Santa isn’t the only one who may be coming down your chimney this month. Raccoons find chimneys ideal places to build their dens. Northern New Jersey chimneys provide cozy spots for raccoons to wait out the cold winter months, and they make ideal nurseries come spring.
Raccoons favor tall structures like hollow trees that can be entered from the top. Uncapped chimneys are the urban equivalent, keeping raccoons snug and safe from predators and frosty winter winds. When cold weather sets in, raccoons often climb down uncapped chimneys in search of shelter. They build their dens on the smoke shelf, a small ledge deep inside the chimney just on the other side of the damper.
Opening the damper to start a fire can allow rabies-carrying raccoons and the ticks, fleas, mites, and other parasites they carry access to your home, placing your family at risk. If you hear raccoons in your chimney, never start a fire in an attempt to smoke them out. Adult raccoons are slow climbers. If asphyxiated by smoke before it has time to climb out of your chimney, the raccoon may fall down the chimney and into your house, endangering your family.
Professional northern New Jersey pest control firms that offer wildlife exclusion services like Heritage Pest Control have the knowledge and expertise to remove raccoons from your chimney safely. Heritage Home Services technicians can then install a chimney cap to protect your home from future raccoon encounters. Reach out to Heritage today!