Can I just wait until the animal leaves on its own?

Sometimes it does, but a nest and droppings stay behind, and a new animal can move in. Because the cause is an uncapped flue, a mesh cap is what stops it coming back.

Is it safe to use my Joliet fireplace if the noise has stopped?

No, not until the flue has been checked. Quiet does not mean empty, and a nest or debris can block the flue and send smoke into the room. If smoke does come in, stop using the fireplace and open a window.

Do older Joliet homes with stone or brick chimneys have a higher risk?

The risk is mainly an open or damaged top. Many older Joliet homes have original masonry chimneys that need tuckpointing and liner attention, so the technician can look at the crown and liner during the same visit.

Do I need a permit in Illinois for this work?

Permits in Illinois are issued locally, so ask the Joliet building department. Relining or rebuilding a chimney commonly needs one, while routine sweeping and basic inspection generally do not.

Who does the work, and what does the estimate cost?

One Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service. We arrange the job with an independent sweep or mason, and we do not perform the work ourselves. The estimate is free, and you approve the price before any work starts.

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

Joliet grew up around its limestone quarries and the Illinois & Michigan Canal, and many older homes here still have their original stone or brick chimneys. If you can hear scratching or birds in one of them, something has almost certainly moved into the flue through an open top. This is planned work, not a rush job. It usually means identifying the animal, getting it out safely, clearing the flue, and fitting a proper cap so it cannot happen again.

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It happens here for a simple reason: the flue is open to the sky. Illinois has a long heating season, but a flue sits unused for the warm months. Spring nesting is the peak, and an uncapped flue is the whole cause. In Joliet, spring storms, wind and hail can also damage chimney crowns and caps. A cap that is missing or loose gives birds and animals an easy way in.

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 until the flue is checked. A nest or debris can block the flue, and a blocked flue can push smoke and carbon monoxide into the house.
Do not reach in or sweep the nest out yourself. Droppings carry disease, and in many places nesting birds are legally protected.
Get outside and call 911 if anyone feels unwell. If someone has a headache, dizziness or nausea while a fire or the furnace is running, leave the house first and call 911.

What the technician does

Identify the animalThe technician works out what is up there before anything is done. The species decides how it is handled.
Remove it or evict it humanelyWhere the species requires it, a wildlife specialist handles removal or humane eviction. Nothing is burned or smoked out.
Clear the nest and debrisNesting material, droppings and debris are taken out of the flue so nothing is left to catch fire or block the draft.
Sweep and inspect the flueThe flue is swept and inspected for damage from the animal or the weather. Ask to see the camera footage if a camera is used.
Fit a properly sized cap with meshA cap with mesh that fits your flue goes on top. This keeps animals out and is the fix for the cause.
Estimate first, then your approvalThe 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 Joliet, IL

Much of Joliet's older housing was built from the late 1800s through the 1940s, in brick, local limestone and wood frame. Many of those homes have masonry chimneys, including in areas like the Cathedral Area Historic District, the Upper Bluff Historic District, and the East and West Sides. These chimneys often need tuckpointing and liner attention. Since a technician will be on the chimney anyway, it is a good time to have the crown and mortar joints looked at. Joliet's outer west and south edges have postwar ranches and newer subdivision homes, and the same open flue can let an animal in there too.

Timing matters in Joliet. Demand picks up in late fall as homeowners prepare chimneys for winter, and again in spring after storm, wind and hail damage. Spring is also peak nesting time. Illinois freeze-thaw cycles are hard on exposed masonry, so a cracked crown or a bent cap can be part of the story. If you hear something now, call before the next heating season so the flue is clear and capped before you light a fire.

Questions people ask

Can I just wait until the animal leaves on its own?: Sometimes it does, but a nest and droppings stay behind, and a new animal can move in. Because the cause is an uncapped flue, a mesh cap is what stops it coming back.
Is it safe to use my Joliet fireplace if the noise has stopped?: No, not until the flue has been checked. Quiet does not mean empty, and a nest or debris can block the flue and send smoke into the room. If smoke does come in, stop using the fireplace and open a window.
Do older Joliet homes with stone or brick chimneys have a higher risk?: The risk is mainly an open or damaged top. Many older Joliet homes have original masonry chimneys that need tuckpointing and liner attention, so the technician can look at the crown and liner during the same visit.
Do I need a permit in Illinois for this work?: Permits in Illinois are issued locally, so ask the Joliet building department. Relining or rebuilding a chimney commonly needs one, while routine sweeping and basic inspection generally do not.
Who does the work, and what does the estimate cost?: One Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service. We arrange the job with an independent sweep or mason, and we do not perform the work ourselves. The estimate is free, and you approve the price before any work starts.

One call

Call (866) 576-7943 and tell us what you are hearing in the 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.