Do You Need to Clean Your Ducts After a Wildlife Removal?

It’s time to celebrate! You’ve finally got rid of the uninvited guests in your vents and naturally, you’re quite relieved. You will no longer hear the sounds of little feet scurrying around in there. But don’t pop that bottle of champagne just yet! Unfortunately, there’s more to consider. Just because the wildlife animals are out doesn’t mean you don’t still have work to do. Today we’ll explore how Milwaukee’s animal control needs extend beyond removal as they often include post-removal services such as clearing and cleaning.

How Vents Work in the Home

Vents are very important and their role in the home cannot be underestimated. They aid in the circulation of hot or cold air inside the home.  Vents also help to remove hot or cold air (depending on what’s desired) and release it outside. This allows the inhabitants to experience comfort as they relax inside. When vents are compromised (by wildlife intrusion) this comfort disappears and problems emerge.

How Wildlife Intrusion Affects Homes

When animals enter the home, they sometimes settle in the vents and air ducts.  Nursing animals are notorious for moving into spaces like vents and attics to give birth and raise their babies. Other animals move in for safety and comfort, especially during harsh weather. Wildlife babies can grow inside your home without your knowledge (you’ll only notice when they start moving around) As they go about their daily business inside your walls, the damage the duct’s structure. This results in leaking and could cost you in increased heating and cooling bills.  Some animals (such as raccoons and squirrels) damage the vents by chewing through the material to create access points.

Removal is Great… But it Doesn’t End There

So having unwanted wildlife tenants living in your vents can force the system to work harder and drive up your utility bills. In addition to that, wildlife presence sometimes leads to a (partial or full) blockage of the system. The material blocking your vents may be nests and food stores, or even a buildup of waste. Unfortunately, it can also be the remains of an animal that died in the vent.  This is why your issues won’t always be resolved by removal. Remember also that the longer wildlife animals stay inside your venting systems, the more damage they inflict. So if the intrusion got detected late, it is very likely that there will be a need for damage control after removal. Some of the material (like nests) left in the vents can create a fire hazard for the home. Nests that are made of twig and dried leaves (like squirrels’ nests) are especially flammable. The danger is multiplied if the material is located next to or on top of exposed electrical wires. Others create health problems a bacteria is picked up from the deposits and circulated inside the home. Not to mention the discomfort that people in the house will experience as the odours associated with what’s left behind in the vent start to make their way through the building.

What to Do After Removal

You need to have your vents cleaned after removing wildlife intruders, and this cleaning is best done by professionals. If the vents in your Milwaukee home have become home for wildlife citizens, expert animal control teams like Skedaddle can help with removal and clearing. The post-removal service provided by wildlife experts though must be followed up by professional specialized vent cleaning. Expert vent cleaners provide you with a clean sweep so to speak, of your chimney, dryer vent, bathroom vent and ducts among other places, allowing you to experience a comfortable and healthier environment once wildlife has been safely evicted.