Why does this happen so often in Schaumburg homes?

Many Schaumburg homes are 30 to 50 years old, and a chimney without a working cap is an easy way in. Spring nesting makes it worse. A cap with mesh closes off the entry.

Can I just wait for the animal to leave?

Sometimes it does, but a nest left behind can block the flue and burn if the fireplace is used. Droppings also stay behind. Have the flue checked before you light anything.

Do I need a permit in Schaumburg?

Permits in Illinois are issued locally. Sweeping and basic inspection generally are not permitted work, but relining or rebuilding a chimney often is. Confirm with the local building department before work begins.

Who does the work, and what do they need to hold?

Independent sweeps and masons do the work, not us. Illinois does not license chimney sweeping as a separate trade at state level, so requirements are local. Ask the technician what applies where you live.

Can you help if I live in Palatine or Hoffman Estates instead?

We arrange chimney work in all fifty states, so call (866) 576-7943 and tell us your town. The same free estimate applies.

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

Schaumburg grew fast around the Woodfield Mall area, and many of its homes and condos are now 30 to 50 years old. A chimney that age with no cap on top is an open door. If you can hear scratching or birds in the flue, an animal has almost certainly come in through the top and settled there. The job usually means identifying the animal, getting it out the right way, clearing the nest and debris, and fitting a cap with mesh. Plan around the season. Spring nesting is the peak, and nesting birds are legally protected in many places, so removal may involve a wildlife specialist.

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Illinois has a long heating season, from about October into April, so a flue gets months of steady use and then sits quiet. A quiet, sheltered, uncapped flue is easy for a bird or other animal to move into. Schaumburg's freeze-thaw cycles and heavy road salt are also hard on masonry chimneys. Cracked crowns and worn mortar can give animals more ways in. Masonry and prefab fireplaces are both common in the city's single-family homes, and either one needs a proper cap.

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 reach in and clear the nest yourself. Droppings carry disease, and you may disturb an animal that will defend itself.
Do not remove a bird nest before the species is known. Nesting birds are legally protected in many places, so identifying the animal comes first.
Do not use the fireplace until it has been checked. A nest can block the flue and push smoke into the room, so stop using it; if anyone has a headache, dizziness or nausea, get outside and call 911.

What the technician does

You call, we arrange the visitOne Call Chimney is a referral and scheduling service. We line you up with an independent sweep or mason for this exact problem. 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. The species decides how it can be removed.
Removal or humane evictionWhere the species requires it, the technician works with a wildlife specialist. The animal is removed or encouraged out without harm.
Nest and debris cleared, flue swept and inspectedNesting material and droppings come out. The flue is then swept and inspected so you know whether anything else was damaged.
A properly sized cap with mesh is fittedThe cap keeps animals out for good. An uncapped flue is the whole cause of this problem.
You see the price before work startsThe estimate is free. The technician inspects the chimney and gives you the price, and nothing begins until you approve it.

Why this happens in Schaumburg, IL

Spring nesting is the peak for this problem, and in Schaumburg it lands just as the heating season ends and the fireplace goes unused. Demand also rises in spring and summer after severe storms, since hail and thunderstorms are a risk here. That makes spring a busy time for chimney work, so it helps to call as soon as you hear scratching. If a cold spell is still ahead, do not light the fire in the meantime.

Many Schaumburg homes date from the 1960s through the 1990s, and most are wood-frame with attached garages. Freeze-thaw and road salt wear on exposed masonry, so a cap is a good time to have the crown and mortar joints looked at too. Illinois permits are issued locally. Routine sweeping is generally not permitted work, but relining or rebuilding a chimney often is, so ask your local building department. If you live in a townhome or condo community, many of which have HOAs, check whether your association has rules on exterior changes before the cap goes on.

Questions people ask

Why does this happen so often in Schaumburg homes?: Many Schaumburg homes are 30 to 50 years old, and a chimney without a working cap is an easy way in. Spring nesting makes it worse. A cap with mesh closes off the entry.
Can I just wait for the animal to leave?: Sometimes it does, but a nest left behind can block the flue and burn if the fireplace is used. Droppings also stay behind. Have the flue checked before you light anything.
Do I need a permit in Schaumburg?: Permits in Illinois are issued locally. Sweeping and basic inspection generally are not permitted work, but relining or rebuilding a chimney often is. Confirm with the local building department before work begins.
Who does the work, and what do they need to hold?: Independent sweeps and masons do the work, not us. Illinois does not license chimney sweeping as a separate trade at state level, so requirements are local. Ask the technician what applies where you live.
Can you help if I live in Palatine or Hoffman Estates instead?: We arrange chimney work in all fifty states, so call (866) 576-7943 and tell us your town. The same free estimate applies.

One call

Call (866) 576-7943 and One Call Chimney will arrange the right independent technician for the animal in your Schaumburg 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.