The noises coming from your attic are keeping you up at night. You haven’t been in your attic since Christmas, and trekking up there in the August heat isn’t your idea of fun.
But you just know there’s a problem that’s only getting worse the longer you try to ignore it.
Dealing with rodents and the attic cleanup and decontamination that comes along with them is a project you don’t want to take on — but you know you should address it sooner rather than later.
Learn why your attic might require some attention, the process involved with cleanup and decontamination, and how calling in the professionals may help.
Table of Contents
- What Is Involved in Attic Cleanup and Decontamination?
- 3 Reasons You May Need an Attic Cleanup and Decontamination
- Other Attic Cleanup and Decontamination FAQs
- Pure Environmental: Providing Portland and Tacoma With Comprehensive and Efficient Attic Cleanup and Decontamination Since 2010
What Is Involved in Attic Cleanup and Decontamination?
Attic cleanup and decontamination goes deeper than simply removing a found problem or a bunch of junk — it doesn’t start and end with cleaning up. Instead, attic cleanup and decontamination focus on addressing and treating an issue as a whole.
Pure Environmental offers attic cleanup services that are all-encompassing. We understand that many people don’t frequent their attics and because of this, problems like leaks, mold, pests, and more may quickly sneak up on them.
Whether your attic is hot and stuffy, you’ve discovered rodent droppings, your insulation is damp and damaged, or more, Pure Environmental works to fully resolve the issue by:
- Identifying the problem
- Resolving it
- Addressing damages
- Decontamination
- Leaving a healthy environment
3 Reasons You May Need an Attic Cleanup and Decontamination
Nearly anybody can go into their attic with some elbow grease and a whole lot of patience and get to work on cleaning and decontaminating, but rarely will a DIY job address the many root causes of needing a true attic cleanup and decontamination.
Should you stumble upon any signs of the following issues in your attic, contact the local professionals.
#1: Household Pests
Unfortunately, many pests like to find their way into attics and sometimes don’t leave. Don’t be surprised if you find any signs of these common household pests:
- Squirrels: These tend to cause the most damage in attics by chewing through walls for better access to the house and attic. In the process, they chew through wood and electrical wires. Squirrels tend to be most active during the early morning and evening.
- Bats: If the noises you’re hearing are not gnawing and scratching, you might have bats. They typically enter the attic through small holes or fly in through gaps along the roofline. Bats are nocturnal, so they are most active through the night. They produce large amounts of small, dark droppings with a pungent odor, which can lead to diseases.
- Mice: These rodents enter the attic by climbing through the walls. They leave behind droppings and may nest in insulation. All rodents’ teeth continuously grow and they must chew on things to keep their teeth filed down.
- Rats: They love warm spaces, so you might find rats seeking refuge in your attic during colder months. They squeeze through small holes and enter the attic through wall cavities. You’ll likely hear rats scurrying both day and night. Roof rats prefer to nest high. In nature that would be up in trees, but in your home it is likely your attic.
- Raccoons: They love warm, dry, safe spaces like attic insulation for nesting, and once they’re in, they quickly do damage. Raccoons tear insulation, gnaw at wires, damage ductwork, and create feces. They are also quite aggressive.
- Birds: They enter through attic vents or screens and use the attic to make a dry, warm, and safe nesting site. Their droppings may attract insects into the attic. Active or even abandoned bird nests promote other pests such as variegated carpet beetles.
- Insects: Things like flies, spiders, ants, and cockroaches are common attic pests. While spiders might not cause major damage, Carpenter ants love dark moist places and attics can be perfect for them, while cluster flies move in mass numbers for warmth.
Risks
As mentioned, attic pests can quickly cause damage to your attic and home. Not only do torn and misplaced insulation affect temperature control, but the gnawed wires can easily become fire risks.
Additionally, the health of your home is at risk, too. Many health risks are associated with animal droppings and odors from pests that can quickly become harmful if not addressed.
Process
Calling in the professionals for a safe and effective attic cleanup and decontamination is your best bet.
With Pure Environmental, this process includes:
- Removal of all rodent waste and damage
- Safe disposal of deceased rodents
- Careful replacement of any damaged insulation
- Extraction of contaminated materials
- Disinfecting and sanitizing
- Attic sealing to prevent future pests
#2: Mold
It’s not difficult for moisture to build up and create the perfect conditions for mold growth in your attic. How can this happen? There are many culprits:
- A leaky roof that allows water to get into the attic.
- Inadequate roof ventilation caused by debris-covered soffit vents.
- Broken or incorrectly terminated exhaust fans and vents that don’t pump moisture away from the home.
- Accumulation of moisture buildup in improper insulation.
- Gaps or openings in the ceiling that allow warm-conditioned air to escape into the attic.
Risks
Untreated mold may cause structural damage like rotting wood or damaged walls, but more importantly, mold affects air quality, which then has many negative effects on health.
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences reports that health-related reactions of mold in people depend on the mold type, duration of exposure, and individual characteristics.
The most common health effects of mold include:
- Respiratory problems (shortness of breath, asthma)
- Allergies and related symptoms (wheezing, congestions, runny nose)
- Inflammation
- Immune system changes
Process
Pure Environmental is the team of professionals you want when it comes to mold remediation.
The process goes like this:
- First, we conduct a thorough initial mold inspection, collecting and testing samples with a local laboratory if necessary, to identify the problem.
- Once confirmed, we establish a “containment zone” where we determine if any wood, drywall, insulation, etc. needs to be removed as part of the treatment process.
- This contained space is placed under negative air so that any spores that are stirred up don’t leave the contained space.
- After that, we brush any 3-dimensional growth with a stiff-bristled brush.
- Next, we remove any necessary materials before cleaning all affected surfaces with HEPA-filtered vacuums.
- Then we apply special cleaning agents to mitigate any remaining mold before treating the entire area with a disinfectant.
- Lastly, we repair or replace any affected materials and determine a restoration plan for other impacted areas.
#3: Dust and Dirt Accumulation
Think about it — when was the last time you went up into your attic?
Most people don’t frequent their attic, which may cause dust and dirt to quickly accumulate, blocking ventilation, worsening the air quality of the home, and more.
Risks
We get it, dust is everywhere. So much so that most people don’t think about the health problems it may cause.
Household dust contains many pollutants that might:
- Irritate the respiratory system
- Worsen asthma conditions
- Stir up dust mite allergies
- Contain chemicals from consumer products
- Contain contaminants from the air in your home
One study found that the dust in a home’s attic often contained contaminants that were found in the area more broadly, including heavy metals that could pose a health risk if disturbed.
Process
It might be worth considering hiring an attic cleaning service to help lessen the buildup of dirt and debris in your attic. With Pure Environmental, the process includes:
- Removal of junk, debris, and stored items
- Insulation health check
- Removal of contaminated insulation, if necessary
- Replacing insulation, if necessary
- Identification of any leaks in the roof or accompanying mold growth
- Removal of accumulated dust, dirt, and odors
Other Attic Cleanup and Decontamination FAQs
How Much Does Attic Cleanup and Decontamination Cost?
Attic cleanup and decontamination can quickly become costly, but you can’t put a price on the health of you and your home, right?
The exact cost of attic cleanup and decontamination will depend on many factors, including:
- The amount of space that needs remediation
- What might be involved (pests, mold, asbestos, etc.)
- The extent of the damage
- Where you’re located
- The team you hire
How Long Does Attic Cleanup and Decontamination Take?
Again, it depends.
A basic attic cleaning may take just a few hours — somewhere between 3 and 6 — but a full decontamination of mold, asbestos removal, or dealing with a pest infestation could take many hours to a day or two for smaller attics, or a week or more for larger attics. It depends on how much damage has been done.
How Often Should I Have My Attic Inspected or Cleaned?
Probably more than you already do.
Most people don’t worry about their attic until they have something to worry about. By then, the problem could be pretty severe.
Instead of saving your attic visits to the handful of times a year you pull down and put away holiday decorations, Pure Environmental recommends homeowners consider a proactive approach and have their attics fully inspected at least once a year.
Can I Perform Attic Cleanup and Decontamination Myself?
Although you could perform an attic cleanup and decontamination yourself, there are more significant cases where it’s smarter to let the professionals handle the job.
Not only are there many health risks involved when directly working with rodent droppings, mold, fiberglass, etc., but injury is also a concern. The professionals at Pure Environmental are equipped with the proper tools and equipment to safely handle attic cleanup and decontamination and make your space a healthy place to be again.
How Do I Find the Right Attic Cleanup and Decontamination Contractor?
It is recommended that you do a little research before choosing your contractor. After reading reviews, contact potential attic cleanup and decontamination contractors and ask questions such as:
- Do you have a license and proof of insurance?
- What does your insurance cover?
- What’s your experience with projects like mine?
- Is there a warranty involved?
- What proprietary machines, chemicals, and devices do you use for your services?
Pure Environmental: Providing Portland and Tacoma With Comprehensive and Efficient Attic Cleanup and Decontamination Since 2010
Pure Environmental is fully equipped with a team of professionals and top-of-the-line equipment and technology to conduct an effective and efficient attic cleanup and decontamination.
Our services are broad and include:
- Odor removal using PurAyr™ nanotechnology
- Heat treatment
- Emergency mitigations
- Mold remediation
- And more
Our full-service repair and restoration services offer the least impact on the environment while effectively turning a disaster into a problem-solved.
Contact Pure Environment to help make your environment pure again.