Just found a dead bird nest blocking a flue in an old house yesterday

I was working on a 1920s row house in Baltimore last week and pulled out a massive nest that had completely sealed off the chimney. It took me an extra 45 minutes to clear all the debris and check for any damage. Has anyone else run into unexpected critter blockages like this in older homes?

3 comments

3 Comments

wendy13123h ago

Did you have to deal with any leftover creosote or soot buildup around the blockage? When I pulled a similar nest out of a 1930s flue here in Philly, I ended up running a brush down from the top three times before the draft was normal again. Also used a shop vac with a long hose attachment to get the fine grit out of the masonry joints.

jade_jenkins21h ago

Yeah I had the same issue. I ended up using a wire brush attachment on a drill and then shop vacuuming from the bottom to get all the fine stuff out of the mortar joints.

avery_jackson22h ago

Start by checking if there's any leftover creosote soaked into the nesting material itself. That stuff can be a fire hazard even after you pull the nest out.