Found a dead squirrel blocking a flue on a call in Salem last Wednesday

I was doing a routine cleaning for an old house over in Salem last Wednesday and pulled the cap off to find a dead squirrel jammed right in the flue. Poor thing must have fallen in a week or two before and got stuck. I had to spend an extra 45 minutes scraping out all the gunk and mess it left behind. The homeowner had no idea because their smoke was drafting okay still, but it was just barely getting past the blockage. I told her she needs a mesh cap installed to keep critters out, which she agreed to on the spot. Has anyone else run into animals in a flue and found a good cap brand that actually holds up?

2 comments

2 Comments

charles50817d ago

Honestly, I think the squirrel probably climbed in on its own and the mesh cap won't stop a determined one anyway.

victor_carter5116d ago

Oh man, that's a good point! I totally get what you're saying. Squirrels are way more clever than people give them credit for, they'll figure out a way in if they really want to. I've seen videos of them squeezing through tiny gaps and figuring out bird feeders like puzzle boxes. So yeah, that mesh cap might just be a minor inconvenience for a determined little guy. But I still feel for the person trying to keep them out, it's a losing battle sometimes.