Our Process

Chimney animal work on Alderene Park homes

How a one-way exit works before sealing

An exclusion device lets bats leave the chimney but blocks their return. Florida's rule requires it to stay in place for at least four consecutive days and nights with National Weather Service forecast lows above 50 degrees before repairs close the opening. The rule counts qualifying nights, so a cold spell can extend the wait before the chimney is closed.

Only after that period does the chimney get its permanent screened cap. We schedule the capping to follow the exclusion, so the bats are outside when the top is sealed. The order matters as much as the parts.

A raccoon in the chimney

A raccoon in a masonry chimney usually means the top was open or the cap was damaged. Raccoons are one of the two primary wildlife sources of rabies in Florida, according to the state Department of Health, so no one in the household should try to reach, prod or trap one.

Keep the damper and glass doors shut and the room closed. Capture is a job for a wildlife professional you authorize, and our part is the chimney around it: finding the entry, clearing the debris the animal left and fitting a cap strong enough to keep the next one out.

A blocked flue after the animals leave

Nests, sticks and leaves can pack the flue or sit on the damper long after the animal is gone. A blocked passage can send smoke back into the room the next time the fireplace is used. Dry nest material in a flue is also fuel, which is one more reason the fireplace stays cold until the chimney is cleared.

After lawful removal, we clear the material and check that the flue is open from the firebox to the top. Our specialists also look for damage the nesting caused, such as a bent damper plate or a loosened liner section, and list anything that needs repair.

A cap that still allows cleaning

The same code section requires the spark arrestor to be placed with access for cleaning, and the screen or chimney cap to be removable so the flue can be cleaned. A screen fixed permanently over the flue with no way off is a problem at the next sweep.

The caps we fit in Alderene Park come off for cleaning without cutting or damage. When we hand over the job, we show you how the cap is attached, so any future sweep or inspection starts without a struggle at the top.