About the service
Why the flue needs it
Jackdaws drop sticks down open pots until a pile wedges in the flue, and the nest grows on top of it. A blocked flue cannot carry smoke or carbon monoxide away, so a nest has to come out before the fire is lit again.
On the visit
- A look up the flue to find the nest
- Nest material broken up and pulled down
- The flue swept and smoke tested afterwards
- A bird guard or cowl quoted, then fitted if you want one
- Everything bagged and taken away
When to book
Signs it is time
- Twigs or straw falling into the grate
- Birds going in and out of the pot in spring
- A fire that suddenly will not draw
- A chimney that has not been used for years
How it works
Nests and cowls in 3 stages
Check it is empty
Nests come out between autumn and late winter. If one is in use, we come back when it is empty.
Clear and sweep
The nest is broken up and pulled down, then the whole flue is swept and smoke tested.
Guard the pot
We price a guard or cowl for your pot, and fit it from a ladder or the roof if you agree.
Questions
Nest removal and cowls: your questions
Answers for homes around Hexham. Ask if yours is not here.
Can you take a nest out in spring?
Not while it is in use. In England and Wales it is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to intentionally take, damage or destroy the nest of a wild bird while it is in use or being built. We book these jobs once the young have left.
Will a cowl stop the fire drawing?
A guard made for your pot and fuel should not. We choose one rated for wood or coal, and smoke test the flue once it is on.
Why do jackdaws pick chimneys?
A pot is a sheltered hollow high off the ground, much like the tree holes and cliff ledges they use elsewhere.
Get a quote
Ask about nests and cowls
Four short steps. We reply with a price and a day that suits, and nothing is booked until you agree it.
Step 1 of 4
- Fires
- Where
- You
- Check
Request ready
Thanks. We will reply about a day
Nothing is booked yet. We reply within one working day to say which day suits, or if none of yours do.
- Fires
- Flues
- Also
- Postcode
- Times
Before we come
- Leave the fire or stove unlit from the night before, so it is cold when we arrive.
- Clear the hearth and move small ornaments off the mantelpiece.
- Someone over 18 needs to be in, with access to the room.
This is a demo website, so nothing was sent and nothing was stored.
Request ready
Thanks. We will reply about a day
Nothing is booked yet. We reply within one working day to say which day suits, or if none of yours do.
Before we come
- Leave the fire or stove unlit from the night before, so it is cold when we arrive.
- Clear the hearth and move small ornaments off the mantelpiece.
- Someone over 18 needs to be in, with access to the room.
This is a demo website, so nothing was sent and nothing was stored.