Odor cleanup
An animal that died in the chimney is removed and the odor treated before the fireplace is used again.
Chimney Sweeping
Chimney Animal Removal Jenkintown, PA
A Jenkintown chimney sweep can get wildlife out of the flue and install a cap so they cannot get back in. One call to (267) 633-0240 reaches a chimney sweep near you.
An open chimney looks like a hollow tree to a lot of animals. Raccoons often use the smoke shelf as a nursery, birds nest inside the flue and squirrels fall in and get trapped. Each one brings nesting material that blocks the flue, droppings that smell and the risk of the animal getting into the house.
It is tempting to light a fire and force the animal out, but it does more harm than good. Young animals that cannot climb will be hurt, the nest can catch fire, and a blocked flue can push smoke and carbon monoxide into the house. Close the damper and glass doors if you have them, and keep children and pets away until the animal is out.
The type of animal decides how and when it can be removed. Chimney swifts are a protected migratory bird, so their nests can only be removed after nesting season, and a sweep will advise on timing. A raccoon with kits needs patience, and the approach has to fit the wildlife rules in Pennsylvania. Afterward, a chimney cap with screening is what keeps the next one out.
If the problem goes deeper than it first looked, a Jenkintown chimney sweep may also recommend chimney cap installation or chimney cleaning.
Dealing with this in Jenkintown, PA right now? Call (267) 633-0240 to reach a nearby chimney sweep.
Call nowThe process
How chimney animal removal works
Getting an animal out cleanly takes the right timing and a few steps.
Identify the animal
The noises, smell and debris point to the type of animal which decides what happens next.
Plan the timing
If chimney swifts are nesting, the sweep will advise on when the nest can come out before any work begins.
Humane removal
The animal is removed using the method suited to it with care taken around the damper and smoke shelf.
Clear the nest
Nesting material is pulled out, since it can block the flue and catch fire and the area is cleaned up.
Clean up
Where animals have nested, the area is cleaned to remove odor and parasites before the fireplace is used again.
Seal the top
A chimney cap with a mesh screen goes on the flue so animals cannot return so the problem does not repeat next season.
What is included
What chimney animal removal covers
Bird nests
Starlings, swifts and other birds and their nests are removed with timing that respects nesting season and the flue is capped afterward.
Squirrels
Trapped squirrels and other small animals are removed before they get into the house.
Raccoons
A raccoon living in the chimney is removed and the chimney is capped.
Bat exclusion
Bats are moved out with one-way exits timed around their breeding season because they are protected in many places.
Related service
Bird Nest Removal Jenkintown, PA
Birds nest in chimneys because the inside of a flue is dry, sheltered and hard for predators to reach. A nest of dry twigs and grass is both a blockage and a fire hazard. If the flue vents a furnace or water heater, a nest can force carbon monoxide into the house.
Chimney swifts are a protected migratory bird, so their nests can only be removed after nesting season, once the birds have left. A sweep in Jenkintown will advise on timing, then remove the old nest and install a cap afterwards so they cannot return. Other birds follow different rules, and the sweep can tell you which apply.
Related service
Raccoon Removal Jenkintown, PA
In spring, a female raccoon looking for a safe den often climbs into an uncapped chimney to have her young on the smoke shelf. The signs are chattering and whimpering from the young and the mother leaving at dusk and returning before dawn. Never reach into the chimney or try to grab a raccoon, since they can carry rabies and their droppings can carry roundworm.
A common approach is to remove the kits first and give the mother the chance to move them, then confirm the den is empty before capping. Since rules on raccoons vary from state to state, the sweep follows the approach allowed in Pennsylvania. With the den cleared, the smoke shelf is sanitized and a heavy-duty cap goes on, because raccoons can pull off weak ones.
Local help
Chimney Animal Removal Near Me
Animal calls in Jenkintown pick up in spring, once fires stop and animals look for sheltered dens. Around Jenkintown and in nearby towns like Wyncote, Glenside, Elkins Park and McKinley, uncapped chimneys and branches that overhang the roof are the most common way animals get in. Capping the flue is the main defense, along with keeping tree limbs off the roof.
Need chimney animal removal around Jenkintown? Call (267) 633-0240 for a Jenkintown chimney sweep who serves the towns around it too.
How the weather here affects chimneys around Jenkintown
Winters here are long and cold, and the heating season usually runs from October well into April. The hardest thing on brick here is not the cold itself but the constant swing above and below freezing: rain and melting snow soak into the crown and joints, then freeze and push them apart, and each winter widens the cracks a little more. Nor'easters drive rain sideways into flashing and mortar that looked fine in summer. That is why chimney cleaning in Jenkintown is usually booked in the fall, before the first cold night.
Why call
Why act early
Safer fires
Small chimney problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Familiar with local homes
Local sweeps see the same chimney types and weather wear across Jenkintown and nearby towns.
Clear next steps
Ask the sweep about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Common questions about chimney animal removal
What should I do about chimney swifts?
Chimney swifts are a protected migratory bird, so the birds and their active nest have to stay until nesting season is over. Once they migrate, a sweep can clear the nest and cap the chimney so they do not return. In the meantime, keep the damper shut to keep noise and birds out of the house.
Are animals in the chimney dangerous?
Wildlife in a chimney brings several risks. Blocked flues, fire risk from nests, disease from droppings and animals getting into the house are the main concerns. Blocked gas appliance flues can spill carbon monoxide, so get to fresh air if a CO alarm sounds.
Will smoke drive an animal out of the chimney?
Lighting a fire is the wrong move with an animal in the chimney. Young animals cannot climb out and will be hurt, the nest can ignite, and a blocked flue can send smoke and carbon monoxide into the house. Close the damper and fireplace doors and leave the removal to a sweep.
What stops birds and raccoons from getting into a chimney?
Capping the flue with a mesh-sided cap stops most animals. It should be fastened well enough that a raccoon cannot pull it off, with mesh small enough to stop birds without clogging with creosote. Trimming tree limbs away from the roof also helps.
How do I get rid of a dead animal smell in my chimney?
A sour, rotten odor from the fireplace points to a dead animal in the chimney. Air fresheners will not help, since the animal and debris have to come out. Close the damper until it is removed.
More questions? Call (267) 633-0240
Often needed together
Chimney Cap Installation
Fitting a metal cap over the top of the flue sized to the flue tile or the whole crown.
Learn moreChimney Cleaning
Sweeping soot and creosote out of wood-burning fireplaces, stoves and inserts, so the flue drafts well and burns safely.
Learn moreChimney Odor Removal
Tracking down the creosote, moisture or animal behind a smelly fireplace so the room stops smelling like an old ashtray.
Learn moreChimney Damper Repair
Repairing dampers that will not open, close or seal so smoke goes up and heated air stays in.
Learn more
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(267) 633-0240
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