Odor cleanup
Dead animals are removed and the area cleaned and deodorized to clear the smell.
Chimney Sweeping
Chimney Animal Removal Apollo, PA
A chimney sweep in Apollo can remove birds, raccoons, squirrels and nests from your chimney safely and with the right timing for the animal, then cap the top. One call to (724) 412-9254 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. Babies cannot escape, nesting material can ignite and smoke can back up into the room. Keep the damper and any fireplace doors closed so the animal stays in the chimney, and keep pets away from the fireplace.
The type of animal decides how and when it can be removed. Chimney swifts are protected under federal law as migratory birds, so an active nest stays until the birds leave for the season. Raccoons, squirrels and bats each have their own methods, and wildlife rules in Pennsylvania can affect how they are handled. Afterward, a chimney cap with screening is what keeps the next one out.
Chimney Animal Removal is often paired with chimney cap installation and chimney cleaning, depending on the cause.
Looking for Apollo chimney animal removal? Call (724) 412-9254 to reach a nearby chimney sweep.
Call nowThe process
What happens during chimney animal removal
Here is how a sweep typically handles an animal in the chimney.
Start with the clues
The noises, smell and debris point to the type of animal since each one is handled differently.
Set the approach
If chimney swifts are nesting, the sweep will advise on when the nest can come out before any work begins.
Get it out
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 and the area is cleaned up.
Sanitize
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 to finish the job.
What is included
What chimney animal removal covers
Bat exclusion
Bats in a chimney are handled with exclusion devices that let them leave but not return because they are protected in many places.
Birds
Birds and their nesting material are removed with chimney swifts left until they migrate.
Raccoon dens
Raccoon dens above the damper are cleared out along with the droppings they leave.
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 Apollo, PA
Birds nest in chimneys because the inside of a flue is dry, sheltered and hard for predators to reach. 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.
Because chimney swifts are protected, their nests cannot be disturbed during nesting season. The sweep will advise on when removal can happen, and then the nest is cleared and a cap goes on. Other birds may be handled on a different schedule depending on the species, so ask the sweep.
Related service
Raccoon Removal Apollo, PA
An uncapped chimney is a favorite den for raccoons, especially mothers with kits. Noises at dusk and dawn and the sound of young calling are typical. Raccoons can carry rabies and their droppings can carry roundworm, so never reach into the flue or try to handle one.
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. Wildlife rules in Pennsylvania can limit trapping and relocation, which shapes how the removal is done. After that, droppings are cleaned up and a sturdy cap is fitted, since raccoons can tear lightweight caps off.
Local help
Chimney Animal Removal Near Me
Animal calls in Apollo pick up in spring, once fires stop and animals look for sheltered dens. Homes in Apollo and nearby towns such as Vandergrift, Hyde Park, Lower Burrell and Clinton 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.
For chimney animal removal in Apollo, PA or nearby towns like Vandergrift, Hyde Park, Lower Burrell and Clinton, call (724) 412-9254 to reach a chimney sweep who covers your street.
How the weather here affects chimneys around Apollo
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, 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 Apollo, PA schedule a sweep in early fall, and a repair check after a hard winter.
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 Apollo and nearby towns.
Know what happens next
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Chimney Animal Removal questions
Are animals in the chimney dangerous?
Wildlife in a chimney brings several risks. Nesting material can ignite or block smoke, and droppings and parasites are a health concern. Blocked gas appliance flues can spill carbon monoxide, so get to fresh air if a CO alarm sounds.
Can I light a fire to get an animal out of my chimney?
A fire is the worst way to deal with an animal in the flue. 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.
Can chimney swifts be removed from my chimney?
Because chimney swifts are protected, removal has to wait until the birds leave for the season. 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.
How do I get rid of a dead animal smell in my chimney?
A strong, rotting smell from the fireplace often means an animal has died in the flue or on the smoke shelf. Removing the animal and cleaning the smoke shelf is the only real fix. Keep the damper shut in the meantime.
What stops birds and raccoons from getting into a chimney?
A chimney cap with a mesh screen is the most effective way to keep animals out. It should be fastened well enough that a raccoon cannot pull it off, with mesh small enough to stop birds without clogging with creosote. Cutting back branches that reach the roof makes the chimney harder to reach.
More questions? Call (724) 412-9254
Related services
Chimney Cap Installation
Fitting a metal cap over the top of the flue so water, birds and debris stay out of the flue.
Learn moreChimney Cleaning
Brushing and vacuuming the buildup from masonry and factory-built chimneys, 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 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
Looking for something else?
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