Chimney animal removal in Union Park

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

Animals inside a factory-built chase

On a factory-built fireplace, the chimney pipe runs inside a framed chase, and an animal can get into the enclosure without entering the pipe. Entry is usually through a gap at the chase cover or a damaged cap. Removal may need access at the top of the chase, and soiled insulation may have to come out. We explain the plan for that space and price the cover or cap work that closes it. Animals in a chase can also reach insulation around the pipe, which may need replacing to keep the clearances right.

Exclusion before the opening is sealed

For bats, and as a principle for every animal, the opening is sealed only after the animals inside have had a way out. With bats, exclusion devices do that job outside the maternity season. With other animals, it may mean waiting for departure or having a specialist remove them. Sealing first is how animals end up trapped and dying in a chimney, which is why we never do it. The same principle applies to a chase or an attic opening near the chimney, which is sealed only once it is empty.

Soiled insulation inside a chase

When an animal has nested inside a factory-built chase, the insulation around the pipe can be soiled with droppings and nest material. It may need to come out, which can mean opening the chase from the top or the side. We note what we see during the inspection and price insulation removal separately, since it depends on how far the nesting extends. New insulation, where needed, must keep the clearances the chimney maker specifies around the pipe. Removal and replacement are written up as separate items, so you see what each part involves.