Blockages in Your Chimney
Things get stuck. That’s what they do. Stuck in the mud, lump in your throat, that annoying family member that won’t move out, something in the way of your dreams…you get the picture. And Mr. Chimney is no exception.
While you might not be worried about Santa getting stuck in your chimney this year, there are plenty of other things that can get lodged in there. Chimneys get all kinds of surprises, especially if they’re one of the old mason types. So what exactly does get stuck in a chimney? Well, that’s why we wrote this post.
A bird in hand is better than a… can’t remember exactly how that one goes, but anyway—birds. They do like chimneys. The chimney swift is a bird that gets its name honestly. They love to build their nests along the inside of the flue, using their saliva to attach small twigs to it. Their young are pretty noisy, though that only lasts about two weeks, and you have to get a permit to remove chimney swifts since they are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. In other words, if you don’t already have chimney swifts, you might want to keep reading to make sure you don’t ever have them.
Fish and guests stink… So do raccoons and other animals, and it may not take three days, either. There are many animals that would love to call your chimney home, and some of them will bring the whole family along. And family members aren’t the only thing they’ll bring along—many wildlife creatures have diseases, and that’s not something you want that close to home.
The apple never falls far from the tree. That’s an easy one to remember. Leaves don’t fall far from the tree either, and neither do twigs and branches. These are all things that can get lodged in your chimney and cause it to choke, or worse, catch fire. In fact, nests built by animals are another thing that catches fire.
The best medicine is… you got it: prevention. You’ll hear any self-respecting chimney sweep harp on this the most. Get that chimney inspected and cleaned annually. Why? Well, if you aren’t convinced by now that things can get stuck in your chimney and that those things can cause problems for you, there’s not much else to say. Getting a chimney swept means that all that debris will be cleared away, removing all kinds of hazards from you and your home. But there’s something else that can actually keep all of the above out of your chimney, and that’s a chimney cap. Chimney caps with screens are your first line of defense against animals, birds, debris, and moisture from weather conditions out of your chimney. So don’t wait for the critters to come a callin’—give us a call today.