If you hear a rustling in your chimney, then don't call Ghostbusters; it’s probably just a bird! All joking aside, having these feathered visitors isn’t good news so you need to protect your chimney against them. The best way to do it? Let us show you…

Your chimney is nice and warm, protected from the elements and a rather comfortable place to be, if you’re a bird. For you, however, it’s going to be a pest and, once it has its claws under the table, then you might find it difficult to get rid of it. If you already have a lodger then unfortunately we are not going to be able to help you but what we CAN do is prevent it happening in the first place. As they say, prevention is better than cure!

There are all sorts of problems caused by having a resident bird in your chimney. For a start, the bits and pieces it uses to line its nest are going to be falling into the back of your fire or stove, posing both a health risk and a fire risk. The nest can prevent toxic fumes from escaping, instead letting them build up in your home. If a bird dies, you have the problem of its body rotting and attracting bacteria and insects.

We remember one story in the news a while ago which told of a man taking a sledgehammer to his chimney breast to get a bird out, an act of rage that cost him a few thousand pounds in repairs. In short, you don’t want a bird in your chimney and a wire balloon, simple and safe to install, will guarantee to keep them out.

Made from galvanised steel wire, these ingenious devices simply slip down into your chimney, blocking any way for birds to enter. Their tough yet light construction is typical of the qualities of stainless steel and the price is so low that you can't afford not to buy the protection they offer. Several sizes are readily available and you can also use them in downspout gutters to prevent leaf blockage. Please note that the quantity of balloons per order may vary dependant on size.

So, don't let your chimney become the newest dream home for an opportunist bird; fit a wire balloon from (the ironically named) Bluebird Fixings, available to you from us here at BS Fixings!