If you own a home that comes with a chimney, it is important for you to thoroughly clean it every once in a while or use chimney sweep services. This means that you might come across bees that have taken up some space. While bees can be intimidating, it is necessary that you get rid of them to prevent further infestation. Let’s take a look into how you can get rid of bees in your chimney.
Important Considerations
While bees can be both annoying and frightening, you should know that they are beneficial to the environment. The overall population of bees is already in a decline and the world is trying its best to conserve them. This is why you should keep in mind several important considerations that will ensure the safety of the bees as well.
First things first, in some states, bees may be protected by law. As mentioned earlier, bees are an important part of our ecosystem that pollinate vegetation and produce honey. As a result of pollination, humans can enjoy plant-based foods.
Therefore, if bees were to disappear, you can forget many foods such as apples, vanilla, and almonds. If your state has some stringent laws protecting the bees, you may need to consult an expert before removing bees. At the same time, you should make sure that you conform to the law, which can otherwise lead you straight to legal troubles.
Even if the state does not protect the bees, you can still hire a professional who can help relocate them. You can also find a nearby beekeeper who can do it for you.
Bees Can Cause Fire Hazard
If you ignore the bees, they will soon colonize your chimney, which can turn into a serious fire hazard. You should know that bees produce both beeswax and honey that are flammable. If a fire breaks out, it can grow quickly and cause permanent damage to your house.
On the other hand, if the hive is active, you would not want to create panic as they can attach and sting several times. This is why you need to be careful and practice patience as it can take some time.
Bees Usually Colonize In The Summer
Bees are the most active during summertime and spring. They are most likely to colonize during the pollinating or mating season. In addition to that, bees can colonize fairly quickly as well. You might have observed several bees outside your chimney but if you were to take a look inside, there are probably going to be hundreds of them.
Steps To For Removing Bees From Chimney
- To remove bees from your chimney, you should first close it to prevent more bees from entering. Use a plastic bag to close the entrance and the chimney damper so that the bees in the flue do not enter the firebox.
- Then, check the chimney for cracks that could act as an entrance for bees. You will need to make sure that the bees are removed from the cracks before you can fix them.
- In most cases, the bees enter or begin colonizing at the top of the chimney. If the chimney has been ignored for several years, the structure might be compromised allowing bees and other living beings to take accommodation.
- Once the chimney has been fixed, you can use a chimney cap or top-sealing damper to prevent further infestations in the future.
- Consult with a professional bee removing or a chimney cleaning company.
- Once you have closed the chimney and prevented further bees from entering, you should call a professional bee-removing service to get rid of the bees. These bee removal services are familiar with the local rules and regulations, which ensures that bees are not harmed during the process.
- Furthermore, using pesticides or any other flammable material is not suggested as they can pose a fire hazard as well. Therefore, let the professionals handle the job.
- After successfully removing the beehive, you should get your chimney thoroughly cleaned to remove any other creatures that might be living inside. Otherwise, your chimney will not be safe to function.
Final Word
In the end, removing a beehive from your chimney is a tricky and time-consuming task. Make sure that you maintain it and hire chimney cleaning services Ellicott City and other experts to prevent infestations later down the road. This way, you will keep serious threats such as fire hazards to a minimum.
