Chimney animal removal by local pros in Oakshire

How exclusion devices work

An exclusion device is a one-way exit fitted over the opening bats use. The bats can crawl or fly out at night and cannot get back in. Florida's nuisance wildlife rule sets conditions for using these devices before an opening is closed, and the work is often handled by a wildlife specialist. Once the chimney is confirmed empty, we remove the device and install the permanent cap and screen. The device stays in place for the period the rule sets before the opening is closed for good.

The order the work follows

Chimney animal jobs go wrong when steps are skipped, so we follow a set order. Each step waits for the one before it, and the estimate shows where your chimney stands in the sequence. Skipping to the cap is the one shortcut we refuse, because it is how animals end up trapped.

• Identify the animal and whether it is nesting
• Lawful removal, departure or exclusion
• Cleanup of nest material and droppings, then a sweep
• Flue and damper inspection
• A screened cap or other exclusion to keep it empty

A yearly look at the cap and screen

NFPA 211 calls for chimneys to be inspected annually, and that inspection is a good time to check the cap. Screens tear, rust or clog, fasteners loosen and storms shift caps. A quick look each year catches a failing screen before an animal finds it. We include the cap, screen and crown or chase top in every chimney inspection we do. Screens are cheaper to replace than the cleanup that follows a new animal visit. If you only use the fireplace now and then, the yearly look matters even more, since problems do not show up through regular use.

A sturdier cap after an animal broke through

A light screen can be bent or torn by a raccoon or squirrel that wants in. When the old cap has been damaged that way, a heavier cap with a stiffer screen and secure fastening is worth considering. We show you what failed on the old one and quote options that hold up better, with the screen openings still inside the code range. A sturdier cap is still removable for cleaning, as the code requires for spark arrestors.