With the holiday’s now past, if you are hearing noises from your chimney, it could be more than Santa and a few elves. Here are a few tips on chimney pest removal.
There are generally two situations where pest removal from your chimney is necessary
Sometimes a bird, squirrel, or other animal may fall down into the chimney and become trapped. The other situation that can happen is when pests nest inside of your chimney.
Beyond the annoying sounds and scratching you may hear occasionally in your chimney, there are some other more serious issues that having pests in your chimney can cause.
Often these pests will nest in the flue (a vent where gases and smoke escapes) because it is warmer there than building nests outside. The flue can also offer some protection from predators as well. One issue this can cause is creating a fire hazard.
More often than not, nests are made of highly flammable materials. These are placed in direct escape routes for heat and dangerous gasses. If the nests don’t start a fire, they could block the release of harmful gases such as carbon monoxide. This could pose serious health threats to you and your family if left unchecked.
Getting these nests and animals out can be tricky business, and usually requires a professional. The best thing you can do on your own lies in prevention. Install a screen and cover to your chimney once pests have been removed. This will keep birds from nesting, and prevent other animals from accidentally falling in and becoming trapped.
Don’t Burn Your House Down…Hire A Professional for chimney pest removal
It’s almost always a bad idea to try and remove nests or pests from your chimney on your own. Definitely never try and “smoke out” these pests. This poses an even greater fire hazard. The nests are highly flammable and this also can kill all of the pests, leaving the bodies inside.
According to the The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, it is even against the law to kill or remove some nesting birds without a permit, even if their location is inconvenient. Most people don’t have these permits, or know where to get them. This is another great reason to reach out to a professional pest removal service.
Squirrels can do even more damage then birds if they happen to make nests in your chimney. There have even been reported cases of squirrel nests of over 10 feet in length that took professional chimney sweeps hours to remove…Definitely not something you want to tackle on your own on a Saturday afternoon.
Pests that get stuck in your chimney may bring more than just noise with them
Another reason to leave chimney pest removal to the professionals is that many pests that either become trapped in, or that decide to nest in your chimney can carry many diseases.
Bats for example, are another creature that like to nest in chimneys and they are known to carry rabies. Do not attempt to remove bats on your own from your chimney or if they escape into your home for this reason.
Raccoons also have been known to hide out in or get trapped in chimneys. These pests can be very aggressive and dangerous and they often will attack people when threatened. They also carry rabies as well as other diseases and should be avoided and dealt with by a professional pest control service or pest removal service.
Birds can introduce many diseases as well, one such disease is called histoplasmosis, which can cause blindness. This again is another reason to leave their removal to a licensed professional.
Overall the risks of doing your own pest removal from your chimney far outweigh any benefits you may have attempting it on your own. Stay safe and reach out to a professional pest control service to deal with any pest issues you may have with pests in your chimney.
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