24
Stumbled onto a better way to clean out bird nests without the big rod
I had a job last spring in Portland where a family of swallows had built a nest so deep in the flue I couldn't reach it with my standard 8 foot rod. Kept banging the walls trying to break it loose but it was packed in there tight. After about 20 minutes of frustration I grabbed a shop vac with a flexible crevice tool extension. I taped the hose to my rod to give it some reach and sucked that nest out in chunks without making a mess inside the house. Customer was happy because I didn't track debris all over her living room rug. Has anyone else tried a vacuum method for stubborn blockages or am I just lucky that one time?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
the_alice1mo ago
Honestly I watched a video once where a guy used a vacuum for a bat stuck in a vent and it worked way better than poking at it with a rod. Ngl it makes sense for nests too since you're not just pushing the debris deeper or crushing eggs if there are any. Tbh I've heard other people mention using wet/dry vacs for chimney blockages but they always warn about sealing the hose tight to avoid leaks. Seems like a solid trick if you tape it up right like you did.
2
mason_lopez1mo ago
Never tried the vacuum method myself but I'd probably end up sucking up something I didnt mean to lol
0