Our Work
The right steps for a chimney animal problem in Heathrow
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.
Caps on factory-built chimneys
A factory-built chimney is sold as a listed system, and the Florida Building Code has it installed and finished at the top the way the manufacturer's instructions say. Those instructions call for the cap listed for that chimney, so a generic screen or wire mesh cannot simply be added to the pipe. The listing covers the whole termination, which is why parts from another maker are not swapped in.
If an animal got into a factory-built chimney in Heathrow through a damaged cap, our specialists identify the correct listed part for the model and price it. The chase cover around the pipe is checked at the same visit.
The right order for chimney animal work
Chimney animal jobs go wrong when steps happen out of order. Capping before the animals are out traps them. Cleaning around an active swift nest breaks federal protections. Repairs made before the debris is cleared can hide damage.
The sequence we follow in Heathrow runs from identification to lawful removal or waiting, then cleanup, repairs and finally the cap. Each step is explained before it starts, and our specialists tell you when the fireplace is ready to use again.
- Identify the animal and whether it is protected
- Remove it lawfully or wait for the permitted season
- Clear nests, droppings and debris
- Repair damaged parts
- Fit a screened cap sized for the flue
Checking the chimney once it is empty
Animals can damage what they live in. Claws tear at mortar and screens, nesting pushes against dampers, and droppings sit on the smoke shelf. Once the chimney is empty, it deserves a proper look before the next fire.
Our specialists inspect the flue, damper, smoke chamber and top of your Heathrow chimney after removal and cleanup. Anything that needs repair is listed and priced on its own line, and anything that is fine is reported as fine. We also check the cap or top of the chimney for the gap the animal used, so the repair list covers the way in as well as the damage.
