Pro tip: a customer in Denver taught me to check for raccoons before starting a sweep

I was about to drop my brush down a flue on a job last month when the homeowner stopped me and said, 'Hang on, let me shine a light up there first... I think I heard something.' Sure enough, there was a whole nest tucked behind the damper. How many of you guys do a visual check with a mirror or light before every single job now?

3 comments

3 Comments

nina_ramirez1mo ago

Ever think a quick look was just extra work? I used to skip it until I found a squirrel's stash of nuts blocking a whole pipe. Now that light check feels like putting on a safety belt, you know?

ninaw881mo ago

Totally get that, it's wild what you can miss. What other small checks have you found that seem pointless but actually save you from a bigger headache later? I started looking under my car hood before long trips after a friend found a family of mice nesting near the engine.

the_morgan6h ago

You know, I actually read somewhere that squirrels don't really 'stash' nuts in pipes like that, they're more about burying them in the ground. But @nina_ramirez, your point still stands. I forgot to check the dryer vent once and almost set the place on fire, it was packed with lint and a dead bird. Now I treat that little light like a quick safety patrol, better to find a small problem than a big one.