Why do I hear birds in my chimney in spring?

Spring nesting is the peak in Bloomington. A flue with no cap is a sheltered spot, and birds will build in it. The sounds usually mean a nest or young birds are already in there.

Can I just wait for the animal to leave?

Sometimes it moves on, but a nest and droppings stay behind and can block the flue. Keep the fireplace unused and have it looked at before the next fire.

Do I need a permit for this in Bloomington?

Illinois permits are issued locally, usually by the municipal building department. Routine sweeping and basic inspection generally are not permitted work, but installing a new venting system or relining a chimney commonly is. Ask the local building department before any larger work.

Who checks the credentials of the person doing the work?

Illinois does not license chimney sweeping or masonry repair at the state level. Many cities and counties ask contractors to register or hold a local licence, so check with the building department where the work will be done. You can also ask the technician about their credentials and insurance before you approve the estimate.

Does the estimate cost anything?

No. Every job comes with a free estimate. The technician inspects the chimney and gives you the price before any work starts, and nothing goes ahead until you approve it.

Animal in the Chimney, booked with one call, in Bloomington, IL

Bloomington's older neighborhoods near downtown, including the Davis-Jefferson Historic District, are full of brick and frame houses with masonry chimneys and original fireplaces. A chimney without a cap is an open door for birds and other animals. If you can hear scratching or birds in the chimney, something has almost certainly got in through the top of the flue and settled in. The job here is to deal with the animal first, clear the nest and debris, sweep and inspect the flue, and fit a properly sized cap with mesh. Plan on not using the fireplace until all of that is done.

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This happens in Bloomington because spring nesting is the peak, and an uncapped flue is the whole cause. Illinois has a long heating season, roughly October into April, and then the flue sits unused through humid summers. A quiet, sheltered, empty flue is exactly what a nesting animal looks for. The cap is what stops it happening again.

While you wait — please don't

Do not light a fire to drive it out. It is cruel to the animal, and burning nesting material is a common cause of chimney fires.
Do not use the fireplace or stove at all. A nest or debris can block the flue, and smoke and carbon monoxide can then come back into the room.
Do not reach in or pull the nest out yourself. Droppings carry disease, and in many places nesting birds are legally protected.
Get outside and call 911 if anyone feels ill. Headache, dizziness or nausea near a fireplace that has had smoke in the room can mean carbon monoxide, so leave the house first and make calls after.

What the technician does

You call, we arrange the visitOne Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service. We arrange the job with an independent sweep or mason. We are not the contractor and we do not do the work.
The animal is identified firstThe technician works out what is in the flue before anything is done. That decides how it is handled.
Removal or humane evictionWhere the species requires it, a wildlife specialist is brought in. Nothing is smoked out or burned.
Nest and debris cleared, flue swept and inspectedNesting material and droppings come out, and the flue is swept. The technician then inspects it for damage the animal or the nest may have caused.
A mesh cap is fittedA properly sized cap with mesh goes on the top so nothing can get back in.
You see the price and approve itThe estimate is free. The technician inspects the chimney and gives you the price before any work starts, and you approve it first.

Why this happens in Bloomington, IL

Bloomington sits on flat, open prairie in McLean County, so chimneys here take a lot of wind, hail and weather. The older homes near downtown often have masonry chimneys and fireplaces that have been through many winters. Freeze-thaw cycles and heavy snow load are hard on masonry, and Illinois winters can crack crowns and loosen mortar joints. A cracked crown or missing cap gives animals an easy way in. If the technician sees that kind of damage while the flue is open, you can ask for it to be photographed and explained in writing.

The housing mix here varies a lot from one block to the next. Older brick and frame houses sit near newer vinyl-sided subdivisions in places like Hudson, Towanda, Downs, Carlock and Heyworth, and the chimney setup differs from house to house. Many Illinois homes also vent a gas furnace or water heater through an older masonry chimney, so a nest can block more than a fireplace. Spring is when nesting peaks, and demand rises again in late fall and winter when heating season starts. Having the flue checked and capped before the first cold snap means the fireplace is ready when you want it.

Questions people ask

Why do I hear birds in my chimney in spring?: Spring nesting is the peak in Bloomington. A flue with no cap is a sheltered spot, and birds will build in it. The sounds usually mean a nest or young birds are already in there.
Can I just wait for the animal to leave?: Sometimes it moves on, but a nest and droppings stay behind and can block the flue. Keep the fireplace unused and have it looked at before the next fire.
Do I need a permit for this in Bloomington?: Illinois permits are issued locally, usually by the municipal building department. Routine sweeping and basic inspection generally are not permitted work, but installing a new venting system or relining a chimney commonly is. Ask the local building department before any larger work.
Who checks the credentials of the person doing the work?: Illinois does not license chimney sweeping or masonry repair at the state level. Many cities and counties ask contractors to register or hold a local licence, so check with the building department where the work will be done. You can also ask the technician about their credentials and insurance before you approve the estimate.
Does the estimate cost anything?: No. Every job comes with a free estimate. The technician inspects the chimney and gives you the price before any work starts, and nothing goes ahead until you approve it.

One call

Call (866) 576-7943 and we will arrange an independent technician for the animal in your Bloomington chimney. The estimate is free, and the price is agreed with you before any work starts.

Call now · (866) 576-7943

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One Call Chimney arranges the visit; the technician does the work and gives you the price.