Can I smoke the animal out with a fire?

No. A fire is cruel to the animal and can ignite nesting material, which is a common cause of chimney fires. Leave the fireplace unused and have the flue checked.

Why do I hear birds in my Peoria chimney in spring?

Spring nesting is the peak, and an uncapped flue is the whole cause. A cap with mesh keeps birds and other animals out. Nesting birds are legally protected in many places, so removal should be handled with care.

Will my older Peoria chimney need more than a cap?

Maybe. Homes in the West Bluff and Moss-Bradley often have original chimneys and flues that are due for repair or relining. After the animal is gone and the flue is swept and inspected, the technician can tell you what the flue needs. You approve any work first.

Do I need a permit for chimney work in Peoria?

Permits in Illinois are issued locally, through the city or village building department. They are commonly required for relining a chimney or rebuilding it above the roofline, and routine sweeping and inspection generally are not permitted work. Confirm with the local building department before any larger work begins.

Does One Call Chimney do the work itself?

No. One Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service that arranges the work with independent sweeps and masons. We are not the contractor. Call (866) 576-7943 and we will set it up.

Something living up there in Peoria, IL

Much of Peoria sits on steep bluffs above the Illinois River, and many of the older homes there have tall masonry chimneys standing open to the sky. If you can hear scratching or birds in your chimney in Peoria, an animal has almost certainly climbed or flown down the flue and settled in. The usual cause is a flue with no cap, or a cap with no mesh.

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It happens here for plain reasons. A flue is a dark, sheltered shaft, and an open top lets anything in. Spring nesting is the peak, and the uncapped flue is the whole cause. Once nesting material and droppings pile up, they can block the flue, and that is a problem for the next time you light a fire.

While you wait — please don't

Do not light a fire to drive it out. Fire is cruel to the animal, and burning nesting material is a common cause of chimney fires.
Do not use the fireplace or stove until it is checked. Nesting material and debris can block the flue, and a blocked flue can push smoke and carbon monoxide into your home.
Get outside and call 911 if anyone feels unwell. If a fire has been burning and anyone has a headache, dizziness or nausea, treat it as possible carbon monoxide.
Do not reach in or clear the nest yourself. Droppings carry disease, and in many places nesting birds are legally protected.

What the technician does

The animal is identified firstThe technician works out what is in the flue before anything is done. The species decides how it is handled.
Removal or humane evictionWhere the species requires it, a wildlife specialist is brought in. The aim is to get the animal out without harming it.
Nesting material and debris come outThe nest, droppings and any fallen debris are cleared from the flue so nothing is left to block it or burn.
The flue is swept and inspectedOnce it is clear, the flue is swept and inspected. Ask to see the camera footage if one is used.
A properly sized cap with mesh is fittedThe cap closes the opening that let the animal in, so it does not happen again.
You see the price before work startsThe technician inspects the chimney and gives you the price first. You approve it, and the estimate is free.

Why this happens in Peoria, IL

Peoria has cold winters with hard freezes, snow and freeze-thaw cycling, and the thunderstorms, wind and hail of a central Illinois spring. That weather is hard on masonry chimneys and crowns. A crown that has cracked, or a cap that has blown off or never existed, gives animals an easy way in. Illinois has a long heating season, roughly October into April, so flues are in heavy use through the winter. Then spring arrives and the nesting begins.

Peoria has a large stock of century-old homes in areas like the West Bluff and Moss-Bradley. Original chimneys and flues are common there and are often due for repair or relining. Once an animal is out, the inspection is a good moment to look at the whole flue. Demand rises in spring after storm season and again in early fall as people prepare their chimneys for winter. If you hear something now, getting the cap fitted before the next nesting season is worth doing.

Questions people ask

Can I smoke the animal out with a fire?: No. A fire is cruel to the animal and can ignite nesting material, which is a common cause of chimney fires. Leave the fireplace unused and have the flue checked.
Why do I hear birds in my Peoria chimney in spring?: Spring nesting is the peak, and an uncapped flue is the whole cause. A cap with mesh keeps birds and other animals out. Nesting birds are legally protected in many places, so removal should be handled with care.
Will my older Peoria chimney need more than a cap?: Maybe. Homes in the West Bluff and Moss-Bradley often have original chimneys and flues that are due for repair or relining. After the animal is gone and the flue is swept and inspected, the technician can tell you what the flue needs. You approve any work first.
Do I need a permit for chimney work in Peoria?: Permits in Illinois are issued locally, through the city or village building department. They are commonly required for relining a chimney or rebuilding it above the roofline, and routine sweeping and inspection generally are not permitted work. Confirm with the local building department before any larger work begins.
Does One Call Chimney do the work itself?: No. One Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service that arranges the work with independent sweeps and masons. We are not the contractor. Call (866) 576-7943 and we will set it up.

One call

Call (866) 576-7943 and One Call Chimney will arrange an independent technician for your Peoria 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.