Animal removal and flue clean-out in Hamptons at Boca Raton

Watching the chimney top from the ground

Some animals can be seen entering or leaving the chimney top. Birds may fly in and out during the day, and bats tend to leave around dusk. A few minutes of watching from the yard can tell us a lot.

Stay on the ground and keep a safe distance. Do not climb onto the roof to look. If you see animals coming and going, note roughly how many and when, and describe them as well as you can when you call.

Other ways animals get into a chimney

The flue opening is the obvious entry, but there are others. Cracks in the crown, gaps at the flashing and a loose chase cover can let animals in. So can damaged siding on a chase and openings where the chimney meets the house.

We look for each of these once the animal has gone. A cap on the flue does little if the animal can still get into the chase or the attic beside the chimney. The estimate lists each entry point and the repair it needs.

The written record after an animal removal

At the end of the job, you receive a written record. It notes what animal was found, what was removed, what damage was seen and how the chimney was closed. If any step was left to a wildlife professional, the record says so.

Keep it with your other house papers. If animals return, the record shows what was done and where to look. It also helps if you sell the house and a buyer asks about the chimney. A record of a fitted cap is useful to anyone looking after the house later.

Questions to ask when the animal job is done

Before we leave, these questions help you understand what was done and what to watch for.

You will find the same answers in the written record. Going over them beside the fireplace, with the parts in view, tends to make them stick. If a question comes up later, call and ask.

• Is the flue confirmed empty and clean
• What damage did the animal leave behind
• How was the top closed, and with what
• What signs would mean an animal is back