5 Things You Should Know About Attic Cleanup and Decontamination
Does your attic need to be cleaned or decontaminated? Maybe you’ve dealt with a rodent or bat infestation or have suffered flood damage or mold. You now have a choice – how should you carry out the cleanup? What methods and equipment should you use? Should you get in help from an attic cleanup company? Before you make your decision, here are 5 things you should know about attic cleanup and decontamination:
#1 Attic air can expose you to health hazards
Breathing in the air in a dirty attic can expose you to high levels of harmful particles, including dust, mold, and fungal spores. If inhaled, these have the potential to cause long-term serious health problems. For instance, when bat guano (droppings) accumulate, a fungus called Histoplasma sometimes will grow. When the guano is disturbed, fungal spores are spread into the air. When inhaled, these can cause a person to develop a lung disease called Histoplasmosis which can seriously damage your long-term health. Contact with other animal droppings can also pose other risks. For example, raccoon droppings sometimes contain roundworm eggs which are tiny but can cause a serious infection called Baylisascaris if inhaled. Therefore, whoever undertakes your attic cleanup and decontamination should wear suitable PPE. This includes safety glasses, gloves, and a mask with a HEPA filter.
#2 Attic cleanup must be thorough to be effective
If you do not carefully clean and sanitize your attic, you may miss important areas, which could cause even more damage and be even more dangerous in the future. For instance, if rodent or animal urine or feces is not properly removed, people entering the attic in the future could be exposed to diseases. If mold or piles of feces are left, there is the danger that harmful airborne particles could spread throughout your home. In addition to the health risks, mold, and animal feces/urine could cause structural damage to your property in the long term.
Professional equipment is required to thoroughly clean and decontaminate an attic. Many of the harmful substances that may be present in your attic, such as animal droppings or mold, require extensive cleaning for the attic to be returned to a healthy environment. This involves more than just removing the animal droppings or mold. In fact, using normal cleaning methods will increase exposure to contaminated substances and air. If you try to vacuum up animal droppings or bat guano, any dangerous spores will be released and fill the air. We recommend that the droppings are sprayed first before being removed.
#3 Proper Attic Sanitizing requires professional equipment and methods
For example, our attic cleanup specialists use vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters, these are able to remove tiny, microscopic particles that a normal vacuum cleaner would leave. After hazardous waste and materials have been removed, the area should be disinfected, and the air should be cleaned to eliminate harmful levels of fungal or mold spores. We also use an air scrubbing machine and carry out air testing afterward so that we can be sure that your attic air is safe to breathe.
#4 Attic cleanup and decontamination may be covered by your insurance
If you have dealt with damage to your attic from fire, flood, or an animal, rodent, or bat infestation, the thought of paying out for attic cleanup may fill you with dread. But did you know that your insurance policy may cover attic cleanup and sanitizing services? Every insurance policy is different, so not all homeowners will be covered. We have a dedicated team of insurance coordinators who can work with you to help you understand your policy and what you are entitled to.
#5 Hiring a professional is often the safest and most effective way
Initially, you may not be inclined to hire professional attic cleaning specialists. However, given the careful methods, professional equipment, and attention to detail required for a thorough, effective attic cleanup and decontamination, it is often more cost-efficient to invest in hiring a professional team with the skills, knowledge, and equipment already to do the job properly. The risks to your health and home from a contaminated attic can be massive. In the very worse cases, houses have been condemned due to not dealing with a bat problem in the attic, and people have contracted serious diseases by unknowingly being exposed to harmful spores and substances. Therefore, we recommend you seriously weigh up these risks and the benefits of hiring professionals to do the job.
We hope these 5 things you should know about attic cleanup and decontamination will help you decide how to deal with your attic. At Attic Cleanup, we have experienced technicians and a team of insurance coordinators ready to advise you. If you have any questions regarding our attic cleanup services or want help with attic cleaning and sanitizing, contact us today.
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