Safe chimney animal removal and cleanup in Sun City Center

Timing chimney work around chimney swifts

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, chimney swifts arrive in the country in March or April and leave in August or September. The agency suggests having the chimney cleaned between September or October and March or April, while the birds are away.

We plan cleaning and capping inside that window for chimneys with a swift history. Booking the work in fall or winter leaves time to finish before the birds return.

The same guidance suggests using a fireplace only during the part of the year when swifts are away. A fall inspection and sweep fits that timing and has the chimney ready before the cooler months.

When a young swift falls into the fireplace

A young swift can drop out of the nest and land on the smoke shelf or in the firebox. In that case the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wants homeowners to reach a migratory bird rehabilitator, who knows whether the bird should go back to the nest or into care.

Do not feed a fallen nestling or try to push it back up the flue. Keep pets away, keep the fireplace closed and make the call. We can help you confirm the kind of bird and plan the chimney work that follows the season.

Dealing with an animal that died in the chimney

An animal that dies in a flue or on a smoke shelf leaves a smell that grows over several days and does not go away on its own. Sprays and candles only cover it for a while.

Our team locates and removes the remains and the soiled debris, cleans the affected area and closes the entry so it does not happen again. We handle the work carefully and leave the fireplace clean.

Keep the fireplace unlit until the cleanup is finished. Once the source is gone the smell fades, and the entry is closed so the chimney does not trap another animal.

A nest in a flue that serves an appliance

Some chimneys have a flue that vents a fuel-burning appliance rather than the fireplace. A nest or debris in that flue can interfere with how the appliance vents, which is a more urgent problem than a nest in an unused fireplace flue.

If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, leave the house and call 911 from outside. Once the home is safe, the flue needs checking and clearing before the appliance is used again, and the entry must be closed so the nest does not return.