If you thought that dirt and dust are the only things capable of clogging the HVAC ducts, you need to read this. There are times when homeowners are surprised to find rodents in the ductwork. However, things do get worse when rodents die in the ducts and it takes some time before you realize that there is a dead animal in air duct. When these rodents die in the duct, they start decomposing after some time and that leads to that foul odor all over the house. Also, these dead rodents might be carriers of harmful bacteria and viruses that could get circulated around your house through the ductwork. This will negatively impact your indoor air quality. It is natural that you do not want the situation to happen in real life.
What To Do About A Dead Animal In Your HVAC Air Duct
Contents
Here’s a list of some of the things you should do in case there is a dead rodent in the ductwork.
Make Sure The Source Of Foul Smell Is A Dead Animal In The Ductwork
The first thing you need to do is determine the source of the foul smell. It could be due to a dead rodent such as a mouse or a rat or the source could be something else entirely. A rotting dead body is going to produce sulfur dioxide, methane, and various other gases due to decomposition. Since the human nose is extremely sensitive, you won’t fail to notice even a small amount of these gases. These gases have a strong smell and in fact, some people are so sensitive that they might vomit due to the stench. The bigger the size of the animal, the bigger the volume of gases that are going to be produced. It is important for you to know that the decomposition could go on for weeks before the body completely dries out.
Trust Your Nose
If you are certain that the foul smell in your house is due to a dead animal in the heating and cooling ductwork, you need to locate it for extraction. You can buy specific instruments designed for detecting the type of gases given up by a decomposed body. However, it’s not really practical for you to buy and use those instruments in this situation. For most people, their nose is sensitive enough to take them right to the source. Just keep going wherever the stench takes you and determine its strongest point. It’s not going to be nice but you need to resolve this issue quickly. If you feel that you can’t do this on your own, give a call to an expert HVAC technician to get rid of the rodent remnants from the ductwork.
Get The Necessary Supplies
Don’t use your bare hands to touch the dead carcass. It might be full of harmful viruses and bacteria. Therefore, stay away from touching a dead body with your bare hands. Use gloves to extract the body. Also, get a thick plastic bag without any holes. It will be used to place the carcass and once you have extracted the dead body. You should quickly seal it back in order to throw it away. You need to ensure that the bag does not have any holes or leaks. Make use of a wire hanger or another tool with a hook to extract carcass from harder-to-reach locations. If you are unable to do it on your own, hire the services of an expert HVAC technician.
Extract The Carcass From The HVAC Ducts
It will be easy for you to remove the carcass in case it’s located near the vents. Just open the barrier and use your gloved hand to extract it and place it in a thick plastic bag. Don’t forget to wear disposable gloves. Once you have removed the carcass, don’t forget to place the gloves within the same plastic bag. Now, it’s time to seal the plastic bag and throw it away. Things are going to be a bit challenging in case you cannot reach the carcass from the vents. In such cases, you will need to use a wire hanger to go deeper into the ducts. If the body has decomposed a lot, you might be forced to extract multiple pieces of the carcass. If the body has already decomposed into multiple pieces, it is better to call an HVAC professional to do the job.
Disinfecting The Area
Extracting the body is just the beginning. If you are able to look closely, you’ll find that there are various bodily fluids and dried blood in the location of the carcass. You might also find ticks, fleas, and hair. You need to sanitize everything to ensure that the ducts are completely clean. You need to spray a disinfectant in the area that might have been touched by the animal. It will help in preserving the indoor air quality and make sure that no diseases are spread through the heating and cooling ductwork. Do not skip disinfecting the affected location under any circumstances.
Figure Out How The Animal Got Into The Duct Work
Once the blood has been cleaned to your satisfaction, it is time to take action to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. There shouldn’t be any place in the ductwork from which rodents as well as other animals are supposed to get in. The ductwork has barriers to prevent it from happening. However, if a mouse or rat managed to get inside, it’s time for you to figure out how. Take a close look to find any holes or broken vents.
It is possible that the rodent did not die near the entry point as it must have wandered everywhere in order to search for an exit. This is why you need to look at the entire ductwork to find out any potential entry points. If you find them, seal them up. In such cases, it is recommended to call a professional and experienced HVAC technician. They have the necessary training and experience to figure out any issues with your HVAC ductwork. They will make sure it is properly sealed to prevent the recurrence of such events. So, call a professional HVAC company to make sure your HVAC ductwork is properly sealed.
Fix The Air Duct Leaks
The holes or leaks from where the rodents got into the ductwork are also leaking air. Any leaks in the ductwork are going to make your HVAC system inefficient. This is why you should immediately get in touch with an HVAC technician to fix these leaks. If there are leakages in the ductwork, the heater and air conditioner will have to work harder. This means they will consume more energy in order to maintain the desired temperature. Also, there will be uneven heating and cooling inside the house as hot or cold air will leak before it is able to reach certain parts of the house. If it’s time for HVAC system maintenance, you should also schedule an HVAC technician’s visit to fix the problems.
Final Thoughts
Infestation by rodents in the ductwork is much more common than people think. Expert technicians regularly get calls from clients to extract the dead animals from the HVAC ductwork. In short, you are not alone as many others also experience this problem. An HVAC technician has the necessary training and experience to get rid of such problems quickly. They will also ensure sanitization of the whole area and plugging of any leaks in order to prevent any recurrence.
Call PFO Heating & Air Conditioning For All Your HVAC Requirements
PFO Heating & Air Conditioning takes pride in offering the best heating and cooling services in the Greater Princeton, NJ area. Our team of HVAC professionals has the necessary training, certification, and experience to ensure excellent installations, repairs, HVAC tune-ups, and replacements. All of the technicians in our team have the necessary experience and knowledge to fix your HVAC system.
PFO Heating & Air Conditioning has the most competitive HVAC servicing costs in the area. We also offer maintenance services to ensure that you are always comfortable inside your home. Our services aim to make sure that your system operates at utmost efficiency while reducing your energy costs. If you need to repair or replace your HVAC system, we will recommend the right HVAC system for your needs while working within your budget. Also, all of our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee. Give us a call today to schedule a free, in-home estimate.
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