The Dangers of Animals in Your Chimney
Animals in your chimney may seem like a simple annoyance that can be ignored until you get around to doing something about it. However, there is far more to be worried about than an annoying scratching or banging sound. In fact, there are many serious risks to allowing animals to reside in the chimney without handling them immediately.
If you suspect that you have animals in your chimney, you should know that they might be much bigger than a bird or small rodent. Animals as large as squirrels and even raccoons have been known to make their nests inside of a chimney. These animals may carry infectious diseases that pose a threat to anyone who tries to remove them. For this reason, it may be best to call a chimney sweep or animal control to deal with this situation.
Even if the animal does not carry a disease, there are risks associated with the possibility that they could make their way into the home. If an animal suddenly finds itself in someone’s living room, it will most likely become scared and defensive. This could result in an attack on anyone who comes near it. Even without the risk of a disease, this could result in a serious injury, especially for any children or pets that may be in the room.
In the best-case scenarios, there will be no personal injury because of an animal living in the chimney. However, there is a still a good chance that the animal will cause significant damage to the actual structure of the chimney. If this occurs, the chimney may not function properly, which is annoying at best and dangerous at worst. Removing the animals is far easier and less expensive than replacing any part of the chimney.
If there are banging and scratching noises coming from the chimney, do not dismiss them as simply the sounds that houses make. There is a good chance that there is at least one animal living in there, which can be very dangerous. These animals may carry diseases that can infect the entire family or they could cause irreparable damage to the chimney.