Bugs love dark places like fireplaces two situations happen first they are trapped inside and the second one is they are nesting inside your fireplaces.
Most fireplace owners are concerned about the bugs’ invasion of their fireplaces, my friend asked me about how to seal fireplace from bugs?
The valuable information I give to my friend is now given to you for free, follow these steps and I guarantee not only you will get rid of bugs but also seal your fireplace from bugs.
- Make sure to inspect and seal any openings or cracks in your fireplace.
- Put on a Chimney Cap.
- Seal any openings or cracks
- Seal the Fireplace Damper and chimney flue.
- Add a Door to Your Fireplace Installation.
- Dispose of Your Oldest Firewood.
- Ensure your firewood is stored correctly.
- Inspect the fireplace.
- Clean your fireplace regularly.
- Use pesticides and incest repellent once a week.
This blog is specially made for those people who are troubled with bug attacks, and like I wrote in the title GUARANTEE to make your fireplace seal from bugs.
Unexpected Insects That Could Be Hiding in Your Fireplace.
It’s better to know what kind of insects may be nesting in your fireplace, and after knowing about them you might take better actions to get rid of them.
Some of the most common pests are:
Carpenter Ants:
These ants make their home in the woods by chewing the wood from inside which forms a tunnel-like structure inside the tree that helps the carpenter ants’ species.
A personal experience that is their bite is very painful for humans.
Identification of Carpenter Ants
Color: Usually red, black, or a combination
Size: 5/8″
Legs: 6
Antennae: Yes
Shape: Segmented; oval
Region: Throughout U.S., most common in the North.
Termites:
These creatures eat decaying wood with high moisture and make their colony inside a wood structure. These bugs are a real pain in the *ss of fireplace owners.
Identificaion of Termites:
Color: Creamy white to brownish
Size: 1/2″ – 5/8 inch long
Legs: 6
Antennae: Yes
Shape: Long, narrow and oval
Region: Found throughout the Pacific coastal and adjacent states, the desert or semi-arid southwest, and southern Florida.
Spiders:
You already know what spiders are so no need for an introduction but still for some people, these bugs are a nuisance because of their nest and their population increase capabilities.
Identificaion of Spiders:
Color: Yellowish brown, abdomen dirty white with several dark stripes meeting at angle
Size: 3/16 – 5/16“ (female) 1/8 – 3/16” (male)
Legs: 8
Antennae: No
Shape: Elongated abdomen
Region: Found throughout the U.S.
Powderpost Beetles
These species of beetles lay eggs in cracks in the woods and the larvae tunnel inside the wood and fill it with white powder-like dust. which destroys the wood form inside.
Color: Reddish brown to black
Size: 1/8 to 1/4″
Legs: 6
Antennae: Yes
Shape: Narrow oval
Region: Found throughout the U.S.
How to Seal Fireplace from Bugs?
Pest-free home can only be achieved by sealing the fireplace to prevent it from bugs. Follow the below steps to prevent pest infestation from entering your fireplace:
Make sure to Inspect any Openings or Cracks in your fireplace
First, it is important to inspect where these bugs are coming from are they coming from some opening or cracks inside or around the fireplace which can be an issue? need attention to areas such as Mortar joints, Chimney crown, Around the damper, and Fireplace surround.
Put on a Chimney Cap
A chimney cap is a cover on top of the chimney which helps to prevent debris, pest, and rain from getting inside.
Installation of the chimney cap must be done correctly so it can do what it needs to be doing properly.
These things must be done under professional guidance.
Seal any openings or Cracks
After addressing the openings and cracks, take steps to seal those by using a mortar repair product or high-temperature caulk to fill the openings and cracks.
Read the manufacturer’s instructions to give it a proper close.
Seal the Fireplace Damper and chimney flue
Make sure that your fireplace damper is in proper working order and fits tightly when it is closed. If the damper is damaged, consider replacing it.
Add a Door to Your Fireplace Installation
Adding a door to your fireplace can prevent the entry of bugs into the room, which keeps the bugs trapped inside the fireplace if they are in it.
Doors need to be sealed to your fireplace because loose doors may give entry the bugs to your room.
Dispose of Your Oldest Firewood
Disposition of the oldest firewood is necessary because old wood starts to decay very fast and a majority of the time, decaying wood became the house of the termites to lay eggs and thrive in their colony.
Ensure your firewood is stored correctly
Always ensure to keep your wood away from moisture, store it above the ground, and away from your house, store it somewhere where all the criteria are fulfilled.
Inspect the fireplace
Frequent inspection of the fireplace is necessary to keep it pest-free. Maintain the openings or cracks if any repair any damage related to the gaps and cracks.
Clean your fireplace regularly
Cleanliness is hated by the bugs they want only dirt to live, and cleaning the fireplace can ensure a nonwanted environment for the bugs.
Use pesticides and incest repellent once a week
Using pesticides and incest repellent once a week in the fireplace and chimney will unlive any growing bugs in the fireplace and prevent the entering of bugs inside your fireplace.
Reasons for the presence of Bugs in fireplaces
- Bugs prefer to stay in a hot and secure place where no predator comes to hunt them, so usually these places are fireplaces, and fireplaces complement both requirements.
- Bugs are attracted to light, and the fireplace creates light through flames which tempts them inside the fireplace.
- Birds find places like fireplaces where they can make nests and lay eggs, an area where you can be protected from cold months. majority of times the heat coming from the chimney is a reason for entering the bird inside the fireplace through the chimney.
- The smell of decaying wood inside your house may attract bugs and insects to be drawn into your house.
- Bugs love accumulated dust and debris stored in one place, in this case, it can be your dirty fireplace which you have not cleaned for a while, which may be the reason for bugs inside your fireplaces.
FAQs
Is it OK to seal up a fireplace?
Yes, it is ok to seal your fireplace if it is not used anymore or want to save energy.
Why do people seal fireplaces?
It helps to prevent bugs from entering the fireplace.
How long does chimney sealant last?
Normally, high-quality chimney sealants can last between 10 to 15 years. It mainly depends on how you take care of it.