Defending Your Chimney From Unwelcome Guests

We need to be blunt: it’s important that you have a clear and clean chimney during this time of year. When Santa makes his rounds, he needs an easy descent down into your home! Can you imagine what he would think if he hoisted himself into your chimney and found that his route was blocked by a dead raccoon!? That might be enough to nudge you onto the naughty list.

Don’t make Kris Kringle’s job harder than it needs to be. Here are some easy things you can do to keep pigeons, bats, bugs, and all manner of distinctly less-than-jolly pests out of your chimney all year.

How do I keep pests out of my chimney?

1. Have your chimney swept and cleaned

If you you’ve had problems with pests in your chimney in the past, it might be because something inside is attracting them. You should have your chimney thoroughly swept and cleaned once every year or so. The chimney sweep will be able to find anything troublesome inside the chimney such as an animal body or food residue that may have been attracting pests.

Chimney sweeping will also clear any built-up creosote and other bi-products of burning which can become dangerous over time. Your chimney will be safer and more effective, and you won’t have to worry about attracting pests! Plus, everything will be nice and clean for any festive gentlemen who may be using it.

2. Get a chimney cap

Capping your chimney is by far the easiest and most effective way to ensure no birds, rodents, bats, or large insects can get into your chimney. A chimney cap is a steel or copper lid with a mesh wire opening on its underside. You install this cap at the mouth of your chimney. Smoke is safely vented through the wire mesh at the bottom of the cap, but the animals can’t get to your chimney’s opening.

Chimney caps are considered a must-have by most industry professionals, so if your chimney doesn’t have one, you should strongly consider the investment. Not only will a chimney cap keep pests out, it’ll also keep weather, trash, and other debris from getting into your house through the chimney’s mouth.

3. Get a chimney screen

If a chimney cap isn’t feasible for whatever reason, or if you’re concerned about moths or other tiny pests infiltrating your home from above, you should consider a chimney screen. Screens are exactly what they sound like: a screen with very small opening is placed inside your chimney. The screen’s holes allow safe smoke ventilation, but nothing else can squeeze through it–not even fleas and other small pests!

One problem with screens is that pests can bite through them over time. To account for this issue, you could install both a chimney cap and a chimney screen. Big pests that could bite through the screen won’t be able to get to it, small pests that could get past the cap can’t get through the screen, and you rest easily knowing you really pulled one over on would-be invaders.

4. Get a new damper

A fireplace damper should be closed whenever the fireplace isn’t in use. This prevents cold air and pests from getting into your house from the chimney. If your damper doesn’t close all the way or was damaged, however, pests might be able to squeeze past it into your house!

By installing a new damper, you can ensure that it will work correctly, making your home more energy efficient as well as pest-proofing your fireplace. Make sure to measure the inside of your chimney before you choose and install a new damper to ensure the new will actually fit. Remember: you will still need to open the damper whenever you have a fire, unless you want all the smoke to pour into your house!