Chimney’s make great homes for bees, wasps, birds, and other wildlife–especially when they are not often used or are in disrepair. We have responded to homeowners having problems with poor venting or smoke backing up into their homes, only to find that the flue was partially or completely clogged with a bee hive or bird’s nest!

Hives and nests are flammable and can lead to chimney fires. They can also cause structural damage to your chimney. Sometimes the nests are clearly visible, but other times they can be deep down in your chimney, closer to the warmth of your home. Take a look at this photo of a bee hive we discovered during winter in one of our customer’s chimneys. When extracted, it was the size of a 5-gallon bucket!

So whether or not you use your fireplace and chimney twice a year or twice a day, be safe and have an annual inspection and cleaning by Fire-Safe.