Nuisance wildlife commonly make their way into homes, garages, and places of business. There are many different places in these buildings where animals decide to live, raise their young, and cause serious damage. Oftentimes, these nuisance animals can end up dying somewhere in the building, causing terrible odors, as well as the potential for diseases and germs to be spread. If you find a dead animal in your air conditioning ductwork, continue reading to learn what to do.
How Do Animals Get Into Ductwork
It might seem crazy that nuisance wildlife can even get into your air conditioning ductwork in the first place. When you think about all of the entrance points around your home, as well as the destructive abilities of animals, it might seem less crazy. One of the most common ways that pest animals get into ductwork is by getting into the vents that meet the exterior of the building. If there is a loose vent or even a small gap that animals can get into, it is likely that a bird, bat, or rodent could make its way in. Another way that animals could get into ductwork is by being on the inside of a building and then finding or creating a hole that they can access.
Problems with Dead Animals in Ductwork
One of the most serious and dangerous problems that can come with a dead animal being in the ductwork has to do with the associated fire risks. When heat is running through ductwork, there is the potential that the surrounding metal could get warm enough to light up easily combustible materials. In some cases, a squirrel, bird, or rodent has built a nest constructed of easily flammable materials that can catch on fire, potentially putting the whole building at risk of going up in flames.
Another very serious problem that can come with a dead animal being in ductwork is when the animal is infected with a disease. Dead animal diseases are common, and come in the form of leptospirosis, raccoon roundworm, salmonella, and many other nasty, potentially fatal diseases. If a human comes into contact with any of these diseases, there is a chance that they can contract it and potentially die.
A final problem associated with a dead animal in your air conditioning ductwork is the odor that can come from it. When animals die, there is a period of time where the decomposition occurs, creating terrible odors that can permeate an entire building. Until the decomposition ends, this odor will linger. As can be seen, there are many reasons that animals in your ductwork can cause serious problems.
Hire a Professional to Remove It
The recommended method of removing a dead animal from your air conditioning ductwork is to hire a professional wildlife removal company. These experts know exactly how to remove dead animals while keeping you and your family safe from diseases. If you are interested in hiring a company, visit fcproservices.com to talk to a professional. In addition to the dead animal removal, wildlife removal companies also offer cleaning and sanitation services.
How to Prevent Dead Animals in Your Ductwork
The easiest way to remove dead animals from your ductwork is to not allow animals access to your ducts. To do this, the first step is to examine all of the potential entry points to your ductwork. Pay careful attention to any vents on the exterior of your building. If the vents have gaps or cracks that would allow wildlife, be sure to repair or replace the vent to keep critters out. Another way you can prevent animals from getting into your ducts is to keep animals out of your building in the first place.
Removing the Dead Animal on Your Own
Before you think you will remove the dead animal from your ductwork on your own, it is important to be aware of some risks. The first, most important risk is that you can be exposed to serious, potentially deadly diseases. Simply coming into contact with the animal’s fur, saliva, urine, or feces can cause you to contract diseases or potentially spread them to your family. Another risk is potentially coming into contact with some live nuisance wildlife.
