If you hear fluttering and chirping noises in your chimney, it’s a sign that there might be birds stuck inside. Ideally, you need to get these birds out of your chimney because leaving it unattended could cause more harm to your home.
The reason why birds are drawn to chimneys is because of the warmth it provides, therefore making it an ideal place to build a home. And even if you don’t use your fireplace too often, you don’t want any wildlife fluttering inside your chimney.
With this, there are preventive measures you can follow to ensure this won’t happen. You can try any of the following on the chimney in your home.
1. Install a chimney cap
You can install a chimney cap yourself—just measure the chimney to make sure it fits properly. If you don’t feel comfortable going up on your roof, a chimney sweep will do it for you.
– For extra protection, cover the opening of the chimney with a 1⁄4 in (0.64 cm) mesh screen to keep the birds out.
– Chimney caps also protect your chimney from the elements, so they’re just generally a good thing to have—especially if you use your fireplace on a regular basis during cooler weather. Source: WikiHow
2. Strategically place scare owls
Scare owls are lifelike statues of owls placed on a roof to frighten off birds. Birds will naturally be hesitant to approach the image of a scary predator.
The problem with using scare owls is that after a certain period, they become ineffective. After a while, birds realize the scare owls are nothing but harmless statues. For this reason, you should move the scare owls around your roof if you want them to remain effective.
On the plus side, scare owls are affordable and a quick, straightforward solution to keeping birds away from your roof and chimney.
3. Keep the damper closed
When your fireplace isn’t in use, you should close the damper to block the entryway and prevent unwanted wildlife from slipping into your home.
Your chimney flue is the pipe that carries smoke out of your home whenever you light a fire in the fireplace. The damper is the door between the flue and the fireplace that closes the chimney off from the outside to keep warm air trapped inside. The damper helps keep out:
– Rain
– Debris
– Chilly drafts
– Wildlife
You should keep your damper closed when not in use but open it again whenever you want to use your fireplace. Otherwise, smoke will pour into your house if it has nowhere else to go. Source: Roof Gnome
4. The chimney cowl
One of the most effective way to stop birds from nesting in your chimney is to install a chimney cowl (also known as a capping cowl, chimney cap or bird guards) on the top of your chimney pot.
The hood shaped coverings help prevent birds from wandering inside your chimney and also help improve a chimney’s functionality by stopping leaves and other debris building up as well as preventing wind from blowing smoke back into your home, a huge benefit for individuals who suffer with a respiratory disease, dry cough or lung disease. Source: Shield Pest Control
It’s time to take action using these preventive measures to keep matters from getting worse. If you want a professional to install some of them, just go ahead and give us a call! We will ensure that birds in your chimney will no longer be a problem for you.
Contact:
Kerrisdale Roofing & Drains
168 W 71st Ave, Vancouver, BC V5X 4S7
(604) 360-2114
