The local chimney company that covers Fernandina Beach

Scratching, chirping or a new smell from the fireplace can mean something has moved into the flue, and the first job is working out what it is before anyone reaches for a tool. Listen for when the noise happens, since sounds at dusk and dawn or a steady chatter from young birds help us plan the visit before we arrive.

A flashlight look from the firebox with the damper open can show nesting material, but keep hands out of the flue. The law shapes what happens next. Chimney swifts are migratory birds, and the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act protects them, so an active nest stays put until the birds have gone. Florida's wildlife rule on nuisance wildlife (FWC rule 68A-9.010) bars excluding bats from a building during their maternity season, April 16 to August 14, so bats are handled outside that window.

For anything else, the method depends on what we find, and we explain it before starting. Until the flue is clear, keep the damper closed, do not light a fire to drive anything out, and keep pets away from the opening. Once the animal is gone, the flue and smoke shelf are cleared of nesting material and debris, which can block the flue and carry odor of its own.

The lasting fix is at the top, where a cap with a screen sized to keep animals out closes the path in. If a gap at the damper or the crown gave the animal its way in, that goes on the estimate too. Our note records what was found and how the flue was cleared, which helps if anything tries the same route again.

If the flue serves a gas appliance, that appliance stays off until the flue is clear. Animals only passing through can be let out at the top before the cap goes on. The dates that apply to your job in Fernandina Beach are explained before any removal, and the work ends with a screened cap. Ready to have someone look at it? Call (904) 920-5495 or send the form from Fernandina Beach.