Dealing with a bird in a chimney or fireplace can be a stressful situation, not only for you but for the bird as well. Birds resting or nesting atop the chimney sometimes wander inside it, unable to fly back up to escape. Freeing the bird may take some time; being quiet and patient during the process will help coax the bird where you want it to go so you can get it out of the house, back outdoors, safe and happy once again.

If you have bats in your chimney, and not in any other part of the house or attic, the situation is a little easier, because the bats are confined to one small area. Before discussing bat removal tactics, there are two very important things to keep in mind!

MAKE SURE THE DAMPER IS SHUT – So that bats don’t get into the house and start flying around once you do your bat exclusion.

DO NOT START A FIRE – You will have to open the damper to start a fire, and when you do, bats will get inside the house. If you start a fire, for some reason many bats crawl down and fly out the bottom rather than the top. Plus, many bats would die, and to kill bats is illegal and inhumane. Plus, bats can fit through very small areas, and you may find bats in the attic and walls if you start a fire.

Finding a wasp nest anywhere on or around your home requires immediate removal. Ones that are built in your chimney require quick attention because the insects have easy access into your home. The best time of the year to kill wasps is in June because a colony will have been established, but won’t have grown large yet. Unfortunately, that also makes the nest harder to spot. Wasps have difficulty flying when the temperature drops below 50 degrees so wait until nightfall or a cool day to kill them.