What You Should Do About Chimney Pests Before It’s Time to Use the Fireplace
The “first day of fall” in the U.S. was Sunday, September 22nd, but here in Alabama (and the rest of the Deep South), we usually have to suffer sweltering summer weather until at least November. That’s why it catches us off guard and underprepared when an unusually early cold front rolls in.
When it gets chilly all of a sudden, you’ll be eager to use your fireplace, but you have to watch out for critters that may be sheltering in your chimney. Don’t let winter weather and chimney pests sneak up on you. Read today’s pest blog to learn how to deal with pests in your chimney!
What Are Chimney Pests?
If you’re feeling cold outside, you go inside somewhere warm; animals do the same thing. Chimney pests, simply enough, are critters who find that warm haven in chimneys on the roofs of houses with fireplaces.
Insects that make cavity nests, bats, birds, rats, and squirrels, are all types of animals typically found sheltering in chimneys.
What Do I Do About Chimney Pests?
Without a pest professional’s help, the most you can safely do to keep pests out of your home’s chimney is to implement safe strategies to prevent them.
Check Firewood
Although most chimney pests come from the roof, some find their way to the chimney or other parts of your home by secretly riding in on the firewood you bring inside your house. The best-case scenario is that you get some moths in the firewood; the worst is that termites hide in your firewood.
Keeping firewood in a cool, dry place outside your house is best. Whether or not you store it inside or outside, you’ll eventually have to bring the firewood in for your fireplace. When you do, inspect it thoroughly before you get within 20 feet of your home. If the wood is infested with any critter, take it as far away from your house as possible. Do not burn or bury wood treated with pesticides or that currently has an insect infestation. Instead, bag it up and throw it in the trash.
Shut the Chimney and Fireplace
When your fireplace isn’t in use, shut the chimney cap and fireplace flue. Leaving those open is like openly inviting chimney pests into your home.
If the chimney cap or fireplace flue has cracks or gaps, call a repair service or replace them.
Don’t Give Chimney Pests a Boost
Bushes, trees, and other structures too close to your home serve as stepping stones for critters to jump onto your roof and crawl into the chimney. Remove these access points as soon as possible, whether by trimming back hedges, pruning trees, adding gutter covers, or making other adjustments.
When Chimney Pests Warrant Calling a Professional
Here are signs that you should get in touch with experts—like our crew from Vulcan Termite & Pest Control—about chimney pests:
- The pest is already in your chimney.
- You have increased fall risk: Getting up on the roof can be dangerous for anyone who isn’t careful, but some individuals are at higher risk of falling than others and should not attempt it.
- If, for any reason, you cannot access your chimney from your roof or you would simply feel safer not doing it yourself, that’s a clear sign to call a professional for help.
- The animal is aggressive, toxic, poisonous, or hurt.
It is usually very dangerous to handle wildlife, especially if they feel threatened (and if you try to remove them from “their” new home in your chimney, they will). Do not try to touch the wildlife, please! If there’s an insect nest, an infestation, or anything else, call us today at 205-663-4200 or contact us online to request our services.
If the chimney pests you’re dealing with are not insects and are larger than a small rodent—e.g., birds, raccoons, and armadillos—we pest experts pass the job to a specialized removal service (for our clients in Birmingham, we recommend Birmingham Wildlife Control LLC or Critter Control of Birmingham).
Birmingham’s Leaders in Integrative Pest Management
For 40+ years, our team of integrative pest solutions professionals from Vulcan Termite & Pest Control has proudly aided hundreds of families in Birmingham and nearby communities by eradicating invasive pests on their property.
We’ll gladly perform a FREE evaluation and create and implement an effective strategy using our tried-and-true methods so you and your family can enjoy a pest-free home.
Are you curious to keep learning about common critters found in Alabama or how to safely and humanely deal with them when they show up on your property uninvited? Check out more of our weekly pest blogs for helpful tips, tricks, and educational content!