Bird Nests and Vermin Removal
If you have seen birds hopping in and out of your chimney, the likelihood is there will be a nest blocking the flue. This may well be a chimney that perhaps served a redundant bedroom fireplace, but can you be sure?
If your chimney stack has multiple open chimney pots at the top, it will be difficult for you to determine whether the blockage is in a working chimney or not. So, what should you do next? Well in the first instance, DO NOT ATTEMPT to light your appliance be that solid fuel or gas. A blocked chimney will produce Carbon Monoxide and can KILL!!
Signs that birds are nesting in your chimney could include-
- The appliance has suddenly started to smoke back into the room
- Twigs and other debris are visible within the appliance opening
- The chimney noise has suddenly disappeared (you can no longer hear the traffic, or a bird sat on the pot as previously)
- A sudden infestation of insects and fleas
- An unusual smell in the room
- The Carbon Monoxide alarm keeps activating.
You will be amazed how much work the birds go to build a nest, and it is not uncommon to remove sacks full of twigs and other material. Below are a couple of Jackdaws nest we have removed previously. This type of bird tends to nest the most in chimneys.
Other species that like building nests in chimneys include Starlings and Squirrels. Like the Jackdaw, they too are very territorial, and have been known to attack sweeps when attempting to remove their nest. This type of work can be extremely dangerous, and that is why it is imperative you employ a professional who knows exactly how to deal with such situations.
Under the Wildlife and Country Act, it is an offence to destroy or remove a nest during the nesting season which lasts from late February to August. It is most likely necessary to have to wait until the end of August before checking that the nest is empty and can be removed. The only real main exception to this would be if you relied on the appliance as the only form of heating, which is most rare nowadays, but even then, full checks would need to be carried out prior to any work.
Howards (Tarleton) has specialist equipment and the expertise to remove nests safely and are also able to fully bird/vermin proof your chimney so you don’t get the same problem occurring again, as it is proven that they will return year on year to the same nest.
A nest blocking a redundant bedroom chimney for example could lead to severe damp problems inside the property. The nest will become very saturated with the weather conditions, and eventually start showing through plastered walls. All this can be avoided.
Howard’s (Tarleton) carry full liability insurance and as well as being Master Chimney Sweep members of the Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps, we are also HETAS registered and Gas Safe registered, as well as being Ladder and Roof Safety qualified. We have been doing what we do for over 50 years. Furthermore, we have strict procedures in place for carrying out chimney sweeping to ensure the safety of everyone involved in the process.
All this for your added peace of mind and safety.
To discus any issues with your chimney or to make an appointment, please do not hesitate to get in touch
Tel: 01772 812714 or Click here to contact us