animal’s movement and tight turns in such a small space could have damaged your flue. Extracting the animal – dead or alive – is first. After that, a professional sweep can inspect if any impairment was caused by the animal and what can be done to restore maximum safety and efficiency to your chimney.

Sprucing up Your Chimney for Spring

Problems with chimneys only worsen with time, so the sooner you can correct them, the better. Sprucing up your chimney for spring should come as naturally as giving the whole house a thorough cleaning. That means sweeping the whole house, so do not forget about the chimney when it is time to freshen the air.

More Than Just Fresh

The problem with waiting until fall for a good chimney cleaning is that your fires are no longer helping to keep it dry. That means the creosote deposits in it are getting damp, which means they are beginning to corrode the flue. Unlike your emerging flowers, creosote formation is something you want to nip in the bud.

Creosote also smells bad, so sprucing up your chimney is the only way to really achieve a fresh-smelling house. The point of so much expended energy for allergy sufferers and just house-proud owners, a spring cleaned house deserves an odor free chimney! Additionally, having the chimney inspected in spring gives homeowners time to attend to anything it needs.

Preparing for What’s Ahead

Migrating birds are just beginning to return, so a good strong chimney cap that they cannot lift off with their talons is important. Equally important is being sure it is capping a clean chimney already free of creosote, critters, nests, and debris. Similarly, before closing the damper to conserve energy when the fireplace is not in use, the flue should be clean and dry.

Water does more damage to chimneys than fire, so be sure you are keeping it out before you ‘close up’ the chimney. Chimney caps and crowns need to be in good condition and properly designed to send rain away from the flue and chase. Warm weather months are good ones for having professionals attend to tiny cracks in mortar around crowns and flashings. Spruce up your chimney along with the rest of the house in spring and this year, be prepared for what is coming.