Angry Birds Stuck in Chimney (Video)

Angry Birds (not the kind from the popular video game) Stuck in Chimney in the Hyde Park neighborhood 55th and Ellis. On 3-9-2015 we were summoned to a home for a leaky humidifier and a leaking hot water tank. As Our HVAC service technician walked into the basement, Ed heard the furnace cycling on and off every few seconds. Ed then told the owner that you have bigger issues then the humidifier and hot water tank. As it turned out there were birds stuck in the furnace flue passages and inducer motor as well as in the basement itself.

The birds had penetrated the basement through the chimney that had no chimney cap, apparently, at one time there was a chimney cap but it must have blown off or rusted away. So Ed shewed away 2 of the birds by opening the basement door, the two birds in the furnace passages were dying from carbon monoxide inhalation. But one bird escaped the flue pipe when removed and was hiding frightened under stairs (see video). Ed was able to safely shew the last bird living out of the basement.
However, the birds did some damage to the furnace causing overheating and heat exchanger failure. The carrier furnace was bordering 11 years old, the homeowner agreed to a new furnace, with a stainless steel heat exchanger with a lifetime furnace replacement warranty.

The original call to us was a humidifier issue and a hot water tank leaking, well the humidifier was just a clogged humidifier pad and the hot water tank was leaking from the bottom. We changed the humidifier pad during the new furnace install and also replaced the home dummy bought hot water tank with a Bradford-White pro hot water tank.

So be it to say” this customer dished out some cash caused by mother nature and lack of maintenance. It’s important to check your chimney to see if a chimney cap is needed or properly secured.

The proof is here folks, HVAC maintenance is required because you never know what could be lurking in and around your HVAC system and home.

Thanks Management