Raccoon family moved in and taught me about drafty flues

I got a call from a lady in Boise who said her fireplace was making scratching noises. Thought it was a stuck damper, but when I opened the cleanout I found a mama raccoon and 3 babies chilling on the smoke shelf. Turns out they tore through a cracked crown and were basically living in the flue, which explained why her living room always smelled like a wet dog. I fixed the crown, installed a proper cap, and now I check every chimney for animal signs before I do a sweep. Has anyone else had critters mess with their draft or cause weird airflow?

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jennifersmith9d ago

Boise raccoons on the smoke shelf, that is wild.

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