Dead animal removal
Dead animals are removed and the area cleaned and deodorized to clear the smell.
Chimney Sweeping
Chimney Animal Removal Monessen, PA
A chimney sweep in Monessen 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) 653-9790 reaches a chimney sweep near you.
To birds, raccoons and squirrels, an uncapped chimney is a dry, sheltered den. Raccoons often use the smoke shelf as a nursery, birds nest inside the flue and squirrels fall in and get trapped. Each one brings nesting material that blocks the flue, droppings that smell and the risk of the animal getting into the house.
It is tempting to light a fire and force the animal out, but it does more harm than good. 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.
Not every animal can be removed the same way or at any time. 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. Once the chimney is clear, a cap with a mesh screen keeps them from coming back.
If the problem goes deeper than it first looked, a Monessen chimney sweep may also recommend chimney cap installation or chimney cleaning.
Need chimney animal removal in Monessen? Call (724) 653-9790 to reach a nearby chimney sweep.
Call nowThe process
How chimney animal removal works
Getting an animal out cleanly takes the right timing and a few steps.
Start with the clues
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.
Set the approach
The method and timing are chosen to follow wildlife rules and protect any young and you hear what to expect.
Humane removal
Animals are removed by hand, with a catch pole, through a one-way exit or by letting a mother move her young with care taken around the damper and smoke shelf.
Clean out the flue
Nesting material is pulled out, since it can block the flue and catch fire so smoke can draft freely.
Sanitize
The smoke shelf and firebox are cleaned and treated for odor since droppings can carry disease.
Seal the top
A chimney cap with a mesh screen goes on the flue so animals cannot return and any damage at the top is noted.
What is included
Common chimney animal problems
Raccoons
A raccoon living in the chimney is removed without harming the kits.
Small animals
Squirrels, mice and other small animals that fall in and get trapped are taken out and the entry point is closed.
Birds
Nests on the smoke shelf, damper or in the flue are cleared and the flue is capped afterward.
Bat exclusion
Bats in a chimney are handled with exclusion devices that let them leave but not return since rules often protect them.
Related service
Bird Nest Removal Monessen, PA
Birds like starlings and chimney swifts are drawn to open flues for nesting. A nest of dry twigs and grass is both a blockage and a fire hazard. 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 Monessen 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 Monessen, PA
Raccoons are strong climbers, and a mother raccoon will often choose a chimney smoke shelf as a den to raise her kits in spring. 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.
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 Pennsylvania. With the den cleared, the smoke shelf is sanitized and a heavy-duty cap goes on, because raccoons can pull off weak ones.
Local help
Chimney Animal Removal Near Me
In Monessen, wildlife moves into chimneys mostly in spring and summer, when the fireplace is cold. Homes in Monessen and nearby towns such as Charleroi, Donora, Monongahela and California with trees close to the roof make it easy for raccoons and squirrels to reach the top. A properly fitted cap prevents most of these problems.
For chimney animal removal in Monessen, PA or nearby towns like Charleroi, Donora, Monongahela and California, call (724) 653-9790 to reach a chimney sweep who covers your street.
Chimneys in this climate
Winters here are long and cold, and the heating season usually runs from October well into April. 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. That is why chimney cleaning in Monessen 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.
Sweeps who know Monessen
Chimney sweeps in Monessen 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
What should I do about a dead animal smell in the fireplace?
A strong, rotting smell from the fireplace often means an animal has died in the flue or on the smoke shelf. 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.
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. The sweep can tell you when it is allowed, then clean out the nest and add a cap. Until then, keep the damper closed and do not use the fireplace.
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. Keeping branches off the roof removes an easy path to the top.
Are animals in the chimney dangerous?
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.
Can I light a fire to get an animal out of my 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.
More questions? Call (724) 653-9790
Other services that may help
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
Cleaning the flue, smoke chamber and firebox of wood-burning fireplaces, stoves and inserts, with the damper, smoke shelf and cap checked along the way.
Learn moreChimney Odor Removal
Removing chimney odors at the source instead of covering them up with sweeping, deodorizing and a fix for the cause.
Learn moreChimney Damper Repair
Restoring the damper that opens and closes the flue or replacing them with a top sealing damper.
Learn more
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(724) 653-9790
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