Careful chimney animal removal for Malibu Groves homes

Listening for what is in the chimney

The sound tells us a lot before anyone climbs a ladder. Write down what you hear and when, and share it when you call. Timing, sound and anything that has fallen into the firebox usually narrow the list down.

• Scratching or thumping, often at night, can point to a climbing animal
• Chirping that rises when adults return can mean nestlings
• Fluttering near the damper suggests a bird or bat in the smoke chamber
• Light scurrying in daylight can point to squirrels

Squirrels that fall into a flue

Squirrels explore chimney tops and sometimes fall into the flue. A smooth metal or tile liner gives them little to climb, so a trapped squirrel may scratch for days above the damper. Removal needs the right approach, from above or through the firebox, and keeping the damper closed in the meantime keeps it out of the room. After it is out, we check the cap and screen that let it in. A rope or board lowered into the flue by a professional can sometimes give a trapped squirrel a way to climb out on its own.

The order the work follows

Chimney animal jobs go wrong when steps are skipped, so we follow a set order. Each step waits for the one before it, and the estimate shows where your chimney stands in the sequence. Skipping to the cap is the one shortcut we refuse, because it is how animals end up trapped.

• Identify the animal and whether it is nesting
• Lawful removal, departure or exclusion
• Cleanup of nest material and droppings, then a sweep
• Flue and damper inspection
• A screened cap or other exclusion to keep it empty

Never handle wildlife with bare hands

Raccoons and bats are among the animals the Florida Department of Health lists as carriers of rabies in the state, and wild animals bite when handled. Do not reach up the flue, grab an animal on the grate or try to catch a bat by hand. If a bite or scratch happens, wash the wound and contact a doctor or the health department right away. Removal is work for people equipped to do it. Wearing gloves does not make handling a wild animal safe, so leave capture to people trained for it.