Our Work
Clearing and protecting a chimney in Geigers Landing
Chimney swifts and the law
Small birds called chimney swifts nest and roost inside chimneys, and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act protects them. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is plain about what that means: it is against the law to harass, injure or kill a swift, and the same protection extends to its eggs and nest.
A swift nest is a small half-saucer of twigs glued with the bird's own saliva to the inside wall of the chimney. While it is active, it cannot be treated as debris. If swifts are nesting in a chimney in Geigers Landing, we confirm it and plan the chimney work around them.
Capping a chimney that swifts have used
The Fish and Wildlife Service asks homeowners who want to support swifts to leave an unlined masonry chimney uncapped. The same guidance says a chimney that already has a metal lining should be capped, because metal is far too slippery for swifts to cling to and animals can be trapped inside.
We explain both paths for your Geigers Landing home and respect your choice. If you choose a cap, it goes on after the birds leave for the season, and our specialists size it for the flue so the chimney keeps drawing properly.
Droppings and nest debris need careful cleanup
Bird and bat droppings build up on the smoke shelf and damper. The CDC explains that histoplasmosis comes from breathing in spores of a fungus that spreads in bird and bat droppings, which is why we advise against sweeping up dry droppings yourself.
Once removal is complete and lawful, our crew clears the droppings and nest material from the reachable parts of the chimney while protecting the room below. The cleanup appears as its own line on the estimate for your Geigers Landing home. Our crew sets up drop cloths and covers the hearth before the material is brought down, so nothing is tracked through the house.
Silence does not mean the chimney is empty
Animal activity comes and goes. Swifts are quiet for much of the day, bats rest in daylight, and a squirrel may simply be asleep. A few quiet days prove very little about what is still inside the flue. Nest material and droppings stay behind even when the animal has left, and they still need attention.
Please do not light a fire or close the top on the strength of silence alone. A free inspection of your Geigers Landing chimney confirms whether the flue is empty, whether nest material remains and whether the chimney is safe to use.
