Attic Cleanouts – You may go through your days blissfully ignorant of what’s happening in your attic. You may assume there’s no activity going on up there. After all, you reason, there’s nothing up there but your kids’ old baby clothes, toys, collectibles and holiday decorations, right?

Well, not always. In actuality, attics can be very busy places teeming with activity from pests and critters. Rodents in particular love attics due to the convenient and warm nesting material from the fiberglass insulation. Bats also love attics and will hang from the rafters all day long before venturing out through vents at night to feed. And other animals such as squirrels enjoy setting up shop in attics, where they too will nest and chew through anything they can get their hands on.

Sadly, all these pests cause a lot of property damage. Not only do they chew on wires, pipes and insulation, they urinate and defecate on those components as well, which can transmit disease and cause foul odors.

This is why you should take a look in your attic every once in a while to assess the situation. If you see a mess up there, don’t touch it. Call a professional pest control expert like those at Cavanaugh’s to provide complete attic cleanouts.

Attic cleanouts achieve three very important tasks: they remove the pests themselves, they remove the affected materials as well, and they replace insulation.

When Should You Do an Attic Cleanout?

You are a good candidate for an attic cleanout if:

  • You see signs of an advanced rodent infestation
  • Nuisance wildlife has been an issue in the past
  • You see evidence of bats (guano)
  • You have inadequate insulation
  • Your existing insulation is wet or moldy
  • You see rodent droppings

The Process

There’s a reason why your attic is attractive to rodent and wildlife infestations. Pests like mice and squirrels can easily gain entry from gaps in your roof and vents, which offer them a quick way to escape the outdoor elements, breed, and take care of their babies. Insulation is warm, and in the winter especially, they will nest in there and stay till their welcome is officially over.

Mice, rats, squirrels and bats are all known to spread diseases, from rabies to Typhoid to Hantavirus. Rodents in particular can crawl through tiny holes the size of a quarter. Here’s what the attic cleanout process looks like:

  • Your pest control expert will identify and repair all rodent entry points by inspecting the roof, attic and crawl spaces, then seal up those areas to prevent the return of pests.
  • Your pest control expert will then remove all waste, fluids and debris. Keep in mind, rats and mice spread up to 35 diseases to humans, mainly through contact with saliva, urine, and feces. In your home, bodily fluids containing potential diseases can easily end up in your attic, and the dust particles can then circulate through the air ducts.
  • To lower the risk of exposure, your pest control team will clean up the attic, including all areas of damage, remove all offending material, add new insulation, then sanitize the area.

In addition to rodents, bats, raccoons and birds can also get into your attic in the winter, causing property damage, exposure to histoplasmosis (lung infection), roundworm and other serious illnesses.

Contact Cavanaugh’s Professional Termite and Pest Services

If you suspect you have an infestation in your attic, contact us right away to learn more about our safe, effective and comprehensive attic cleanouts.