Dead animal removal
An animal that died in the chimney is removed and the odor treated to clear the smell.
Chimney Sweeping
Chimney Animal Removal Farmingdale, NJ
A Farmingdale chimney sweep can get wildlife out of the flue safely and with the right timing for the animal, then cap the top. One call to (732) 835-0018 reaches a chimney sweep near you.
To birds, raccoons and squirrels, an uncapped chimney is a dry, sheltered den. Raccoons often use the smoke shelf as a nursery, birds nest inside the flue and squirrels fall in and get trapped. Each one brings nesting material that blocks the flue, droppings that smell and the risk of the animal getting into the house.
It is tempting to light a fire and force the animal out, but it does more harm than good. Babies cannot escape, nesting material can ignite and smoke can back up into the room. Keep the damper and any fireplace doors closed so the animal stays in the chimney, and keep pets away from the fireplace.
Removal depends on what is in the chimney. Chimney swifts are a protected migratory bird, so their nests can only be removed after nesting season, and a sweep will advise on timing. Raccoons, squirrels and bats each have their own methods, and wildlife rules in New Jersey can affect how they are handled. Once the chimney is clear, a cap with a mesh screen keeps them from coming back.
Depending on what the sweep finds, chimney animal removal in Farmingdale, NJ can go hand in hand with chimney cap installation and chimney cleaning.
Dealing with this in Farmingdale, NJ right now? Call (732) 835-0018 to reach a nearby chimney sweep.
Call nowThe process
The chimney animal removal process
Here is how a sweep typically handles an animal in the chimney.
Figure out what it is
A camera or light and the signs you describe show whether it is birds, a raccoon or something else which decides what happens next.
Plan the timing
The method and timing are chosen to follow wildlife rules and protect any young before any work begins.
Humane removal
Animals are removed by hand, with a catch pole, through a one-way exit or by letting a mother move her young with care taken around the damper and smoke shelf.
Clear the nest
Nests, sticks, droppings and debris are removed from the smoke shelf, damper and flue and the flue is swept if needed.
Deodorize
The smoke shelf and firebox are cleaned and treated for odor before the fireplace is used again.
Cap the chimney
The flue is capped with screening that keeps birds and raccoons out so the problem does not repeat next season.
What is included
Animals removed from chimneys
Squirrels
Squirrels, mice and other small animals that fall in and get trapped are taken out before they get into the house.
Birds
Birds and their nesting material are removed with chimney swifts left until they migrate.
Bats
Bats in a chimney are handled with exclusion devices that let them leave but not return and the top is sealed after they are gone.
Raccoon dens
Raccoon dens above the damper are cleared out along with the droppings they leave.
Related service
Bird Nest Removal Farmingdale, NJ
A chimney gives birds a protected, dry place to build a nest, which is why it attracts them every spring. The sticks and grass in a nest can block the flue and ignite when a fire is lit. If the flue vents a furnace or water heater, a nest can force carbon monoxide into the house.
Because chimney swifts are protected, their nests cannot be disturbed during nesting season. The sweep will advise on when removal can happen, and then the nest is cleared and a cap goes on. Other birds may be handled on a different schedule depending on the species, so ask the sweep.
Related service
Raccoon Removal Farmingdale, NJ
An uncapped chimney is a favorite den for raccoons, especially mothers with kits. You may hear chattering, crying or thumping above the damper, especially at dusk when the mother comes and goes. Raccoons can carry rabies and their droppings can carry roundworm, so never reach into the flue or try to handle one.
Removal often means taking out the kits so the mother can carry them off, or using a one-way exit once the den is empty. Wildlife rules in New Jersey can limit trapping and relocation, which shapes how the removal is done. With the den cleared, the smoke shelf is sanitized and a heavy-duty cap goes on, because raccoons can pull off weak ones.
Local help
Chimney Animal Removal Near Me
Chimneys in Farmingdale see the most animal activity in spring and early summer, when birds nest and raccoons raise their young. Around Farmingdale and in nearby towns like Ramtown, Tinton Falls, Shark River Hills and East Freehold, uncapped chimneys and branches that overhang the roof are the most common way animals get in. Capping the flue is the main defense, along with keeping tree limbs off the roof.
Need chimney animal removal around Farmingdale? Call (732) 835-0018 for a Farmingdale chimney sweep who serves the towns around it too.
Chimneys in this climate
Cold winters keep fireplaces, wood stoves and oil burners working for half the year or more. The hardest thing on brick here is not the cold itself but the constant swing above and below freezing: water soaks into brick, mortar joints and the crown on a mild day, freezes overnight and expands, and each winter widens the cracks a little more. Wind driven rain from coastal storms finds any gap in flashing, too. Most homeowners in Farmingdale, NJ schedule a sweep in early fall, and a repair check after a hard winter.
Why call
Why not wait
Safer fires
A chimney problem fixed early rarely spreads to the masonry, the liner or the house.
Sweeps who know Farmingdale
Chimney sweeps in Farmingdale know the chimneys and fireplaces common in local homes.
Straight answers
Ask the sweep about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Chimney Animal Removal FAQ
Can chimney swifts be removed from my chimney?
Chimney swifts are protected under federal law, and their nests cannot be removed while they are in use. The sweep can tell you when it is allowed, then clean out the nest and add a cap. In the meantime, keep the damper shut to keep noise and birds out of the house.
Can I light a fire to get an animal out of my chimney?
Smoke is not a safe way to get an animal out of a chimney. Babies cannot escape, nesting material can catch fire and a blocked flue can fill the room with smoke. Close the damper and fireplace doors and leave the removal to a sweep.
How do I keep animals out of my chimney?
The best prevention is a sturdy chimney cap with screening on all sides. It should be fastened well enough that a raccoon cannot pull it off, with mesh small enough to stop birds without clogging with creosote. Trimming tree limbs away from the roof also helps.
How do I get rid of a dead animal smell in my chimney?
A sour, rotten odor from the fireplace points to a dead animal in the chimney. The animal has to be removed, along with any nest and droppings, and the area cleaned and deodorized. Keep the damper shut in the meantime.
Why are animals in the chimney a problem?
An animal in the flue is more than a nuisance. Nesting material can ignite or block smoke, and droppings and parasites are a health concern. A blocked flue on a furnace or water heater can also send carbon monoxide into the house, so keep CO alarms working.
More questions? Call (732) 835-0018
Often needed together
Chimney Cap Installation
Putting a sturdy cap on top of the chimney so water, birds and debris stay out of the flue.
Learn moreChimney Cleaning
Cleaning the flue, smoke chamber and firebox of fireplace and stove chimneys of every kind, to cut the risk of a chimney fire.
Learn moreChimney Odor Removal
Tracking down the creosote, moisture or animal behind a smelly fireplace whether the smell shows up in summer heat or after rain.
Learn moreChimney Damper Repair
Repairing dampers that will not open, close or seal so smoke goes up and heated air stays in.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all chimney servicesGet chimney animal removal help in Farmingdale
Call now for Farmingdale chimney animal removal and help in the towns around it.
(732) 835-0018
Free to call. No forms to fill out.