Animal removal and entry repairs for chimneys in Twin Lakes North

Rats and mice around the chimney

Rats and mice can use gaps at the chimney as a route into the house. They may travel through a framed chase, a cracked crown or openings where the chimney meets the siding. Droppings on the hearth or chewed material nearby can be signs.

We look at the chimney for the gaps they use and describe them. Closing gaps at the chimney itself can be part of our work. Dealing with rodents elsewhere in the house belongs to a pest control company, and we say so rather than stretching the scope.

Smells that point to an animal in the chimney

A musky smell from the fireplace can come from an animal living in the flue. A sharp, ammonia-like smell often comes from droppings and urine. A sweet, rotten smell usually means an animal has died.

Describe the smell and when it is strongest. Keep the damper closed and air the room. Each kind of smell points to a different stage of the problem, and the clean-out that follows is planned around it. Do not mask it with sprays, because the smell is useful evidence.

Chimney parts that matter in animal removal

A few chimney terms come up when an animal is removed. Knowing them makes the plan and the written record easier to follow.

During the visit, we can point out each part. Once you have seen the smoke shelf, it is easy to understand why so many animals end up there.

• The flue is the passage smoke uses to leave the house
• The damper closes the flue off from the room
• The smoke shelf is the ledge behind the damper
• The cap screen is the mesh over the flue top

When the chimney connects to an attic problem

An animal in the chimney may also be using the attic, especially where the chimney passes through the roof. Gaps around the chimney at the roof deck or in a chase can connect the two spaces.

We look at where the chimney meets the attic when that space can be reached safely. If the animal is moving between them, we explain which entries belong to the chimney and which to the rest of the roof. Our repairs stay with the chimney.