How do I keep birds and animals from nesting in my fireplace vent or chimney?
After the Pigeon River flooding, a lot of Canton chimneys took on water damage and shifted debris that left caps cracked, clogged, or knocked loose — and a compromised cap is exactly what lets birds and squirrels back in. On masonry flues the fix is a fresh stainless cap; on flood-affected gas units, we inspect the termination screen along with the connection behind it.
Flood aftermath opened a lot of flues
When water came through the valley it didn't just soak fireboxes — it loosened crowns, filled flues with silt and debris, and left more than a few caps damaged or gone. Those openings are an engraved invitation to nesting animals, and a spring's worth of swifts or a squirrel can settle in before anyone thinks to look up.
On Canton's mixed-fuel homes, a water-damaged gas appliance needs its venting checked end to end; the factory screen can look intact while the connection behind it isn't. That's licensed gas-contractor work, permitted through Haywood County — we inspect the whole path, not just the mesh.
Valley damp rusts caps early
Canton sits on the valley floor, where morning fog and standing dampness rust dampers and chimney caps faster than in the higher towns around it. A cap that would last years on a dry ridge can corrode here and open a gap in a season or two, which is why we don't assume a pre-flood cap is still doing its job.
Don't try to burn a nest out of a recovered flue — a blockage pushes carbon monoxide back inside, and many of these birds are federally protected. Twenty minutes west of the shop, we clear it, confirm no flood damage remains, and cap it. Call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Canton
We install and service fireplaces throughout Canton and the rest of Haywood County — just 20 minutes west from our Asheville-area showroom.
Related questions
- Do chimney caps need to be inspected or replaced?
- What should I check on the outside vent cap of a direct vent fireplace?
- How often should the venting on a direct vent gas fireplace be inspected?
- Does an outdoor wood-burning fireplace chimney need sweeping too?
- How do I know when my chimney needs to be swept?