Chimney animal removal and entry repair in Keystone

Why nobody in the household should handle the animal

Raccoons and bats are the main wildlife sources of rabies in Florida, according to the Florida Department of Health, which tells residents to keep people and pets from direct contact with wild animals. A cornered animal in a fireplace can bite or scratch.

Reaching into a chimney, pulling on a nest or trying to grab a trapped animal puts you at risk. Leave the animal where it is, keep the fireplace closed and let the people who handle wildlife do that part.

The health department also advises wearing gloves before checking a pet that has tangled with a wild animal. Keep pets indoors and away from the fireplace until the chimney is clear.

Cleaning the chimney after the animal is out

Nests, feathers, fur and droppings usually remain after an animal leaves. Material left on the smoke shelf or in the flue can block the path of the smoke and catch fire the next time the fireplace is used.

Once the chimney is confirmed clear of animals, our team sweeps the flue and smoke chamber, clears the smoke shelf and checks that the flue is open from the damper to the top. You hear what we found before the fireplace goes back into use.

If the damper, the smoke shelf or the flue was damaged during the visit, the repair appears on its own line of the estimate so you can decide on it separately.

Protecting the room during chimney cleanup

Cleaning out nest material, droppings and debris can send dust and grit into the room if the work is not contained. Before any cleanup, we cover the hearth and the floor around the fireplace and keep the opening closed off while material comes down the flue.

Debris is bagged as it is removed and taken away with us. When we leave, the fireplace, the hearth and the floor around them should be clean, and you hear what we found and what, if anything, still needs repair.

What to tell us when you call

A few details help us plan the visit. Tell us what you have heard and when, whether anything has come into the room and whether you have seen animals at the chimney top. Mention whether the chimney has a cap and whether the fireplace has doors.

Let us know about children, pets and anyone in the household who may have touched an animal or its droppings. If someone has been bitten or scratched, medical advice comes before any call to us.