Bats
Bats are moved out with one-way exits timed around their breeding season since rules often protect them.
Chimney Sweeping
Chimney Animal Removal Swedesboro, NJ
A chimney sweep in Swedesboro can remove birds, raccoons, squirrels and nests from your chimney and install a cap so they cannot get back in. Call (856) 490-5006 to reach a local 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.
Lighting a fire to drive an animal out is a bad idea. Young animals that cannot climb will be hurt, the nest can catch fire, and a blocked flue can push smoke and carbon monoxide into the house. Shut the damper and doors to keep the animal from coming into the house.
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. Rules on trapping and relocating wildlife vary by state, so the method follows what is allowed in New Jersey. 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 Swedesboro, NJ can go hand in hand with chimney cap installation and chimney cleaning.
Looking for Swedesboro chimney animal removal? Call (856) 490-5006 and describe the problem to a chimney sweep who works in Swedesboro.
Call nowThe process
How chimney animal removal works
Here is how a sweep typically handles an animal in the chimney.
Start with the clues
Sounds, droppings, timing and a look up the flue tell the technician what is living in the chimney since each one is handled differently.
Set the approach
Protected birds like chimney swifts are left until nesting season ends, while many other animals can be removed right away and you hear what to expect.
Remove the animal
Animals are removed by hand, with a catch pole, through a one-way exit or by letting a mother move her young without harming them.
Remove debris
Nesting material is pulled out, since it can block the flue and catch fire and the area is cleaned up.
Sanitize
The smoke shelf and firebox are cleaned and treated for odor which helps with lingering smells.
Add a cap
A cap that covers the flue and blocks wildlife is fitted so the problem does not repeat next season.
What is included
Common chimney animal problems
Bird nests
Birds and their nesting material are removed with chimney swifts left until they migrate.
Raccoon dens
A raccoon living in the chimney is removed and the chimney is capped.
Dead animal removal
When an animal dies in the flue, it is taken out and the smoke shelf cleaned so the odor fades.
Squirrels
Squirrels, mice and other small animals that fall in and get trapped are taken out since they cannot climb back out.
Related service
Bird Nest Removal Swedesboro, NJ
A chimney gives birds a protected, dry place to build a nest, which is why it attracts them every spring. Their nests sit on the smoke shelf, the damper or the flue walls, and the dry twigs and grass can block the draft and catch fire with the first fire of the season. In furnace or water heater flues, a nest can cause carbon monoxide to spill indoors, so working CO alarms matter.
Because chimney swifts are protected, their nests cannot be disturbed during nesting season. A sweep in Swedesboro will advise on timing, then remove the old nest and install a cap afterwards so they cannot return. Other birds may be handled on a different schedule depending on the species, so ask the sweep.
Related service
Raccoon Removal Swedesboro, NJ
An uncapped chimney is a favorite den for raccoons, especially mothers with kits. You may hear chattering, crying or thumping above the damper, especially at dusk when the mother comes and goes. Raccoons can carry disease, and their droppings can hold roundworm eggs, so leave removal to someone equipped for it.
A common approach is to remove the kits first and give the mother the chance to move them, then confirm the den is empty before capping. Since rules on raccoons vary from state to state, the sweep follows the approach allowed in New Jersey. 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 Swedesboro see the most animal activity in spring and early summer, when birds nest and raccoons raise their young. Homes in Swedesboro and nearby towns such as Beckett, Mullica Hill, Gibbstown and Woodstown 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.
Need chimney animal removal around Swedesboro? Call (856) 490-5006 for a Swedesboro chimney sweep who serves the towns around it too.
Chimneys in this climate
Cold winters keep fireplaces, wood stoves and oil burners working for half the year or more. Masonry takes the worst of it from the freeze and thaw cycle: rain and melting snow soak into the crown and joints, then freeze and push them apart, which is how cracks, loose bricks and leaks start. Nor'easters drive rain sideways into flashing and mortar that looked fine in summer. That is why chimney cleaning in Swedesboro is usually booked in the fall, before the first cold night.
Why call
Why act early
Less damage
A chimney problem fixed early rarely spreads to the masonry, the liner or the house.
Familiar with local homes
Chimney sweeps in Swedesboro know the chimneys and fireplaces common in local homes.
Clear next steps
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Chimney Animal Removal FAQ
What should I do about chimney swifts?
Chimney swifts are protected under federal law, and their nests cannot be removed while they are in use. A sweep will advise on timing, then remove the nest and install a cap afterwards. In the meantime, keep the damper shut to keep noise and birds out of the house.
Can I light a fire to get an animal out of my chimney?
Lighting a fire is the wrong move with an animal in the chimney. Babies cannot escape, nesting material can catch fire and a blocked flue can fill the room with smoke. Close the damper and fireplace doors and leave the removal to a sweep.
What stops birds and raccoons from getting into a chimney?
Capping the flue with a mesh-sided cap stops most animals. 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.
What should I do about a dead animal smell in the fireplace?
A sour, rotten odor from the fireplace points to a dead animal in the chimney. Removing the animal and cleaning the smoke shelf is the only real fix. Close the damper until it is removed.
More questions? Call (856) 490-5006
Other services that may help
Chimney Cap Installation
Putting a sturdy cap on top of the chimney sized to the flue tile or the whole crown.
Learn moreChimney Cleaning
Brushing and vacuuming the buildup from 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 whether the smell shows up in summer heat or after rain.
Learn moreChimney Damper Repair
Repairing dampers that will not open, close or seal including handles, chains and seals.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all chimney servicesGet chimney animal removal help in Swedesboro
Call (856) 490-5006 for a local chimney sweep in Swedesboro and nearby towns.
(856) 490-5006
Free to call. No forms to fill out.