Chimney Swift Capping & Chimney Sealing
Chimney swifts nest inside open, uncapped flues, and most homeowners first notice them once the chicks are a couple of weeks old and start calling from inside the chimney. Go On, Git! doesn’t remove chimney swifts, we cap your chimney once the nesting season has ended, so your family gets a permanently sealed flue and the current brood gets the weeks they need to fledge.
Why Timing Is Everything With Chimney Swifts
Chimney swifts are a federally protected migratory bird, and that changes the whole approach compared to the mammals we typically exclude:
- An Active Nest Cannot Be Capped: Capping a chimney with adults or chicks still inside would trap and kill the young. It’s both illegal under federal law and something we’d refuse to do regardless.
- The Window Is Short: Once you hear chicks calling, they’re typically only a few more weeks from fledging. Waiting out that window is almost always faster than trying to force an early resolution.
- Permitting Is a Two-Step Process: If action is ever needed before a nest empties naturally, it requires a federal depredation permit first, then a state permit, not something a homeowner or a typical contractor can shortcut.
Our Capping Process
We inspect the flue to confirm whether a nest is active. If it is, we schedule the capping for after the nest empties and, if needed, seal off interior pathways in the meantime so nothing from the chimney reaches your living space. Once the season is clear, we install a professional-grade, rust-proof stainless steel chimney cap that keeps swifts, raccoons, and everything else out of the flue permanently.
FEDERAL PROTECTION
MIGRATORY BIRD TREATY ACT
Chimney swifts cannot be taken, possessed, or relocated without a federal permit. This is separate from, and in addition to, North Carolina’s own state wildlife rules.
OUR COMMITMENT
We will never cap a chimney with an active nest inside. Once the nest is empty, your chimney gets sealed permanently, with no repeat visits needed next season.
How do I know if chimney swifts are nesting in my chimney?
Most homeowners first notice a soft chattering or calling sound coming from the flue, usually once the chicks are a couple of weeks old, especially around dusk when the adults return to feed them.
Can you just cap the chimney now that I hear them?
Not while the nest is active. Capping over chicks would trap and kill them, which is both illegal under federal law and something we won’t do. We schedule the capping for once the nest empties naturally, usually just a few weeks later.
Related reading: Chimney Swifts: The Federally Protected Bird That Might Be Nesting in Your Chimney.
Begin with a Wildlife Safety Assessment
Every project starts with a detailed $149 Wildlife Safety Assessment and Consultation. Our licensed Wildlife Control Agents perform a safety walk-through of your property, deploy thermal imaging to check nesting spaces, and deliver a custom structural sealing proposal. The $149 fee is credited 100% back toward your exclusion service.