Do you have raccoons in your chimney in Arlington, TN? Raccoons are one of the more commonly found animals in chimneys. Similar to hollow trees, chimneys are a favorite nursery spot for mother raccoons. It is possible to find a family of raccoons or just a single bachelor. Raccoons are extremely good climbers. It is very easy for them to climb onto your roof and into that nice warm, safe chimney.
When Do Raccoons Have Babies?
Raccoons start their breeding season around December and typically deliver three to five “kits” in the springtime. When Spring hits, you may start to hear the crying of baby raccoons.
DON’T Do This If You Have Baby Raccoons In Your Chimney In Arlington TN!
NEVER seal or cap off a chimney before baby raccoons have been removed! Mother raccoons will leave her babies during the day to forage for food and water. The babies will usually sleep all day so you may not realize that they are still in the chimney. So, if you seal your chimney without removing the baby raccoons inside you will hear them crying, but they will eventually die. In the alternative, a mother raccoon that is unable to get to her babies will tear your home apart trying to get to them if she hears them crying.
Never, EVER Use Fire!
People may think that turning on their fireplace is a quick fix to flush the raccoons out of the chimney believing that since the animal was able to get into the chimney by itself, it can easily get out as well. This is extremely inhumane! The mother will do everything she can to save her her young, but the babies along with the mother will burn to death. If you think you have raccoons in your chimney, keep the damper or flew closed tight until you can reach a qualified Wildlife Technician. You never know if the raccoons have nested on top of the damper and opening it could dump a terrified raccoon family right into your living room.
How We Can Help
One of our wildlife technicians will be scheduled to perform an interior and exterior inspection of your home, take photographs, ask specific questions about the condition of your home, the type of noises you are hearing, and the time of day you hear the most activity in order to assist in identifying the species. Do you think that raccoons could have access to the attic as well? It depends on the species involved as some animals are more active at certain times of the day. For more information about raccoons, check out Raccoon Removal In Memphis TN.
The technician will listen to the chimney from the inside of your home during the interior inspection and attempt to locate the position of the raccoons. The technician will then go into the attic to look for any signs that raccoons have been in the attic. Our technicians look for droppings, chewed wires, and damage to your HVAC pipes or duct work. The technician will note all his findings, take photos, and will then go outside to perform the exterior inspection. He will use a ladder to inspect your chimney from top to bottom for entry points. You may need a simple chimney cap over the top of the chimney which is a quick and easy fix. Once our technician has completed the inspection, he will sit down with you to discuss his findings, review the photos, and provide you with a quote for needed repairs.
How We Trap Raccoons
Trapping services differ depending on whether or not there are babies involved. If there is any indication that there may be raccoon babies inside the chimney, we use eviction fluid. This fluid gives off a smell that will set off a biological reaction in the mother to protect her babies. This could take a couple of days to take effect. Once it does the mother raccoon should move her babies to another area without any additional prompting from us. This is the best way to keep everyone safe and the best method to ensure the babies will survive. If we were to try and trap the mother raccoon and her babies together, she could turn and attack her own young because of the stress. She might even reject the babies if they had to be placed in separate cages.
If it is determined that there are no baby raccoons in the chimney we will put an excluder trap over the main entry point to the chimney. We then seal any the other areas where the raccoons could utilize to get in or out. The raccoons will have to go into the trap if they want out. After we have trapped the raccoons we relocate them twenty-five miles away so they are unable to find their way back to your property. When all wildlife has been removed we will seal up the last entry point. Once this sealing process (known as an exclusion) is complete, you should have a quiet, raccoon-free home again.
Raccoon Removal Warranty
Full exclusions come with a one-year warranty on all of our work. The warranty covers the work we performed but where the animals have returned and attempt to either tear out or otherwise do additional damage. Should raccoons get back into your chimney or home through any area that we have previously worked on and sealed then we will repair the exclusion at no cost to you. This warranty does not cover new holes, only ones we have previously worked on and sealed.
Apex Wildlife Control services all of Arlington, and we try to make appointments within a few days of calling. So if you have a raccoon in your chimney in Arlington, TN, please give us a call at 901-598-8555. We will be happy to help!
