Animal removal and flue clean-out in Hollywood
Our family team explains each step, from the first sounds in the flue to the cap on top.
- Owned and run locally
- Available for same-day service
- Fully licensed and insured
- Family owned and run
Clues that a bird or bat is nesting
- A musky smell from the fireplace
- Bats leaving the chimney at dusk
- Feathers or fur in the firebox
- Sounds that stopped suddenly
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Identifying and removing chimney animals
When the animal noises started matters
Tell us when you first noticed the sounds and whether they have changed. A sudden start may mean an animal fell in and is trapped. Noises that grow louder over time may mean young are growing inside.
Timing also affects what can be done. Some protected birds and bats have periods when their young cannot be disturbed. Knowing how long the sounds have gone on helps us judge whether young are likely and what the law allows now. If the sounds stopped and started again, mention that too.
Leave droppings and nest material alone
Droppings, feathers or nest material in the firebox are signs worth describing, but not worth handling. Leave them where they are. They help us identify the animal, and cleaning them up belongs to the clean-out once the flue is empty.
If material is spreading into the room, cover it loosely and keep the area closed off. Do not sweep or vacuum dry droppings with household equipment. We bag them with the rest of the debris and haul them away when the work is done.
Bees or wasps at the chimney top
Insects sometimes build nests in the cap, on the crown or just inside the flue. Wasps and bees coming and going from the top, or buzzing heard at the damper, are the usual signs. Some insect nests can be large.
Do not light a fire or spray into the flue. A honeybee colony may be moved by a beekeeper, and other nests may need pest control. Once the insects are dealt with, we clean out the flue and look at how they got in, just as we would after an animal.
Why animals come back to the same chimney
A chimney that has sheltered one animal often attracts another. Scent, old nest material and an easy way in all play a part. USFWS notes that chimney swifts often return to the same chimney.
That is why the clean-out and the cap matter as much as the removal. Taking away the nest material and closing the top breaks the pattern. If you notice activity at the top again, tell us early, before a new nest is built. An early call usually means a simpler job.
Items in a chimney animal job
- Nest material and droppings removed
- Written record of what was found
- Torn or rusted screen repaired
- Blocked appliance flue identified
Chimney animal removal questions, answered plainly
Can you remove a bird nest from my chimney?
Only when the rules allow it. Many native birds and their active nests are protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. We identify the bird first, then explain whether the nest can come out now or must wait until it is no longer in use.
What should I do if an animal gets into the house?
Close off the room, keep people and pets out and open an outside door or window from that room if there is one. Do not try to catch it. Our 24/7 emergency line is there if you cannot contain it.
Why do animals keep coming back to my chimney?
Scent, old nest material and an open top all draw them back. Removing the nest material and fitting a screened cap breaks the pattern. We also look for other entry points around the chimney.
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Our team will contact you to arrange your inspection.
Chimney & Fireplace Brands We Work With
DuraVent 
Olympia Chimney and Venting 
Copperfield Chimney Supply 
Rutland 
Heatilator 
Heat & Glo