As summer turns to fall, homeowners across the U.S. begin to think about winter, especially in New England where winters is harsh. Here in Vermont, it isn’t just cold temperatures that affect your chimney system and home. During the winter, animals seeking shelter from weather may intrude to cause damage to your chimney system. Now is the perfect time to install a chimney cap to prevent them from entering.
Animal Intrusion and Chimney Damage
Oftentimes homeowners notice sounds and signs of animals in their chimney system. Any animal that can climb onto your roof can also climb into your flue. Regardless of whether the animal escapes or not, there will be damage. Even if an animal climbs out of the flue, they most likely left claw marks on the liner, fur and other debris in the chimney.
Some birds may nest in your chimney and leave, but they leave behind nesting materials, feathers, and droppings. All of these things are organic materials, which will decompose in the chimney system to cause foul odors. More importantly, it drops the efficiency of your chimney system and raises fire risk. It’s very important to schedule a chimney sweep from our team of professionals, especially if there’s been any kind of animal intrusion.
Prevention and Care
You can prevent animal intrusion by installing a chimney cap at the top of your chimney flue. The cap is an important part of your chimney system. It not only prevents animals from entering your system, but it also prevents water penetration, unwanted wind gusts, and sparks from escaping. Having a cap on your chimney is one of the best ways to protect your chimney.
Water damage is another reason to install a chimney cap, as water damages causes very devastating damage to your system from the inside out. Wind gusts also affect how your fire burn in the winter and raise your cooling bills in the summer. Finally, without a chimney cap, hot embers can escape your flue to ignite debris on the roof and dry grasses and shrubs below, to cause a fire.
If You Have an Animal in the Chimney
You may notice noises coming from your chimney, as scratching noises are amplified in masonry chimneys. If you hear noises, it’s the first sign of an intruder. Call a professional to remove the animal from your chimney safely and humanely. Leave it up to the professionals. We can remove the animal, clean your chimney, and even complete an inspection to determine the cause of your invasion and prevent future invasions.
If you haven’t had an inspection in the last 12 months, your chimney is open to visitors. Schedule an appointment with the team at Brickliners today, and we’ll make sure your cap is in place and ready for winter. Call 802-872-0123 to speak with an expert today!