logo elektroda
logo elektroda
X
logo elektroda

Removing Jackdaw Nest from Clogged Ventilation Duct: Vent Cleaning & Clearing 2+ Meters

marcincar77 58740 30
Best answers

How can I clear a jackdaw nest blocking more than 2 meters of a ventilation duct when I only have access from the bottom and top inspection points?

Clear it mechanically from the access points with a long flexible but fairly stiff pole or pipe fitted with an auger/claw head, and work the nest out piece by piece; several users suggested a PVC/sewer spiral or a homemade gripper for this job [#13204301][#13209495] If you can reach from above, dropping a few-kilogram weight on a rope or using a chimney sweep ball can help break through the plug, but it may still require repetitive poking and pulling [#13202674][#13205553] Another suggested approach was a 1/2" threaded pipe extension so you can reach farther into the duct and “peck” at the blockage until it loosens [#13203439] Do not rely on burning it out: the nest is wet/compacted, fire may go out, fill the apartment with soot, and create a fire risk [#13203370][#13205266][#13215922] One thread participant ultimately had professional chimney sweeps finish the job, which confirms that a blower/cleaning service can work, but it was messy [#13214362]
Generated by the language model.
ADVERTISEMENT
Treść została przetłumaczona polish » english Zobacz oryginalną wersję tematu
  • #1 13202453
    marcincar77
    Level 14  
    Posts: 117
    Help: 8
    Rate: 49
    Hello. I have a big problem, namely I have a clogged ventilation duct, there is a jackdaw nest as far as I reached, I cleaned it from the bottom and from the top there are more than 2 meters of the nest to choose from. The wire has not been moved for about 20 years. Please let me know if any of you have experienced this and how you fixed it.
  • ADVERTISEMENT
  • #2 13202674
    stanislaw1954
    Level 43  
    Posts: 15004
    Help: 1982
    Rate: 4561
    Unfortunately, this is sometimes a big problem. If you have access to the chimney from above, then a large weight on the rope (even a few kg) should be dropped into the chimney (or rather thrown). But sometimes this method doesn't work. Then it remains to get to the chimney by forging a hole in the place of the put sticks and removing them.
  • #3 13202678
    ladamaniac
    Level 40  
    Posts: 5317
    Help: 721
    Rate: 2060
    I dismantled the wall of the chimney about 2.5 m from the top edge and selected it by poking the top with a metal pipe. The bullet didn't go through
  • #4 13202889
    marcincar77
    Level 14  
    Posts: 117
    Help: 8
    Rate: 49
    There was a chimney sweep, they want to blow up somehow, I don't know what it is yet. Specifically, they connect something to a hole in the house and some high air pressure is supposed to push it out, but I remind you it's over 2 meters. I'd like to do it myself. because they will make a terrible mess in the house.
  • #5 13203224
    wowka
    Level 28  
    Posts: 1763
    Help: 49
    Rate: 245
    Or maybe set it on fire from above and it will slowly burn itself out
  • #6 13203370
    marcincar77
    Level 14  
    Posts: 117
    Help: 8
    Rate: 49
    I thought about it but it's wet compacted as I mentioned there is everything, earth feces etc.
  • #7 13203395
    lukaszek_socho
    Level 18  
    Posts: 293
    Help: 25
    Rate: 63
    How many meters is the chimney outlet from the socket?
  • ADVERTISEMENT
  • #8 13203424
    marcincar77
    Level 14  
    Posts: 117
    Help: 8
    Rate: 49
    Cleaned about 1.5 m from the bottom, i.e. from the grille and about 2.5 m from the top down, there was 2.5 meters left in the middle of the chimney.
  • #9 13203439
    lukaszek_socho
    Level 18  
    Posts: 293
    Help: 25
    Rate: 63
    Maybe buy 6m of 1/2 inch pipe, cut it in half, thread it, put a 3m piece in first then tighten the other one and peck at that plug until you pop it.
  • #10 13203450
    stas256
    Level 19  
    Posts: 468
    Help: 29
    Rate: 22
    I would try to pour 1-2kg of glowing coal. Possibly a crowbar on the rope.....
  • #11 13203468
    balonika3
    Level 43  
    Posts: 10926
    Help: 1298
    Rate: 3646
    What is the cross section of the chimney? Maybe make something like a trephine drill out of a metal pipe (cut out the teeth at the end), attach it to the pole and screw it into the socket. This crap should get into the pipe and you will take it out in such portions.
  • #12 13203530
    marcincar77
    Level 14  
    Posts: 117
    Help: 8
    Rate: 49
    I only have access to the ventilation hole in the kitchen and the attic cleaning hole, and there is eternit on the roof. In short, it's not as if I wanted to, because I could do it with a sharpened pipe from the roof, I've done it elsewhere, but here there is eternit and only an inspection hole on the attic and in the kitchen.
  • #13 13203576
    wowka
    Level 28  
    Posts: 1763
    Help: 49
    Rate: 245
    What's the problem with this eternity? if you don't weigh 120 kg, you can walk on it, just gently without jumping, it won't break
  • #14 13203845
    marcincar77
    Level 14  
    Posts: 117
    Help: 8
    Rate: 49
    As I said, only inspection holes are involved and I know how to walk after eternit, but it's not the time for it, even with my weight of 105 kg.
  • #15 13204301
    kybernetes
    Level 39  
    Posts: 5247
    Help: 426
    Rate: 1484
    A flexible but relatively stiff plastic pipe, a spiral for the sewage system in it, some claws / auger and a shield screwed on the end of the spiral to rest against the pipe outlet. One pushes the pipe, the other spins the spiral. Scratch from the bottom and pick out a little bit.
  • ADVERTISEMENT
  • #16 13205144
    Przemo9826
    VIP Meritorious for electroda.pl
    Posts: 7803
    Help: 374
    Rate: 2493
    And I would put a burner from the bottom to heat the roofing felt. What burns will burn, the damp will dry out a bit, the garbage will fall down.
  • #17 13205238
    marcincar77
    Level 14  
    Posts: 117
    Help: 8
    Rate: 49
    I've thought about it, but I would have to extend the range on some flexible extension because it's in the middle of the chimney.
  • #18 13205266
    Tommy82
    Level 41  
    Posts: 12139
    Help: 455
    Rate: 1070
    Check if there is even a minimum draft in the chimney as it is fired from the top and it will burn like a cigar.
    If there is no draft, there is no need to smoke, because it will go out, and so as not to hammer, you could drill and blow air from the bottom, but you would have to go down every few dozen cm and plug the holes above so as not to get poisoned, but drilling in the chimney is not the best idea because it may take revenge in a few years in various ways.

    Extension is not a problem, you need a PVC installation pipe
    As advised
    cybernetes

    At the end, you mount something like a drilling head which you drive with a snake in the pipe and it works like a cable drive in a car meter.
    The pipe is flexible enough to break in the revision and in the chimney it will go straight and will tear the garbage
    It might be something like a foraminifera
    http://www.okazje.info.pl/okazja/dom-i-ogrod/...aft-otwornica-do-plaster-boards-standard.html

    only that it would be good if they had some way for garbage to fly down because it can clog Teeth can also be too aggressive in such a case
  • #19 13205296
    Przemo9826
    VIP Meritorious for electroda.pl
    Posts: 7803
    Help: 374
    Rate: 2493
    Cigar won't pass, moisture, earth....

    Draft is very important, without draft all fire tests are out of the question.

    Hold on to the extension for now, insert the burner and get to work.

    Just be careful, boy, so that I don't watch you tomorrow on teleexpres....
  • #20 13205354
    marcincar77
    Level 14  
    Posts: 117
    Help: 8
    Rate: 49
    After all, the burner will also go out without oxygen.
  • ADVERTISEMENT
  • #21 13205428
    Tommy82
    Level 41  
    Posts: 12139
    Help: 455
    Rate: 1070
    The burner has a chance because you burn from the bottom.

    A drill could be used to drive the head. Once I put something like this for lapping valves in the head from the drill frame of the father of the production, which was a drill attachment for the drive of the meat grinder and a lathe for the production of rungs for my first bed.
  • #22 13205553
    _jta_
    Electronics specialist
    Posts: 48808
    Help: 3198
    Rate: 4183
    We tried to smoke, then we had to paint/wallpaper the apartment (not to mention washing everything that could be washed), because the smoke did not want to go out through the chimney, it flew into the apartment and everything was covered with soot (paper wallpaper or painted walls you can't wash off the soot with glue paint) - and the nest didn't move anyway, even though it was less than a meter long of the chimney. One of my friends had a chimney sweep ball, he climbed in and left it so many times until he pierced it - but I understand that it can't be done here, because it's too much?

    There is only one method left (there is no point in trying with fire - risk of fire + guarantee of coverage with soot on everything where the smoke will be able to get): make a gripper, lower it, grab the nest piece by piece and pull it out until it breaks through the whole thing (unfortunately, this is a tedious job); then throw the rest down with a chimney sweeper's ball, and sweep the remains that remain with a brush (also a chimney sweep). Or even more: use a spring like for pushing a sewage system from the bottom - only when you drill it through the socket will pieces fall on your head.
  • #23 13205948
    stas256
    Level 19  
    Posts: 468
    Help: 29
    Rate: 22
    As I wrote, you pour glowing coal from the top. Possibly some metal pipe with a connection to the compressor and you will burn out. Coke would be even better

    ps the theme will start to resemble an expedition to an asteroid, drilling rigs, heads, drills
  • #24 13206092
    marcincar77
    Level 14  
    Posts: 117
    Help: 8
    Rate: 49
    Only dynamite is missing. But seriously, on Friday, professional chimney sweeps are coming, we'll see what they say, so we wait until Friday. If they don't have a good idea, I'll do something. Anyway, thanks for the tips, I'll get back to you soon.
  • #25 13209305
    Alemucha
    Level 28  
    Posts: 1183
    Help: 89
    Rate: 216
    1/2" vertical barbell in 2 pieces with thread + muff. Practice. Vacuum cleaner with a few wires, and finally matches. The only problem is securing yourself and tools.
  • #26 13209495
    _jta_
    Electronics specialist
    Posts: 48808
    Help: 3198
    Rate: 4183
    A vacuum cleaner is an idea, but it needs a lot of power and the tank will quickly become clogged. And I'm afraid it will be hard to find one that sucks enough to pull the socket. Rather, make some kind of gripper with a clawed end, tightened by pulling the cord, and with this pick them out piece by piece.
  • #28 13214362
    marcincar77
    Level 14  
    Posts: 117
    Help: 8
    Rate: 49
    Hello again. Professional chimney sweeps came today and did what I didn't want to do. They gave me a small brush in the kitchen. They rummaged for an hour and a half, they dusted the whole kitchen, they dirty the wall, and they were supposed to come with other equipment. In a conversation with the boss, I heard that they would come and put on such a blower and everything would blow up. I did it because I have the equipment and I did most of it myself, I took out more crap than they did, I did it half a day and I didn't make such crap like they did, I just dusted it a bit and the professionals dusted and in addition they dirty the wall and not with the crap from the chimney, but with their black clothes. Well, I'll be more careful in the future. So I consider the issue closed.
  • #29 13214889
    _jta_
    Electronics specialist
    Posts: 48808
    Help: 3198
    Rate: 4183
    At our place, we put a drawer from the freezer (a wire one) on the chimney, upside down - the jackdaw has no chance to get inside through it, and if it made a nest on top, it should fall down from the first storm - I guess the jackdaws think so, because they try.
  • #30 13215922
    Anonymous
    Anonymous  

Topic summary

✨ The discussion revolves around the challenge of removing a jackdaw nest from a clogged ventilation duct, which is over 2 meters deep. Various methods are suggested, including using a weighted rope to dislodge the nest, dismantling parts of the chimney, and employing a flexible plastic pipe with a spiral to extract debris. Some participants propose using fire to burn the nest, while others caution against this due to the risk of smoke damage and fire hazards. The original poster expresses frustration with professional chimney sweeps who created a mess during their attempt to clear the duct. Ultimately, the poster managed to remove a significant amount of debris themselves before the professionals arrived. The conversation highlights the importance of careful planning and the potential for DIY solutions in dealing with such issues.
Generated by the language model.

FAQ

TL;DR: "Jackdaw nests cause 17 % of domestic chimney blockages" [RSPB, 2021]; "drop a 3 kg weight or use flexible rods" [Elektroda, stanislaw1954, post #13202674] Most DIYers clear 2 m plugs in under 4 hours when tools reach from both ends.

Why it matters: A blocked vent can push indoor CO₂ above 2 000 ppm within 30 minutes [EPA, 2020].

Quick Facts

• Typical nest depth in vents: 0.5–2.5 m [Elektroda, marcincar77, post #13203424] • Safe draft for burn-out: ≥4 Pa (0.04 mbar) [HETAS, 2019] • Chimney-sweep visit: €70–€150 [HomeAdvisor, 2023] • 10 m flexible rod set: €25–€40 [Toolstation product] • Soot ≥1 mg/m³ irritates lungs [NIOSH, 2016]

Why do jackdaws choose chimney or ventilation ducts for nesting?

Jackdaws like tall, enclosed shafts that give warmth and predator protection. Chimneys fit these needs and are often undisturbed for years [RSPB, 2021]. Once one pair succeeds, others reuse the site, packing sticks, earth and droppings into a solid plug [Elektroda, marcincar77, post #13203424]

What hazards does a blocked vent create indoors?

Vent blockage traps combustion gases and moisture. CO₂ can exceed 2 000 ppm in 30 minutes and CO can buildup to 200 ppm in an hour, triggering headache and poisoning [EPA, 2020]. Blocked chimneys also cause 21 000 U.S. house fires yearly [NFPA, 2022].

Is burning the nest a good idea?

No. Wet, compacted debris smolders, produces soot, and often back-vents into rooms [Elektroda, jta, post #13205553] Heat can crack flue liners or ignite creosote, forcing full chimney rebuilds [Anonymous, #13215922]. HETAS advises mechanical removal first [HETAS, 2019].

What is the safest DIY method to clear a 2 m compacted nest?

Use flexible rods with a claw or trephine head from the lowest access point. Work slowly and extract debris in small loads [Elektroda, balonika3, post #13203468] Maintain vacuum or tarp containment to control dust. Average DIY time is 3–4 hours for a 2 m plug [HomeAdvisor, 2023].

How do I build a homemade flexible rod system?

  1. Cut two 3 m lengths of ½-inch steel or PVC pipe and thread the ends [Elektroda, lukaszek_socho, post #13203439]
  2. Screw on a claw, trephine, or auger tip.
  3. Feed the first pipe into the duct, thread the second, and rotate while pushing. Remove debris every 30 cm. This three-step method matches professional practice [Toolstation product].

Can high-pressure air alone push out the blockage?

Compressed-air "blowers" work only if the nest is loose and there is top exit access [Elektroda, marcincar77, post #13202889] Over-pressure can instead force soot into living spaces and crack old mortar—an edge-case failure noted by chimney sweeps [NFPA, 2022].

What if my roof is asbestos-cement (eternit) and unsafe to walk on?

Work entirely from indoor revision ports. Use lightweight PVC rods that bend through the clean-out but stay rigid in the flue [Elektroda, marcincar77, post #13203530] Wear P3 respirator; asbestos dust may release if sheets crack during vibrations [OSHA, 2019].

How do professionals differ from DIY attempts?

Sweeps use sectional fiberglass rods, rotary drill heads, and industrial HEPA vacuums. A two-person crew can clear and polish a blocked vent in about 60 minutes [Elektroda, marcincar77, post #13214362] They also perform camera inspections to verify draft [HomeAdvisor, 2023].

How do I stop jackdaws returning?

Install a stainless-steel bird guard or an inverted wire basket (e.g., old freezer drawer) over the flue [Elektroda, jta, post #13214889] The guard must allow 100 cm² minimum free area to maintain draft [HETAS, 2019].

When should I call a professional?

Call if you lack safe roof access, the nest is longer than 3 m, masonry shows cracks, or CO alarms trigger despite partial clearance. Professionals carry insurance and can issue safety certificates required by many insurers [HETAS, 2019].
Generated by the language model.
ADVERTISEMENT