Attic Bat Remediation
Bats in your attic. Yuck.
Once bats have taken up residence in the attic, step one is getting them out via exclusion and sealing the house. After that portion of it has been done, there are different steps that can be taken to clean the aftermath, depending on the severity of the droppings in the attic. For example, spot clean, half clean, full attic remediation.
Different types of insulation have different remediation steps as well. Blown-in insulation, batten insulation, etc.
Attic remediation consists of removing the guano, contaminated insulation, and anything else that shouldn’t be there. Once everything is cleaned, we then install new insulation, giving your house the right amount of insulation (R-38 in Indiana) so you get the most out of your heating and cooling.
Bat Droppings Look Like Rodent Droppings.
To the untrained eye, bat droppings look like rodent droppings, although quite different. They are typically approximately 3/8 inch long, resembling rice. They are typically black when fresh and brown as they age and, when crushed, have a sparkle resembling their diet (insects). See the example pics below.
Health Risks of Bats in Your Attic.
If left untreated, the health risks include but are not limited to histoplasmosis and other diseases.
The problem begins when dried bat guano is disturbed, and “bat guano dust” is dispersed in an attic. When these microscopic spores from the dried bat guano are inhaled by humans, it can cause a serious respiratory disease called histoplasmosis. Histoplasmosis is a respiratory illness caused by inhaling the fungus spores Histoplasma capsulatum from the guano. It has flu-like symptoms that include fever, headache, fatigue, dry cough, and chest pain. It can be fatal, especially for those with weakened immune systems or lung diseases such as asthma.
Therefore, it is not recommended that the homeowner try to clean up guano themselves.
Having the proper equipment to resolve the problem quickly and efficiently will make your home safe for you and your family once again.
