How To Deal With a Dead Rodent in Your Air Ducts

Is there a strong, unpleasant smell coming from your air ducts? If so, it might be a dead rodent. In addition to the unbearable smell, a dead rodent can create a health hazard and attract other creatures to your HVAC ducts. This is something you need to deal with ASAP, so here are a few pointers from our   air duct cleaning experts.

Turn Your HVAC System Off

Keeping the HVAC system on when there’s something rotting in the ducts is a very bad idea. In addition to helping the odor circulate throughout your home, this can also spread disease-causing bacteria. Deactivate your HVAC system and, if possible, open your windows to let the stale air out of your home. With the system off, check each air duct to determine where the odor is the strongest to help locate the dead rodent.

Removing the Rodent

Getting rid of a dead animal is the worst part of the process, and in some cases the most difficult. Depending on how far inside the ducts the rodent is, you might have to use a stick with a hook on the end of it to get it out. In most cases, we recommend leaving the task to HVAC maintenance   experts like us to avoid causing damage to the inner lining of your air ducts.

Disinfecting the Area

Regardless of how long the dead rodent stayed in your air ducts, you need to thoroughly disinfect the area where you found it. Fecal matter, blood, fur, and other remains will still pose the same problems as the actual carcass. While you can clean the area with soap and spray-on disinfectant, hard-to-reach areas have to be cleaned by a professional equipped with the right tools.

Rodent-Proof Your Ducts

Don’t let another dead rodent put you in the same position. Once the duct is properly cleaned, ask an   HVAC repair   contractor about rodent-proofing your air ducts. Putting durable metal grilles over vent openings is a great idea because they’re cheap, effective and very easy to install. You should also have the professionals check for gaps or chewed-out holes where small animals can crawl through so you can have those sealed before the next one gets in.

Keep your home’s air clean and healthy with the help of our team. R.A. Biel Plumbing & Heating, Inc. is the most trusted HVAC contractor in the area. You can call us at (505) 327-7755 or fill out this   contact form to request a quote.