Silver Bullet Pest ControlScratching behind the fireplace, chirping in the flue, or a smell when the damper opens? An open chimney is one of the easiest ways for animals to get into a house. Silver Bullet Pest Control removes raccoons, birds and bats from chimneys the right way — following the rules on timing — and then caps and seals the chimney so it doesn't happen again.
4.9 stars on Google • NJ License 90568B • Licensed by NJ Fish & Wildlife for wildlife work • 15+ years • Based in Garfield • Hablamos español
Don't light a fire to smoke an animal out. Call or text 973-510-2585 and tell us what you hear.
Chimney animal proofing in NJ means installing a sturdy chimney cap with mesh sides and sealing gaps around the chimney so raccoons, squirrels, birds and bats can't get into the flue or the attic next to it. If an animal is already inside, it has to be removed first — and for bats and some birds, the timing is set by the season. Silver Bullet Pest Control handles the removal, the cap and the sealing. Call or text 973-510-2585.
A handful of animals account for almost every chimney call we get. The sounds and timing help tell them apart:
| Animal | What you'll notice | When | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raccoons | Heavy scratching, growling, chirping kits on the smoke shelf | Mostly spring (mothers with kits) | Close the damper, keep the fireplace shut, call us |
| Chimney swifts | Loud chattering from the flue, especially at feeding time | Late spring and summer | Leave the nest; cap the chimney after they migrate |
| Other birds (starlings, pigeons) | Fluttering, nesting debris falling to the damper | Spring and summer | Bird removal, then cap |
| Bats | Scratching or squeaks at dusk, bats flying out at sunset | Warm months; some all year | Follow NJ bat exclusion dates |
| Squirrels | Scratching, a squirrel stuck on the damper or in the firebox | Any time | Call us; don't open the fireplace doors |
Most of these problems end with the same fix: a proper chimney cap.
Sound carries down a flue, so animals in a chimney can seem very close. Note the time of day and the type of sound — it tells us a lot before we arrive.
Nesting material and droppings collect on the smoke shelf. A strong smell can also mean an animal died in the flue.
An uncapped flue is an open door. Gaps in the flashing or crown can also let animals get from the chimney into the attic.
A chimney cap is a metal top with a hood and mesh sides that fits over the flue. Smoke and gases escape through the mesh, but animals, birds and debris can't get in. For most homes, it's the single most effective piece of animal proofing you can add.
We install chimney caps ourselves. What we look at before choosing one:
A cap also helps keep rain and leaves out of the flue. If you have an existing cap that's rusted through or loose, we replace it.
Raccoons climb brick easily, and an uncapped chimney gives a mother a dark, dry place to raise kits on the smoke shelf just above the damper. Most chimney raccoons we find in spring are mothers with young.
We remove the mother and kits, then cap the chimney. We're licensed by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife for wildlife work. Full details are on our raccoon in the chimney page, and our raccoon proofing page covers the rest of the house.
Bats can roost in chimneys and in the gaps around them. Because young bats can't fly for part of the summer, New Jersey sets dates for when bat exclusion can be done:
That means a chimney with bats may not be capped the same week you call. We can inspect, do an acoustic bat survey ourselves when needed, and schedule the exclusion and cap for the right window.
Bat in the house? If a bat was found in a room with a sleeping person or a child, don't let it go. Keep it contained and call your local health department about rabies testing.
More: licensed bat exclusion in NJ and the bat exclusion season.
The loud chattering many people hear from the fireplace in summer is often chimney swifts. They are small birds that nest inside chimneys and leave for the winter. Chimney swifts are a protected migratory species, so an active nest has to be left alone until the birds have gone for the season. The good news: they're only there for part of the year. Once they've left, a cap keeps them from returning next spring.
Starlings and pigeons can also nest in chimneys and on chimney ledges. Those nests can block the flue and drop debris onto the damper. We remove them and cap the chimney, and for roof ledges and flat areas around the chimney we can add bird netting or other bird exclusion.
We check the flue from the top where it's safe, the crown, the flashing and the attic beside the chimney, and identify the animal.
Raccoons and squirrels are removed; bats and protected birds are handled on the legal schedule.
A cap sized to your flue, with mesh sides, goes on each flue.
Openings at the crown, flashing and nearby roofline are sealed so animals can't get into the attic.
Nesting debris and odor are cleaned up, and any damaged trim near the chimney is repaired.
Tell us what you're hearing in the chimney and when. We'll inspect the chimney and roofline, explain any timing rules, and give you a free quote for the removal and cap.
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Yes. A properly sized cap with mesh sides is the most reliable way to keep raccoons, squirrels, birds and bats out of a chimney. It also helps keep rain and debris out of the flue.
Don't light a fire or open the fireplace. Close the damper and doors and call a licensed wildlife company. The mother and any kits need to be removed before the chimney is capped, or they'll be trapped inside.
No. Smoke can kill babies that can't climb out, and a dead animal in the flue creates odor and a blockage. It can also drive a frightened animal down into the house.
Bat exclusion in NJ is allowed April 1–30 and August 1–October 15. It's not allowed May 1–July 31 while pups are in the roost, and from October 16 to March 31 only after an acoustic survey shows no bats.
In summer it's often chimney swifts, a protected migratory bird that nests inside chimneys. An active nest has to be left alone until they leave for the season; then a cap keeps them out next year.
Yes. Gaps at the chimney crown, flashing or where the chimney passes through the roof can let squirrels, bats and raccoons into the attic. That's why we seal around the chimney, not just the top.
Yes. We install chimney caps ourselves, sized to your flue. If the chimney vents a furnace or water heater, we recommend your heating contractor or a chimney sweep confirm the cap suits that appliance.
If you hear scratching right behind the fireplace doors or on the damper, an animal may have fallen down the flue. Keep the doors shut so it can't get into the room, and call us.
A strong, lasting smell from the fireplace can mean an animal died in the flue. Call or text us so we can check what is going on; we do odor control and can cap the chimney so it doesn't happen again.
We're based in Garfield and serve Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties. We also serve towns in Morris and Union counties; those visits are scheduled ahead.
Sí. Instalamos tapas de chimenea y sacamos mapaches, pájaros y murciélagos de la chimenea siguiendo las reglas de temporada. Hablamos español: 973-510-2585.
From our base in Garfield we cap and seal chimneys throughout Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties.
Updated November 2026 by the Silver Bullet Pest Control team, Garfield, NJ • NJ License 90568B
