Animals in Your Chimney? Why NJ Homes Need a Chimney Cap Before Winter

Fall is when raccoons, squirrels and birds go looking for a warm, dry place to spend the winter, and an uncapped chimney looks perfect. Here's how NJ homeowners can tell if something has moved in, what to do about it and how to keep it from happening again.

Every fall, our phones start ringing with the same question: "What is that noise in my chimney?" As the weather cools, raccoons, squirrels and birds look for a dry, sheltered place to spend the winter. To them, an open chimney looks a lot like a hollow tree. If your chimney does not have a cap, or the cap is rusted, loose or damaged, late fall is when something is most likely to move in.

Green Care inspects chimneys and installs caps for homeowners across Central New Jersey, including North Brunswick, East Brunswick and Edison. Here is what we tell homeowners who think they have a visitor.

Signs an animal is in your chimney

You usually hear it before you see it. Watch for:

• Scratching, scurrying or thumping in the chimney or fireplace, often in the early morning or evening.
• Chirping or chattering, which can mean birds or young animals.
• A musty or foul smell coming from the fireplace, especially on humid days.
• Twigs, leaves, nesting material or droppings on the smoke shelf, damper or hearth.
• Smoke backing into the room when you use the fireplace, which can mean the flue is blocked.
• A missing, bent or rusted cap when you look up at the chimney from the ground. Binoculars help.

Common chimney visitors in New Jersey

Raccoons

Raccoons are strong climbers and can tear through weak or poorly attached caps. They often use chimneys as dens and may sit on the smoke shelf just above the damper. They can carry rabies and roundworm, so never try to handle one yourself.

Squirrels

Squirrels often fall into an uncapped flue and cannot climb back out of the smooth liner. Others build nests near the top. Either way, you may hear frantic scratching near the damper.

Birds

Starlings, grackles and other birds nest in chimneys, and their nests can fill a flue with sticks and debris. Chimney swifts are a special case. They are protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, so their nests cannot be disturbed while they are active. Swifts usually leave New Jersey in the fall, which makes this a good time to clean the flue and cap the chimney before they return in spring.

What not to do

• Do not light a fire to smoke an animal out. It can trap the animal, ignite nesting material and push smoke and carbon monoxide into your home.
• Do not open the damper to "let it out." You may end up with a frightened raccoon in your living room.
• Do not use poison, mothballs or ammonia. A dead animal in the flue causes odor and insect problems, and fumes can drift into the house.
• Do not seal the top of the chimney with the animal still inside.

What to do instead

1. Keep the damper and fireplace doors closed so the animal cannot get into the house.
2. Call a licensed wildlife control professional to remove any live animal, especially raccoons or a mother with young.
3. Schedule a chimney sweep and inspection once the animal is gone. Nests, droppings and debris need to come out of the flue, and animals can damage dampers, liners and flue tiles.
4. Install a properly sized chimney cap so it does not happen again.

Why a chimney cap is the real fix

A chimney cap is a metal hood with a mesh screen that sits on top of the flue. It is one of the simplest parts of a chimney and does several jobs at once:

• Keeps animals out. The mesh screen blocks birds, squirrels and raccoons from getting into the flue.
• Keeps rain out. Water running down an open flue damages dampers, liners and masonry, and it is a common cause of chimney leaks.
• Blocks leaves and debris that can clog the flue.
• Helps contain sparks and embers from wood-burning fireplaces.

Not every cap does the job well. Thin galvanized caps rust out after a few New Jersey winters, and caps held on by a couple of screws are easy for a raccoon to pry loose. We recommend stainless steel or copper caps that are sized to the flue and securely fastened. Chimneys with several flues may need a multi-flue cap, and factory-built (prefab) chimneys use a chase cover with a cap on top. Learn more about our chimney cap and chase cover replacement.

Don't forget your furnace and water heater flue

Many New Jersey homes vent the furnace or boiler and water heater through a separate flue in the chimney. A nest in that flue is more than a nuisance. It can block exhaust and send carbon monoxide back into the house. If your chimney has more than one flue, every one of them should be capped and checked. Make sure you also have working carbon monoxide alarms on every level of your home.

The best time to cap your chimney

The best time is before an animal moves in, which in New Jersey means now. Fall is also when you should have your chimney swept and inspected before heating season. During every chimney sweep, we inspect the cap, crown and flashing from the roof and let you know if anything needs attention. If we find cracks in the crown or other masonry problems, we will show you photos and explain your options. Not sure what kind of inspection you need? Read our guide to Level 1, 2 and 3 chimney inspections.

Chimney cap installation in Central NJ

Green Care is a licensed and insured New Jersey contractor (NJ License #13VH12382900) with CSIA and NCSG certified technicians and 300+ five-star Google reviews. We sweep chimneys, remove nests and debris, and install chimney caps for homeowners in North Brunswick, East Brunswick, Edison, New Brunswick, Piscataway and nearby towns. Want to stay on top of yearly maintenance? Ask about the Green Care Club.

Think something is living in your chimney, or want to keep it from happening? Call (848) 205-0506 or book online to schedule a chimney inspection and cap installation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I light a fire to get an animal out of my chimney?

No. Smoke can trap or kill an animal in the flue, and a nest of twigs, leaves or fur is fuel that can catch fire. A blocked flue can also push smoke and carbon monoxide back into your home. Keep the damper closed and call for help instead.

Who removes a live animal from a chimney in New Jersey?

A licensed wildlife control professional should handle live animals, especially raccoons, which can carry rabies. Once the animal is out, a chimney professional should remove the nest and debris, inspect the flue for damage and install a cap so it does not happen again.

Does a chimney cap affect how my fireplace drafts?

A properly sized cap should not hurt the draft. It needs to fit the flue and leave enough open area for smoke to escape. A cap with the wrong size or a screen clogged with creosote can cause problems, which is why caps should be checked during your annual sweep and inspection.

Do gas fireplaces and furnace flues need a cap too?

Yes. Birds and animals do not care what kind of appliance is venting through the chimney. A nest in a gas fireplace, furnace or water heater flue can block exhaust and send carbon monoxide into the house. Those flues should be capped and inspected every year.