Raccoons will live in both attics and chimneys. Chimneys look like large, hollowed out trees to many animals. Raccoons are excellent climbers, and they prefer to live in dry places that are safe. This is why if your chimney does not have a chimney cap, then there is a risk that a raccoon will move in.

Female raccoons look for areas that are high up to create their nests. The issue is that most raccoons live in urban areas, so they will climb buildings looking for a place to create a nest. This is why it is common to see raccoons on roofs. They like chimneys because they are warm, off the ground, and they can easily climb in and out of them.

Will Repellents Help Get Raccoons Out of Your Chimney?

There is no repellent that works a 100 percent of the time. However, repellents are worth a try if you think that there are raccoons living in your chimney. They should be placed in and around the chimney. The chances of the repellent working will depend on the raccoons and if there is young. Mother raccoons will avoid moving their young, especially if they believe that they are living in a safe location.

Never Start a Fire

If you are worried that there are raccoons living in your chimney, you should not start a fire because this could kill the animals. When you open the damper to allow the smoke out, there is the risk that the raccoon will fall into the fire or climb around the fire and enter your home.

If you need to open the damper for any reason, you should make sure to open all the doors and windows beforehand and then stay away from the raccoon if it enters your home. Raccoons will look for the nearest exit and will leave your home as soon as possible. If the raccoon is moving around your home, you should avoid cornering it or attacking it, because the raccoon will attack you or your pets.

What Should You Do If There are Young in Your Chimney?

There are two types of young raccoons that could be living in a chimney. They could be newborn or adolescent raccoons. No matter their age, you should be handling them with gloves. However, you need to make sure that the adult is out of the chimney before trying to remove the young. If the young are at the adolescent phase, you can use the same methods that you used to remove the adult.

Very young raccoons will need to be removed by hand. If they are on the damper, use a mirror to see where they are and gently grab them. You should have a safe box to place the young in, so you can transport them with their mother to a safe location that is away from your home.

Raccoon repellents can help reduce the chance that raccoons will move into your chimney. Repellents are a good option if you are trying to remove raccoons humanely. However, the repellents may not work if there are already raccoons in your chimney.

Read the How to get rid of raccoons page for helpful information and to learn more about Will Repellents Get a Raccoon Out of the Chimney?