Mice Feces Removal
If you have mice in the attic of your home or building, then you may have large piles of feces (their droppings). Squirrel droppings in the attic have a unique strong odor smell. Rodent droppings can cause a lung infection called Hantavirus. This is caused by inhaling fungi spores of a fungus that is carried in rodent feces. Urine and droppings will contaminate the insulation making it ineffective. In addition, the droppings and urine can deteriorate wood trusses and drywall. In a few Michigan homes we have seen the droppings were so heavy the ceiling collapsed in.
01
Before the Clean-up
Once you have had the mice excluded from your attic you can start the clean-up process. Knowing how to clean up the attic is important before you start. First, all flooring should be covered in plastic to prevent the spread of diseases. If you are removing insulation and feces through the attic hatch it is important to create an attic hatch barrier. This can be done using plastics around the attic entrance. it is best to remove insulation through a gable vent if possible. Some attics even have windows in them. If no gable vent is present then a window in the same room should be used. make sure the entire room is covered. The use of an air purifier or ozium machine is good for removing any dust or allergens in the air. Now that you have everything set up it’s time to start the clean-out process.
02
Starting the Mice Dropping Removal
Attic Restoration Services
The best way to remove contaminated insulation caused by squirrels or any wildlife in that manner is through a high-powered vacuum. Our company owns a 20 horsepower vacuum. The vacuum sits outside of the home with 100′-150′ of hose attached. This hose is run from the exterior of the home to the inside of the attic through an open window or gable end. If the insulation is not of the loose fill variety then you must bag up the insulation by hand. Typically heavy construction bags work well for doing this. Once all of the insulation is bagged up and removed from the attic, vacuum up any droppings left behind. Now the attic is completely removed from any damaged insulation or squirrel droppings.
03
Decontamination & Odor Control
Probably the most important step to complete restore your attic. After the attic is completely cleaned out and there is no more contaminated insulation it’s time to decontaminate and spray for odor control. We use a handheld fogger to sanitize the attic. After the attic is decontaminated we spray an encapsulate paint like the odor control picture to the left to make sure all odors are locked out of the trusses and drywall beneath the insulation. Once this is done it is now to time to put the insulation back in.
04
Replacing the Insulation
After the insulation is removed and the attic is sanitized it’s time to re-insulate the attic. Depending on the type of home will depend on which insulation we put back into the attic. Older homes typically we’ll use a cellulose because of the moisture in the attics. On new homes, we can use a batted or blown-in fiberglass. Most attics these days require a value of R-38 to R-60. This means an attic should have 12-20 inches of insulation. Even if your attic does not need to be cleaned or restored we are still capable of adding or replacing insulation.
