Dead animal removal
An animal that died in the chimney is removed and the odor treated to clear the smell.
Chimney Sweeping
Chimney Animal Removal Cecilton, MD
A chimney sweep in Cecilton can remove birds, raccoons, squirrels and nests from your chimney along with the nest and debris they leave behind. One call to (443) 899-3075 reaches a chimney sweep near you.
Without a cap, a chimney is an open invitation to wildlife. 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.
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. Close the damper and glass doors if you have them, and keep children and pets away until the animal is out.
Not every animal can be removed the same way or at any time. Chimney swifts are protected, which means waiting until they migrate before the nest comes out. A raccoon with kits needs patience, and the approach has to fit the wildlife rules in Maryland. Every removal should end with a cap on the flue.
Many chimney animal removal calls in Cecilton also turn up a need for chimney cap installation or chimney cleaning.
Dealing with this in Cecilton, MD right now? Call (443) 899-3075 to reach a nearby chimney sweep.
Call nowThe process
What happens during chimney animal removal
Safe removal depends on knowing what is in the chimney and planning around it.
Figure out what it is
Sounds, droppings, timing and a look up the flue tell the technician what is living in the chimney 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.
Remove the animal
The animal is removed using the method suited to it with care taken around the damper and smoke shelf.
Clean out the flue
Nesting material is pulled out, since it can block the flue and catch fire and the flue is swept if needed.
Clean up
The smoke shelf and firebox are cleaned and treated for odor before the fireplace is used again.
Seal the top
A cap that covers the flue and blocks wildlife is fitted to finish the job.
What is included
What chimney animal removal covers
Squirrels
Squirrels, mice and other small animals that fall in and get trapped are taken out before they get into the house.
Raccoon dens
Raccoon dens above the damper are cleared out without harming the kits.
Bats
Bats are excluded rather than trapped and the top is sealed after they are gone.
Bird nests
Starlings, swifts and other birds and their nests are removed with timing that respects nesting season with chimney swifts left until they migrate.
Related service
Bird Nest Removal Cecilton, MD
A chimney gives birds a protected, dry place to build a nest, which is why it attracts them every spring. A nest of dry twigs and grass is both a blockage and a fire hazard. Nests in flues that serve gas or oil appliances are a carbon monoxide risk too, since they can push exhaust back 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. The sweep will advise on when removal can happen, and then the nest is cleared and a cap goes on. Other birds follow different rules, and the sweep can tell you which apply.
Related service
Raccoon Removal Cecilton, MD
Raccoons are strong climbers, and a mother raccoon will often choose a chimney smoke shelf as a den to raise her kits in spring. You may hear chattering, crying or thumping above the damper, especially at dusk when the mother comes and goes. Never reach into the chimney or try to grab a raccoon, since they can carry rabies and their droppings can carry roundworm.
Removal often means taking out the kits so the mother can carry them off, or using a one-way exit once the den is empty. Since rules on raccoons vary from state to state, the sweep follows the approach allowed in Maryland. 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
Chimneys in Cecilton see the most animal activity in spring and early summer, when birds nest and raccoons raise their young. Homes in Cecilton and nearby towns such as Elkton, North East, Perryville and Havre de Grace with trees close to the roof make it easy for raccoons and squirrels to reach the top. Capping the flue is the main defense, along with keeping tree limbs off the roof.
Searching for chimney animal removal near me from Cecilton or Elkton, North East, Perryville and Havre de Grace? Call (443) 899-3075 to talk to a chimney sweep who works in your part of town.
Chimneys in this climate
Cold winters keep fireplaces, wood stoves and oil burners working for half the year or more. 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, which is how cracks, loose bricks and leaks start. Wind driven rain from coastal storms finds any gap in flashing, too. Most homeowners in Cecilton, MD schedule a sweep in early fall, and a repair check after a hard winter.
Why call
Why act early
Smaller repairs
A chimney problem fixed early rarely spreads to the masonry, the liner or the house.
Local knowledge
Local sweeps see the same chimney types and weather wear across Cecilton and nearby towns.
Straight answers
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Chimney Animal Removal questions
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.
Can chimney swifts be removed from my chimney?
Chimney swifts are protected under federal law, and their nests cannot be removed while they are in use. 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.
How do I keep animals out of my chimney?
A chimney cap with a mesh screen is the most effective way to keep animals out. 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.
Can I light a fire to get an animal out of my chimney?
A fire is the worst way to deal with an animal in the flue. 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.
How do I get rid of a dead animal smell in my chimney?
A strong, rotting smell from the fireplace often means an animal has died in the flue or on the smoke shelf. Air fresheners will not help, since the animal and debris have to come out. Keep the damper closed until then to keep the smell out of the room.
More questions? Call (443) 899-3075
Related services
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
Cleaning the flue, smoke chamber and firebox of wood-burning fireplaces, stoves and inserts, with the damper, smoke shelf and cap checked along the way.
Learn moreChimney Odor Removal
Getting rid of the campfire, musty or rotten smell coming from a chimney so the room stops smelling like an old ashtray.
Learn moreChimney Damper Repair
Restoring the damper that opens and closes the flue or replacing them with a top sealing damper.
Learn more
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