Attic Restoration After Wildlife Inhabitation

Especially here in New England, there may be times that we are not the only ones inhabiting our home. In our attics especially, mice, squirrels, bats, and even raccoons, may make themselves a temporary roommate. When wild animals have inhabited the attic of our residence, they will most certainly leave it in disarray.  Problems from these nuisances include:

Feces and urine on the floor, insulation, and in your personal items

Debris (from nesting materials or food) spread throughout

Odor – both in the attic, and subsequently spread throughout the home

Mold growth in areas dampened and contaminated by the animals

Germs, viruses, and parasites (carried in with the animals) can make for additional roommates

To get your attic back to the clean condition it was once in (pre-wildlife), you’ll want to perform a complete attic restoration.  This process can be a quick one (such as with a mouse or two), or it may be a larger ordeal (as in the case of having a raccoon family).  In a smaller case, you may clean up the mess yourself with little or no protective equipment.  If the mess is much larger, and potentially more dangerous for the homeowner, you will need to have someone clean the area who is properly trained and has the correct equipment (such as a HEPA filter mask).  In some cases, your homeowner’s insurance may cover the costs involved.

Basic Steps to Attic Restoration:                               

• Since the droppings of smaller rodents are obviously quite small themselves, it is difficult to efficiently move every dropping by hand only.  Using a filter vacuum will make the job much easier. If the droppings are within the building’s insulation, you may be able to vacuum the area with a vacuum and a hose. If you cannot cleanse the entire section of insulation in this way, it may be best to remove the insulation and replace it.
• Be Safe. The droppings of larger animals will not be able to be vacuumed up and will typically need to be removed by hand. It is of utmost importance to be safe when handling the fecal matter of any animal – wear rubber gloves, a mask, and even a biohazard suit in extreme cases. Wear this apparel even when removing the nesting material or food debris that the animal has left so that you are not inhaling or touching parasites.
• Call on Professionals. A professional restoration service will have the equipment and knowledge to get the job done right. A crew will be brought on to not only vacuum and clean, but to also ‘fog’ your attic. With an electric misting machine, a biohazard cleaner is dispensed to the entire area which works to destroy any organic matter, while leaving your home intact. This cleaner kills all germs and parasites, breaks down and destroys any leftover fecal matter, and eliminates the odors that had been left behind.