Few things are more horrifying than going to start a fire in the wood stove or fireplace and realizing that you are not alone – there’s a pest in the chimney, stove or worst case the living room! No one wants to hurt a little animal, no matter how unwanted the “varmint” is, and usually there’s a way to capture the squirrel or racoon and release it to the wild, but the better solution is to prevent this from happening in the first place with a chimney cap.
Chimney caps have many added advantages in addition to keeping your chimney animal-free, but for animal lovers it is a true added benefit. The possibility of having a wild animal access your house via the chimney poses many problems including the possibility of disease spreading vermin and damage the animal may cause while trying to escape. There is the very real possibility that the animal-intruder will be injured by the fire or have to be destroyed by a pest control professional if it does not escape voluntarily, neither of which is a good outcome for an animal-loving home-owner.
Chimney caps can add an architectural element or blend seamlessly into the roof-line. Options include stainless steel, copper and terra cotta with different elevations and visible detail. Originally created to prevent rain from entering the chimney, chimney caps are an important line of defense against the local animal kingdom.
Chimney caps are easily installed by the handy homeowner who is comfortable working on the roof. For a checklist of the items needed for a successful installation and a detailed “how to,” contact us.
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