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Life in the Country: SERVPRO of Milford-Orange-Stratford Cleans and Sanitizes After Animal Waste Removal
10/7/2019 (Permalink)
We love the Connecticut countryside but not when it moves into our homes!
Sometimes when I drive through our area, I am amazed at how many rural areas still exist in New Haven County.
In fact, much of Connecticut is connected by old country roads with farms and homes. We are truly lucky to live in an area that has all of the comforts of society yet is surrounded by nature.
Of course, as a restoration company, we know that the country charm brings with it a unique set of problems. In particular, along with stone wall lined roads and open fields, county life is a perfect habitat for mice, squirrels, raccoons and bats, all of whom can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage when they enter a home.
It’s common for these creatures to find their way into garages, crawlspaces and attics and go unnoticed for weeks and sometimes months. Often, a homeowner doesn’t become aware that their home is infested until the rodent population has exploded and the scurrying becomes apparent through the ceiling. Other times, the smell of animal feces is a warning sign that there is a wild animal population living in your home. When it gets to this point, professional service is typically needed. You will most likely call an exterminator to come out and rid your home of the unwanted guests. Once they are gone, call SERVPRO of Milford-Orange-Stratford to clean up the mess that the animals have left behind.
You may wonder why you can’t just clean up the mess yourself, and in some cases, you can. However, there are a number of scenarios in which professional restoration is necessary because they might contain disease. For example, raccoon droppings contain parasites including roundworm. Rodent feces often contain the Hantavirus, which causes muscle aches, chills and lung damage when the disease fills them with fluid. Bird and bat droppings carry respiratory infections such as Histoplasmosis which has similar symptoms to the Hantavirus. These biohazardous droppings should be cleaned up and the affected areas disinfected.
Animals that move into your home often hide in the attic, behind walls and in corners. They chew drywall and make a cozy home in the insulation within your walls and ceilings. It doesn’t take long for the insulation and sheetrock to become saturated with urine. Any materials that have been exposed to animal urine and feces will need to be removed from your home and the area sanitized.
Whether you have animal waste in your basement or attic, our team has years of experience cleaning it up.We remove all damaged insulation, wood building materials and nests that have been left behind in a damaged state. Next, we spray the affected areas with cleaners and anti-fungal agents to ensure a healthy environment. Our team finishes the job with the installation of new insulation, walls and trim as necessary.