ANIMAL IN THE CHIMNEY? | KEEP CRITTERS OUT

Critters are cute, but they certainly don’t belong in the chimney. If you ever hear unusual sounds from your fireplace, like wings, or scratching, odds are you have a wild guest trying to escape. From cats to birds, we’ve been told all kinds of stories about wildlife trapped in flues. But if you find an animal in the chimney, what should you do about it?

DON’T LIGHT YOUR FIREPLACE

First and foremost, don’t light your fireplace. While it might seem logical to try to smoke the animal out, it’s more likely to injure the animal, and possibly your chimney, too.

Instead, close off the fireplace so the animal can’t get loose in your home. The last thing you want is to be chasing a raccoon around the house.

ANIMAL IN CHIMNEY? CALL ANIMAL CONTROL

There’s no need to panic. If you open the damper, the animal may be able to get out on its own. But if that isn’t the case, give your local animal control service a call. They’re better equipped to deal with an animal in the chimney than the fire department.

KEEP CRITTERS OUT

Animals search for warm places to build their nests, especially in wintry months. They don’t understand what a fireplace is. So, it’s best to simply prevent finding an animal in the chimney before it becomes an issue.

To protect both your home and your chimney, it’s important to have a qualified chimney sweep examine the inner components of your chimney for damage. A missing or faulty rain cap, as well as gaps where animals can squeeze in, pose risks to your chimney.

Having your chimney professionally inspected and cleaned before you begin building fires in cold weather will help you avoid not only unwelcome nests, but other hazards. For more information on our services, please give us a call at (510) 521-4088.

WHY CHOOSE CERAMIC COATING?

Your chimney plays a very significant role in the secure use of your fireplace or wood-burning heater. Many homeowners are amazed to hear that poorly-maintained flues and chimneys are in reality one of the common causes for home fires. When it comes to your firewood or gas-burning machine, there are plenty of parts that go into keeping your home safe, including the chimney liner.

HOW DOES IT GET DONE?

Ceramic coating sprayed within your chimney blocks and plugs any gap or cracks, and coats an even ceramic layer which provides the correct passageway for the smoke and any harmful emissions to disband from the fire directly out the crown of your chimney. It also controls any further acid corrosion and prevents damage being done to the flue which not only ensures your chimney is protected to use but also puts your mind at rest that no expensive repairs will be needed.

It is applied with a sprayer. On the vertical walls, i.e. most of the chimney, it should be applied from base to top because as the material comes out of the sprayer it runs down the chimney and gets absorbed into the chimney underneath the area is working on. The top requires extra attention or it’d only obtain one pass. Afterward than you come to an end about 15 minutes’ worth, do it another time just to make sure the entire structure gets a good soaking.

BENEFITS OF CERAMIC COATING

Avoid Overheating of the Chimney and Lengthens Its Lifespan
Seals crack preventing heat loss, considerably saving heat energy
Excellent resistance to powdering
Forms gas-tight surface
Cost-Effective
Increases the security of a home, advance the operation of the fireplace and guard the smoke chamber

SEALING THE CHIMNEY BREAST

Since the chimney breast has a more brutal exposure to rain and particularly snow, it needs more coats of Ceramic coating. Most Ceramic coatings used these days are water-based material. This is for many reasons: First is that water-based materials cost significantly less than solvent-based materials. They are safer to dispatch, store and use and they are completely adequate to the task. The exception to the advantages is on non-vertical surfaces.

SEALING A CHIMNEY CROWN

The chimney crown is a nearly flat surface and it’s completely made of concrete or mortar. It shouldn’t be made of mortar, but there is a good possibility that it is anyway. Based on what you’ve just read about ceramic coating the chimney breast, you’d logically think that you’d just use a solvent-based waterproofing material there.

For Ceramic Coating services contact Irish Sweep today!

Tag: chimney

Animal in Chimney?