bats – Ask the Chimney Sweep

Capping your chimney prevents bats or other critters from entering your chimney. Bats, although not blind and not a flying rodent, can cause a serious annoyance and real danger to your chimney. Many bats tend to colonize, and the chimney is a great place for female bats to nest their young. This nesting material can cause a chimney fire if it is not taken care of immediately. Any type of nesting material, whether it is from bats or birds can and will go up flames when a fire is burning in your chimney. The best way to prevent a chimney fire as a result of nesting material or critters in the chimney is to prevent them from entering the chimney in the first place. To do this, a cap must be installed, and damaged caps must be fixed. Since bats can be small enough to fit through the wire mesh of some chimney caps, if bats are rampant around your home, you may want to consider a cap with smaller than average wire mesh (maybe 5/8" as opposed the 3/4" opening generally required) to prevent their entry. The chimney can be a great home for critters such as bats, birds and raccoons. The shelter and warmth of the heat radiating up from the home through the chimney makes an extremely enticing nesting area. Don't tempt them, be sure to install a stainless steel chimney cap to the top of your chimney to prevent them from entering and prevent the myriad of dangers and problems that come hand in hand with critter problems.