Birds
Nests on the smoke shelf, damper or in the flue are cleared with chimney swifts left until they migrate.
Chimney Sweeping
Chimney Animal Removal Park Forest, IL
A local sweep can clear animals out of a Park Forest chimney safely and with the right timing for the animal, then cap the top. Dial (708) 708-7348 to be connected with a nearby chimney sweep.
An open chimney looks like a hollow tree to a lot of animals. Raccoons often use the smoke shelf as a nursery, birds nest inside the flue and squirrels fall in and get trapped. The result is a blocked flue, odors, noise and sometimes an animal loose in the living room.
Do not try to smoke an animal out by lighting a fire. It can kill young animals that cannot leave, set the nest on fire and fill the house with smoke. 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 under federal law as migratory birds, so an active nest stays until the birds leave for the season. A raccoon with kits needs patience, and the approach has to fit the wildlife rules in Illinois. Once the chimney is clear, a cap with a mesh screen keeps them from coming back.
Depending on what the sweep finds, chimney animal removal in Park Forest, IL can go hand in hand with chimney cap installation and chimney cleaning.
Dealing with this in Park Forest, IL right now? Call (708) 708-7348 and describe the problem to a chimney sweep who works in Park Forest.
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
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.
Plan the timing
If chimney swifts are nesting, the sweep will advise on when the nest can come out and you hear what to expect.
Remove the animal
Depending on the animal, removal may be by hand, with an exclusion door or by giving a mother the chance to relocate her young without harming them.
Clean out the flue
Nests, sticks, droppings and debris are removed from the smoke shelf, damper and flue so smoke can draft freely.
Deodorize
Droppings and contaminated debris are bagged and the area is cleaned and deodorized which helps with lingering smells.
Seal the top
The flue is capped with screening that keeps birds and raccoons out and any damage at the top is noted.
What is included
What chimney animal removal covers
Raccoon dens
Raccoons and their young are removed from the smoke shelf and flue and the chimney is capped.
Odor cleanup
Dead animals are removed and the area cleaned and deodorized to clear the smell.
Squirrels
Trapped squirrels and other small animals are removed and the entry point is closed.
Bats
Bats are moved out with one-way exits timed around their breeding season since rules often protect them.
Related service
Bird Nest Removal Park Forest, IL
A chimney gives birds a protected, dry place to build a nest, which is why it attracts them every spring. The sticks and grass in a nest can block the flue and ignite when a fire is lit. 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. A sweep in Park Forest will advise on timing, then remove the old nest and install a cap afterwards so they cannot return. Other birds follow different rules, and the sweep can tell you which apply.
Related service
Raccoon Removal Park Forest, IL
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. Since rules on raccoons vary from state to state, the sweep follows the approach allowed in Illinois. Then the area is sanitized and a strong cap is fastened down to keep the next raccoon out.
Local help
Chimney Animal Removal Near Me
Chimneys in Park Forest see the most animal activity in spring and early summer, when birds nest and raccoons raise their young. Homes in Park Forest and nearby towns such as South Chicago Heights, University Park, Olympia Fields and Richton Park 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 Park Forest or South Chicago Heights, University Park, Olympia Fields and Richton Park? Call (708) 708-7348 to talk to a chimney sweep who works in your part of town.
Chimneys in this climate
Winters here are cold and long, with lake effect snow in many towns and deep cold snaps that can last for days. Furnaces, wood stoves and fireplaces run hard from fall to spring, so flues collect creosote fast and liners and crowns see a lot of heat and cold. Snow that piles up behind a chimney and melts slowly is a common source of leaks at the flashing. Most chimney cleaning in Park Forest, IL happens right before the first snow.
Why call
Why fix it now
Safer fires
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 Park Forest and nearby towns.
Straight answers
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Common questions about chimney animal removal
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. Until then, keep the damper closed and do not use the fireplace.
Will smoke drive an animal out of the chimney?
Smoke is not a safe way to get an animal out of a chimney. It can kill young animals, start a nest fire and push smoke and carbon monoxide indoors. 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 sour, rotten odor from the fireplace points to a dead animal in the chimney. The animal has to be removed, along with any nest and droppings, and the area cleaned and deodorized. Keep the damper closed until then to keep the smell out of the room.
How do I keep animals out of my chimney?
The best prevention is a sturdy chimney cap with screening on all sides. A strong, well-fastened cap holds up to raccoons, and the right mesh keeps out birds and squirrels. Cutting back branches that reach the roof makes the chimney harder to reach.
Are animals in the chimney dangerous?
An animal in the flue is more than a nuisance. Blocked flues, fire risk from nests, disease from droppings and animals getting into the house are the main concerns. A blocked flue on a furnace or water heater can also send carbon monoxide into the house, so keep CO alarms working.
More questions? Call (708) 708-7348
Related services
Chimney Cap Installation
Installing chimney caps with mesh sides 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, to cut the risk of a chimney fire.
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
Repairing dampers that will not open, close or seal or replacing them with a top sealing damper.
Learn more
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Call (708) 708-7348 for a local chimney sweep in Park Forest and nearby towns.
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