Odor cleanup
Dead animals are removed and the area cleaned and deodorized before the fireplace is used again.
Chimney Sweeping
Chimney Animal Removal Renfrew, PA
A Renfrew chimney sweep can get wildlife out of the flue and install a cap so they cannot get back in. One call to (724) 412-9261 reaches a chimney sweep near you.
To birds, raccoons and squirrels, an uncapped chimney is a dry, sheltered den. Raccoons den above the damper, birds nest in the flue and small animals like squirrels can fall in and get stuck. The result is a blocked flue, odors, noise and sometimes an animal loose in the living room.
Lighting a fire to drive an animal out is a bad idea. Babies cannot escape, nesting material can ignite and smoke can back up into the room. Keep the damper and any fireplace doors closed so the animal stays in the chimney, and keep pets away from the fireplace.
Removal depends on what is in the chimney. Chimney swifts are protected, which means waiting until they migrate before the nest comes out. Raccoons, squirrels and bats each have their own methods, and wildlife rules in Pennsylvania can affect how they are handled. Afterward, a chimney cap with screening is what keeps the next one out.
Chimney Animal Removal is often paired with chimney cap installation and chimney cleaning, depending on the cause.
Need chimney animal removal in Renfrew? Call (724) 412-9261 to reach a nearby chimney sweep.
Call nowThe process
The chimney animal removal process
Here is how a sweep typically handles an animal in the chimney.
Start with the clues
A camera or light and the signs you describe show whether it is birds, a raccoon or something else since each one is handled differently.
Check the rules
Protected birds like chimney swifts are left until nesting season ends, while many other animals can be removed right away so the removal stays legal and humane.
Remove the animal
The animal is removed using the method suited to it while keeping it out of the house.
Remove debris
Nests, sticks, droppings and debris are removed from the smoke shelf, damper and flue and the area is cleaned up.
Clean up
Where animals have nested, the area is cleaned to remove odor and parasites which helps with lingering smells.
Cap the chimney
The flue is capped with screening that keeps birds and raccoons out so the problem does not repeat next season.
What is included
What chimney animal removal covers
Squirrels
Trapped squirrels and other small animals are removed before they get into the house.
Bats
Bats are excluded rather than trapped and the top is sealed after they are gone.
Birds
Nests on the smoke shelf, damper or in the flue are cleared and the flue is capped afterward.
Raccoons
Raccoon dens above the damper are cleared out without harming the kits.
Related service
Bird Nest Removal Renfrew, PA
A chimney gives birds a protected, dry place to build a nest, which is why it attracts them every spring. Their nests sit on the smoke shelf, the damper or the flue walls, and the dry twigs and grass can block the draft and catch fire with the first fire of the season. In furnace or water heater flues, a nest can cause carbon monoxide to spill indoors, so working CO alarms matter.
Chimney swifts are protected under federal law, which means an active nest stays until the birds migrate in the fall. The sweep will advise on when removal can happen, and then the nest is cleared and a cap goes on. Other species can often be handled sooner, depending on the bird and the rules that apply.
Related service
Raccoon Removal Renfrew, PA
Raccoons are strong climbers, and a mother raccoon will often choose a chimney smoke shelf as a den to raise her kits in spring. The signs are chattering and whimpering from the young and the mother leaving at dusk and returning before dawn. Raccoons can carry disease, and their droppings can hold roundworm eggs, so leave removal to someone equipped for it.
The young are often removed first so the mother can relocate them, and the chimney is checked empty before it is sealed. Trapping and relocation rules differ by state, so the method follows what is allowed in Pennsylvania. After that, droppings are cleaned up and a sturdy cap is fitted, since raccoons can tear lightweight caps off.
Local help
Chimney Animal Removal Near Me
Animal calls in Renfrew pick up in spring, once fires stop and animals look for sheltered dens. From Renfrew out to places like Oak Hills, Connoquenessing, Meridian and Meadowood, older chimneys without caps are the easiest targets for birds and raccoons. Capping the flue is the main defense, along with keeping tree limbs off the roof.
Searching for chimney animal removal near me from Renfrew or Oak Hills, Connoquenessing, Meridian and Meadowood? Call (724) 412-9261 to talk to a chimney sweep who works in your part of town.
Chimneys in this climate
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: water soaks into brick, mortar joints and the crown on a mild day, freezes overnight and expands, and each winter widens the cracks a little more. Wind driven rain from coastal storms finds any gap in flashing, too. Most homeowners in Renfrew, PA schedule a sweep in early fall, and a repair check after a hard winter.
Why call
Why not wait
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 Renfrew and nearby towns.
Know what happens next
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Chimney Animal Removal questions
Will smoke drive an animal out of the chimney?
A fire is the worst way to deal with an animal in the flue. Babies cannot escape, nesting material can catch fire and a blocked flue can fill the room with smoke. Close the damper and fireplace doors and leave the removal to a sweep.
What stops birds and raccoons from getting into a chimney?
The best prevention is a sturdy chimney cap with screening on all sides. Choose a cap that is fastened securely and has mesh fine enough to stop birds. Trimming tree limbs away from the roof also helps.
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. Until then, keep the damper closed and do not use the fireplace.
Are animals in the chimney dangerous?
Animals in a chimney cause problems beyond the noise. Nests can block the flue and catch fire, droppings can carry disease, and raccoons can carry rabies and roundworm. If the chimney vents a gas appliance, a blockage can cause carbon monoxide to back up, which makes working CO alarms important.
What should I do about a dead animal smell in the fireplace?
The smell of decay in a chimney nearly always means an animal has died inside. Removing the animal and cleaning the smoke shelf is the only real fix. Close the damper until it is removed.
More questions? Call (724) 412-9261
Related services
Chimney Cap Installation
Putting a sturdy cap on top of the chimney 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 with sweeping, deodorizing and a fix for the cause.
Learn moreChimney Damper Repair
Fixing stuck, rusted or warped chimney dampers so smoke goes up and heated air stays in.
Learn more
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