Raccoon dens
Raccoons and their young are removed from the smoke shelf and flue and the chimney is capped.
Chimney Sweeping
Chimney Animal Removal Long Valley, NJ
A local sweep can clear animals out of a Long Valley chimney safely and with the right timing for the animal, then cap the top. Call (908) 867-1003 to reach a local chimney sweep.
Without a cap, a chimney is an open invitation to wildlife. Raccoons often use the smoke shelf as a nursery, birds nest inside the flue and squirrels fall in and get trapped. 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. It can kill young animals that cannot leave, set the nest on fire and fill the house with smoke. Shut the damper and doors to keep the animal from coming into the house.
The type of animal decides how and when it can be removed. Chimney swifts are protected, which means waiting until they migrate before the nest comes out. 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 Long Valley, NJ can go hand in hand with chimney cap installation and chimney cleaning.
Looking for Long Valley chimney animal removal? Call (908) 867-1003 to talk to a local chimney sweep.
Call nowThe process
The chimney animal removal process
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.
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.
Humane removal
The animal is removed using the method suited to it while keeping it out of the house.
Remove debris
Nesting material is pulled out, since it can block the flue and catch fire so smoke can draft freely.
Deodorize
The smoke shelf and firebox are cleaned and treated for odor since droppings can carry disease.
Cap the chimney
A chimney cap with a mesh screen goes on the flue so animals cannot return so the problem does not repeat next season.
What is included
Common chimney animal problems
Birds
Nests on the smoke shelf, damper or in the flue are cleared and the flue is capped afterward.
Odor cleanup
When an animal dies in the flue, it is taken out and the smoke shelf cleaned to clear the smell.
Squirrels
Small animals stuck in the flue or on the damper are removed since they cannot climb back out.
Bat exclusion
Bats are excluded rather than trapped and the top is sealed after they are gone.
Related service
Bird Nest Removal Long Valley, NJ
Birds like starlings and chimney swifts are drawn to open flues for nesting. 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. 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 Long Valley 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 Long Valley, NJ
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 rabies and their droppings can carry roundworm, so never reach into the flue or try to handle one.
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 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 Long Valley see the most animal activity in spring and early summer, when birds nest and raccoons raise their young. Around Long Valley and in nearby towns like Chester, Beattystown, Flanders and Hackettstown, uncapped chimneys and branches that overhang the roof are the most common way animals get in. A properly fitted cap prevents most of these problems.
Need chimney animal removal around Long Valley? Call (908) 867-1003 for a Long Valley chimney sweep who serves the towns around it too.
How the weather here affects chimneys around Long Valley
Cold winters keep fireplaces, wood stoves and oil burners working for half the year or more. The hardest thing on brick here is not the cold itself but the constant swing above and below freezing: water soaks into brick, mortar joints and the crown on a mild day, freezes overnight and expands, and each winter widens the cracks a little more. Nor'easters drive rain sideways into flashing and mortar that looked fine in summer. Most homeowners in Long Valley, NJ schedule a sweep in early fall, and a repair check after a hard winter.
Why call
Why fix it now
Smaller repairs
A chimney problem fixed early rarely spreads to the masonry, the liner or the house.
Familiar with local homes
Chimney sweeps in Long Valley know the chimneys and fireplaces common in local homes.
Clear next steps
Ask the sweep about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
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. Young animals cannot climb out and will be hurt, the nest can ignite, and a blocked flue can send smoke and carbon monoxide into the house. Close the damper and fireplace doors and leave the removal to a sweep.
Why are animals in the chimney a problem?
Animals in a chimney cause problems beyond the noise. Nests can block the flue and catch fire, droppings can carry disease, and raccoons can carry rabies and roundworm. Blocked gas appliance flues can spill carbon monoxide, so get to fresh air if a CO alarm sounds.
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. The sweep can tell you when it is allowed, then clean out the nest and add a cap. In the meantime, keep the damper shut to keep noise and birds out of the house.
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. 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?
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. Trimming tree limbs away from the roof also helps.
More questions? Call (908) 867-1003
Related services
Chimney Cap Installation
Installing chimney caps with mesh sides sized to the flue tile or the whole crown.
Learn moreChimney Cleaning
Brushing and vacuuming the buildup from fireplace and stove chimneys of every kind, with the damper, smoke shelf and cap checked along the way.
Learn moreChimney Odor Removal
Tracking down the creosote, moisture or animal behind a smelly fireplace with sweeping, deodorizing and a fix for the cause.
Learn moreChimney Damper Repair
Fixing stuck, rusted or warped chimney dampers or replacing them with a top sealing damper.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
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(908) 867-1003
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