Family-owned chimney animal removal in The Willows

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

What nest material does to a flue

Nests are built from twigs, leaves, grass and whatever else an animal can carry, and a large one can close most of a flue. Smoke that cannot rise has to go somewhere, and debris sitting in a warm flue can catch an ember. The fireplace should stay unused until the flue is clear from top to bottom, and until a sweep has confirmed nothing is left above the damper. Nesting material can also sit above a closed damper for months without anyone noticing it from the room.

A cap that seats with no gaps

A cap that is too small for the flue or has worked loose leaves space at its base where a determined animal can squeeze through. Flue-mounted caps must match the outside of the flue tile, and crown-mounted caps must sit flat on the crown. We measure before ordering and fasten the cap so it stays seated, then check the base all the way around once it is on. On a crown that is uneven or cracked, the cap may need a repaired surface before it can sit tight.

Reading the nest material

Different animals leave different signs. Small twigs glued into a shelf on the flue wall point to swifts. Loose leaves, grass and debris piled on the smoke shelf suggest squirrels or other birds. Large piles of debris with droppings on the smoke shelf can mean a raccoon den. We read what we find before deciding on the next step, since the rules differ by animal. Those signs are written into the findings, so you know what we based the plan on.