There is an animal in the chimney
An uncapped flue is a hollow tree as far as wildlife is concerned. The animal is one problem; what it leaves behind is a blocked flue, which is the dangerous one.
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While you wait — please don't
- Do not light a fire to drive it out. It is cruel, it fills the house with smoke, and burning nesting material is a common cause of chimney fires.
- Do not open the damper to look if you can hear something large moving. A raccoon coming into the room is a serious problem.
- Bird and bat droppings carry disease. Leave the cleanup to someone with the right protection.
- In many places nesting birds are legally protected. Removing an active nest yourself may be an offence.
What has probably happened
- There is no cap, or the cap has rusted through or blown off.
- Birds nest in flues in spring — and in some places certain species are legally protected while nesting.
- Raccoons use chimneys as dens and will not leave willingly with young inside.
- Squirrels fall in and cannot climb back out of a smooth liner.
- Bats roost in flues and need handling under their own rules.
What the technician does
- The animal is identified before anything is done, because what is up there decides what is legal and what is safe.
- Removal or humane eviction as appropriate, and coordination with a wildlife specialist where the species requires it.
- Nesting material and debris removed — it is the blockage that makes the flue dangerous.
- The flue swept and inspected once it is clear.
- A properly sized cap with mesh fitted so it does not happen again.
- Droppings cleaned up and the flue treated where there has been a long-term roost.
Questions people ask
- How do I know if it is still alive?
- Scratching, chirping and rustling, usually worse at dawn and dusk. Silence does not mean empty — it can mean something died in there, which you will discover by smell.
- Will a cap stop it happening again?
- Yes, and it is the only thing that does. A stainless cap with mesh keeps out birds, raccoons and squirrels, and keeps rain out as a bonus.
- There is a smell but no noise.
- That is usually something that died in the flue, or a long-established nest. Both need clearing out — it will not resolve on its own.
Questions about “something living up there”
- Why are there feathers and twigs falling into my firebox?
- What causes a buzzing or humming noise inside a chimney flue?
- Why does my fireplace smell like rotting meat or dead animal?
- What does it mean when I hear chirping birds inside my chimney?
- Why do I hear scratching sounds coming from my chimney at night?
Get a technician out
Free estimate. The price is agreed before the work starts.
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Something else going on?
- Smoke comes back into the room
- Never been swept
- Water coming in
- Smells of smoke or damp
- Cracked crown or crumbling brick
- Damper stuck or broken
- Liner damaged or missing
- Rebuild or new chimney
One Call Chimney arranges the visit; the technician does the work and gives you the price.