If your house possesses a chimney then there is always the risk that some sort of critter can enter it and get stuck. This causes a number of issues for you, the homeowner, both short and long term. To say nothing of the health of the animal, we want to be careful not to kill it and help it escape cleanly. Below we have listed some options for dealing with this issue.

Step one is identifying the animal that is stuck in your chimney. Knowing whether it is a bird or a mammal will help get the process started. Listen for a chirp or any sound, or for any falling debris into your fireplace. Next you will need to determine whether the animal has entered your domain intentionally or accidentally. This will be easy to tell as an animal that enters by accident will make loud noises in an attempt to escape. Bats and raccoons can enter and make this new place their home because they like the smaller/darker confines.

Next up is decision time: do you handle the issue yourself or hire a professional? The cost of hiring a pro is typically between $200-500. However, this is significantly cheaper than the price of fixing an entire chimney. A few things to note if you plan to tackle this problem on your own, some creatures are poisonous like bats. Be careful when handling them, be sure to wear gloves. Finally, never try to smoke an animal out of your chimney by lighting a fire in the fireplace. You risk injuring the animal and it could be illegal to kill this animal.

Commons animals that can be stuck are bats, raccoons, birds, or squirrels. Bats and raccoons are the primary ones for which you should call a specialist. They are dangerous and raccoons are fairly large creatures who are prone to attack if provoked. Of course the easiest method is to prevent animals from entering your domicile. Have a chimney sweep clean out your chimney and install a cap on it. You still want the fumes emitted if you have a functioning fireplace but the pro will give you vents on top of it. A mesh cap is the thing that looks like a tiny house atop your chimney. Depending on your location this could be the best move.