I Hear Noises in My Chimney!
No, your chimney hasn’t developed a social media life. All that tweeting might mean you have a case of chimney swifts. And they aren’t the only things that like to call your chimney home. If you’ve been hearing noises or smelling odors that are less than pleasing lately, you just might be hosting animals or birds—keep reading to see just who might be taking up residence inside your chimney.
A right sized chimney cap should keep critters from setting up a home inside your chimney.
Raccoons aren’t an animal you want hanging around your house, much less in it. They carry many diseases, including rabies, and are especially good at finding their way through the chimney—some can even make it into or past the damper. Bats are another disease-ridden animal that like to take shelter in chimneys. While these animals are a nuisance to homeowners throughout the country, we deal with a high percentage of animals infected with rabies in New York State—raccoons and bats topping the statistics. This moves critters into the hazard zone for New York State homeowners with chimneys.
Probably the most audibly annoying chimney residents are the chimney swift. They earned their name because they love to build their nests along the inside of the flue by using their saliva to attach small twigs. When their young hatch, you’ll be dealing with about 2 weeks of chirping before the young are off and on their own. If your chimney has developed a case of chirping, you’ll have to wait until the swifts have moved out to have your chimney cleaned. You have to get a permit to remove chimney swifts, since they are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. So, if you aren’t into hosting wildlife, you’ll need to take some proactive measures to keep your chimney tweet-free.
Installing a chimney cap is the best way to keep any kind of critter out, and will also provide you with other benefits. Chimney caps keep all kinds of things out—debris, rain and other moisture from weather. If you have a metal flue, it’s very important to have a chimney cap, since animals have nothing to grip on to escape. This creates an unpleasant smell and harder mess to clean up.
If you suspect that you have animals or birds in your chimney, don’t hesitate to call us to provide you with solutions. Keeping your chimney clean each year will ensure that debris from animals is removed so it doesn’t catch fire. You can reach us at 631-863-2460 or schedule your appointment online.