Ready for a Fall Chimney Check Up?

If you are like most of us, you are getting yourself and your home ready for the long winter months that lay ahead. Maybe you've started switching over your closets, dug out the boots, found the shovel in the basement, or started to think about spark up the fireplace on some of these cold fall evenings. While we can't help you with your closets or find your boots, we can suggest a chimney check up.Chimneys and fireplaces are notorious for being a haven for pests of all varieties. From bats and birds, to squirrels and skunks, chimneys offer a warm, safe place to spend the cold months here in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Common Chimney Pests

As the temperatures drop this fall, critters that have been living in your yard and neighborhood begin to seek out warm, safe places where they can overwinter. They gather their supplies and head indoors. Unfortunately, sometimes that may be in your home, more specifically your chimney.Some of the most common pests you may hear scratching or flapping around in your chimney include, bats, birds, rats, mice, squirrels, raccoons, and the occasional skunk. Many of these pests attempt to create a nest where they can spend the next few months while others care for their young in the confines of the quiet, safe, and warm chimney.

Pest Problems in Chimneys

It may seem obvious that having a rodent or critter in your chimney or fireplace is a serious problem. But did you know that these pests can cause serious structural problems if they dig away at the chimney stack, or create a fire risk with their nesting materials? They sure can!Both the fire risk and structural problems can be created by an infestation of pests. Knowing this, we recommend an annual chimney check up, of sorts. A chimney inspector can evaluate your fireplace and chimney for creosote build up as well as pests that have created a home within your home.Often the problem lies in the availability of easy access that critters have to the chimney. Many homeowners are unaware of cracks in the chimney or that the cap of their chimney may not be secure or possibly blew off in the last storm. A chimney inspector can take a look at all of this.Do you hear strange noises coming from your chimney? Do you suspect that there is a pest taking refuge there? Call our team of wildlife specialists who can inspect, evaluate, remove, and exclude these pests before they cause a serious problem this winter.