If you're hearing scratching sounds from your chimney during the day, there's a good chance you may have a squirrel in there. It's not unusual for a squirrel to wander into a chimney, because the opening resembles that of a hole in a tree. Unfortunately, the way that most chimneys are lined makes it tough for the squirrel to get back out once inside. Here are some tips to help you deal with a squirrel inside your chimney.

Finding the Squirrel

In order to effectively remove a squirrel from a chimney, you need to know exactly where he's stuck. There are several components to the chimney, and the area where the squirrel is hiding is an important factor in the removal efforts.

Insulating Flue – If you can see that the squirrel is in the gap between the outer flue and the inner liner, you're not going to be able to just catch it. You'll have to give the squirrel a means to get out on its own. Drop a heavy-duty rope down into the space where the squirrel is. That gives it something to use to climb out. It might take a while before the frightened squirrel is confident enough to try to climb out, so leave the rope there and just keep checking back.

Main Chimney Flue – If the squirrel is stuck inside the main flue, you'll have to be a bit more proactive. Open the damper at the bottom to see if it might use the available exit to come out. If you're going to do this, make sure you have a safety trap at the opening of the damper to catch it when it comes out. Bait the trap with orange slices, then set up your metal safety screens to block off the whole space.

Chimney Cleaning

After you catch and relocate the squirrel that's been in your chimney, it's important to schedule a chimney cleaning. A thorough cleaning will eliminate any animal waste that could be inside, because that waste can carry diseases and may be hazardous to your health. Also, if the squirrel was actually nesting in the chimney instead of being stuck there, you might have a nest inside the chimney that could lead to a chimney fire if you don't have it cleaned. That's why it's important not to light a fire until you've had the whole space cleaned by a chimney sweep or cleaning service.

If you believe that you're dealing with a squirrel in your chimney, companies like Early Times Home Solutions can help you deal with it.