Animal Noises and Nesting in a Chimney: What to Do and What to Prevent

What the sounds can mean

Many kinds of animals enter chimneys. The Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management lists raccoons, ducks, owls, pigeons, starlings and chimney swifts, and notes that most animals that fall in will die. It also says chirping heard from the fireplace in spring often means a raccoon is raising young above the damper. It adds that only chimney swifts, raccoons and bats can normally climb or fly back out, so a trapped animal may need help.

• Scratching or scrabbling can be an animal climbing the flue wall or stuck on the smoke shelf above the damper.
• Chirping or squeaking can point to young animals or birds.
• Fluttering can be a bird or a bat in the flue or firebox.

It is not always possible to tell the species by sound, so treat each case as an unknown until someone has looked.

Why nests and animals are a chimney problem too

Nesting material and debris can block the flue. CSIA inspection guidance includes confirming the flue has no blockage, using a visual check, a brush or a camera. A blocked flue can force smoke and carbon monoxide back into the house; see carbon monoxide and your fireplace and smoke problems and poor draft. Do not light a fire if you suspect an animal or nest above the damper.

Who handles what

Removing the animal and fixing the entry point are two jobs, and they are often done by different people.

• Wildlife removal is handled by a wildlife control professional. New Jersey Fish & Wildlife policy on nuisance animals says that, before relocating adult animals in spring or summer, you should check for newborns, because young must be moved with the adults. It also says exclusion devices and habitat changes, such as capping a chimney, are needed or the problem will likely continue after the animal is gone.
• Bats have their own rules. NJ guidelines on bat control say exclusions should only be done from April 1 to April 30 and from August 1 to October 15, and that exclusion is prohibited during the May 1 to July 31 maternity season when flightless pups are in the roost. The NJ relocation policy adds that bats cannot be controlled by lethal means. Rules can change, so confirm current requirements with NJ Fish & Wildlife or your wildlife professional.
• The chimney itself is where we come in: inspection, cleaning out nesting debris, and installing or replacing a cap. See chimney cleaning and chimney caps and chase covers.

Caps: the lasting fix

The same resource says a properly installed cap keeps wildlife out and also protects the crown from rain damage, while still letting gases escape. It recommends commercial stainless steel caps, since galvanized steel rusts and breaks down, and it advises against covering a flue with hardware cloth, which rusts, can collect snow and can block gases such as carbon monoxide. For how to choose, see choosing a chimney cap and crown vs cap vs chase cover.

A cap should only go on once the flue is confirmed empty, so animals are not sealed inside; this is why a wildlife professional and a chimney professional often work in sequence.

After the animal is gone

Have the flue checked and cleaned. Nests and debris may remain; for odors, see why does my chimney smell. An inspection can also confirm whether the cap, liner and damper were damaged. Our Berkeley Heights project included a new cap and chase cover.

Frequently asked questions

Next step

If you have a wildlife situation, call a wildlife professional first. Once the animal is out, request a chimney visit or call (862) 225-6529 for cleaning, inspection and a cap. AM Chimney Sweep is a registered (NJ HIC #13VH14312300) and insured New Jersey home improvement contractor.