Chimney Crisis - Please help!

[tsquini]

I have a chimney full of dead birds - I mean 8 feet of the chimney is full of dead birds. I mean literally 100's of birds. Any idea how to clear it out?

Background - We bought a house in foreclosure that has only had 2 owners.

The owner/builders dropped an 8 inch well casing down the clay lining. It is about 20 feet of chimney that runs straight to the basement. They also fixed bolts on the top of the chimney and attached a metal plate that floats about 6 inches off the chimney as a roof for the chimney.

The last owners never burned wood and left the cap off the chimney for about 20 years!

I have lived with a wood stove for 20 years. My dad has lived with a wood stove for 50+ years. We are not experts but we know a lot about chimney care.

Here is what we have done thus far:

1) We tried to brush the chimney but soon realized it was completely stopped up. (We first thought it was cemented closed.)

2) From the basement, I could reach up the chimney for a few feet. I pulled out a maybe a gallon of soot and then started the dead birds.

3) We have tied off metal poles, sledge hammer heads, 20 lb. pry bars and threw them down the chimney to break it up.

4) I pour 5 gallons of water down the chimney.

5) My dad started throwing a tied off 2 inch metal pipe down the chimney. The pipe digs down a few inches into the bird remains.

** One friend recommended Draino crystals, but that is some pretty nasty stuff. I plan tomorrow to possibly pour 1/2 gallon of medical grade hydrogen peroxide (35%). The stuff that burns flesh.

In all, we have cleared out about 4 gallons of dead birds from the chimney. Based upon what we can measure. We have about another 8 or so gallons of remains.

I am open to any suggestions.

Amazing Story. Chemical removal would work the best. I would use lime. It is slower but there is northing but bones left. I would not use draino your first burn after removal will not be good for your eyes and breathing. Places wire mesh over the top now. If you have that many coming in I'm sure they still are today.

 

[firebroad]

One more thing--I hope you used gloves and respirators. Even so, you might want to mention the incident to your doctor, as the risk of histoplasmosis is high. This is a lung disease contracted from breathing dust from bird feces.

Here is a link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histoplasmosis

 

[jatoxico]

You mean like this? I wonder what Darwin would have to say about a species with a self-destruct function.

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I've seen the bats in Austin a couple times but didn't know about this habit. What does this elementary school do with all the bird "guano"?

 

[Ashful]

Places wire mesh over the top now. If you have that many coming in I'm sure they still are today.

Good point. I'd get that chimney capped ASAP, before you have a repeat situation.