Dead animal removal
Dead animals are removed and the area cleaned and deodorized before the fireplace is used again.
Chimney Sweeping
Chimney Animal Removal Elkridge, MD
A Elkridge chimney sweep can get wildlife out of the flue safely and with the right timing for the animal, then cap the top. One call to (443) 899-3078 reaches a chimney sweep near you.
Without a cap, a chimney is an open invitation to wildlife. Birds build nests on the smoke shelf or damper, raccoons den on the smoke shelf to raise their young, and squirrels fall in and cannot climb back out. They leave nests that can block smoke and catch fire, droppings that smell and parasites that can spread.
Do not try to smoke an animal out by lighting a fire. 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.
Not every animal can be removed the same way or at any time. Chimney swifts are a protected migratory bird, so their nests can only be removed after nesting season, and a sweep will advise on timing. Raccoons, squirrels and bats each have their own methods, and wildlife rules in Maryland can affect how they are handled. Once the chimney is clear, a cap with a mesh screen keeps them from coming back.
Many chimney animal removal calls in Elkridge also turn up a need for chimney cap installation or chimney cleaning.
Looking for Elkridge chimney animal removal? Call (443) 899-3078 to talk to a local chimney sweep.
Call nowThe process
How chimney animal removal works
Getting an animal out cleanly takes the right timing and a few steps.
Figure out what it is
The noises, smell and debris point to the type of animal and whether young are involved.
Check the rules
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.
Get it out
The animal is removed using the method suited to it while keeping it out of the house.
Clean out the flue
All debris left behind is cleared out so smoke can draft freely.
Clean up
The smoke shelf and firebox are cleaned and treated for odor which helps with lingering smells.
Seal the top
The flue is capped with screening that keeps birds and raccoons out so the problem does not repeat next season.
What is included
Common chimney animal problems
Bird nests
Starlings, swifts and other birds and their nests are removed with timing that respects nesting season with chimney swifts left until they migrate.
Small animals
Squirrels, mice and other small animals that fall in and get trapped are taken out before they get into the house.
Raccoon dens
A raccoon living in the chimney is removed without harming the kits.
Bats
Bats are moved out with one-way exits timed around their breeding season because they are protected in many places.
Related service
Bird Nest Removal Elkridge, MD
Birds like starlings and chimney swifts are drawn to open flues for nesting. The sticks and grass in a nest can block the flue and ignite when a fire is lit. If the flue vents a furnace or water heater, a nest can force carbon monoxide into the house.
Chimney swifts are protected under federal law, which means an active nest stays until the birds migrate in the fall. A Elkridge sweep can tell you when removal is allowed, then clear the nest and cap the chimney. Other birds follow different rules, and the sweep can tell you which apply.
Related service
Raccoon Removal Elkridge, MD
An uncapped chimney is a favorite den for raccoons, especially mothers with kits. The signs are chattering and whimpering from the young and the mother leaving at dusk and returning before dawn. Never reach into the chimney or try to grab a raccoon, since they can carry rabies and their droppings can carry roundworm.
Removal often means taking out the kits so the mother can carry them off, or using a one-way exit once the den is empty. Trapping and relocation rules differ by state, so the method follows what is allowed in Maryland. 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
In Elkridge, wildlife moves into chimneys mostly in spring and summer, when the fireplace is cold. Around Elkridge and in nearby towns like Ilchester, Jessup, Arbutus and Linthicum, uncapped chimneys and branches that overhang the roof are the most common way animals get in. A cap with a mesh screen is the simplest fix, and trimming branches back from the roof helps too.
Searching for chimney animal removal near me from Elkridge or Ilchester, Jessup, Arbutus and Linthicum? Call (443) 899-3078 to talk to a chimney sweep who works in your part of town.
How the weather here affects chimneys around Elkridge
Winters here are long and cold, and the heating season usually runs from October well into April. 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. Wind driven rain from coastal storms finds any gap in flashing, too. That is why chimney cleaning in Elkridge is usually booked in the fall, before the first cold night.
Why call
Why not wait
Safer fires
A chimney problem fixed early rarely spreads to the masonry, the liner or the house.
Familiar with local homes
Chimney sweeps in Elkridge know the chimneys and fireplaces common in local homes.
Straight answers
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Chimney Animal Removal FAQ
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. Keep the damper closed and call a sweep instead.
Can chimney swifts be removed from my chimney?
Chimney swifts are a protected migratory bird, so the birds and their active nest have to stay until nesting season is over. A sweep will advise on timing, then remove the nest and install a cap afterwards. Until then, keep the damper closed and do not use the fireplace.
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. Air fresheners will not help, since the animal and debris have to come out. Keep the damper closed until then to keep the smell out of the room.
Why are animals in the chimney a problem?
Wildlife in a chimney brings several risks. Nests can block the flue and catch fire, droppings can carry disease, and raccoons can carry rabies and roundworm. A blocked flue on a furnace or water heater can also send carbon monoxide into the house, so keep CO alarms working.
How do I keep animals out of my chimney?
A chimney cap with a mesh screen is the most effective way to keep animals out. A strong, well-fastened cap holds up to raccoons, and the right mesh keeps out birds and squirrels. Keeping branches off the roof removes an easy path to the top.
More questions? Call (443) 899-3078
Related services
Chimney Cap Installation
Fitting a metal cap over the top of the flue sized to the flue tile or the whole crown.
Learn moreChimney Cleaning
Cleaning the flue, smoke chamber and firebox of masonry and factory-built chimneys, to cut the risk of a chimney fire.
Learn moreChimney Odor Removal
Removing chimney odors at the source instead of covering them up so the room stops smelling like an old ashtray.
Learn moreChimney Damper Repair
Restoring the damper that opens and closes the flue including handles, chains and seals.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
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Call (443) 899-3078 to talk to a chimney sweep serving Elkridge, MD.
(443) 899-3078
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