Sooner or later it is bound to happen. Every homeowner at some point during the history of owning a home will experience it. I’m talking about the mystery animal who decided to die in your home. Whether it be a wall, attic, basement, porch, or something somewhere. The smell is just “Eeek”, and won’t go away until the hidden critter is found. Laughing aren’t you? It can be no laughing matter for some. Here are some great tips on how to prevent an embarrassing odor before it happens to you.
Where Do Critters Die?
1. Porch Area
One of our most common areas that our company finds “the dead” is underneath porches or concrete slabs. These can be some of the worst areas a critter can die. Why? Because most normally there is hedges and other concrete intrusions that are typically in the way. To remove the dead animal usually takes a lot of time digging and the critter is usually in the hardest to reach place.
Keeping the dead out of this area can be prevented by installing a wire mesh porch exclusion. The mesh is buried at a reasonable depth away from the porch and is anchored to prevent any unwanted animals from re-entering the area.
2. Attic Area
One of the second most common areas that our company has found where critters kick the bucket is found in the attic area. You might be asking how do critters get in? Typically, a loose vent screen or attic vent of some type. This isn’t always the case animals can access many points around the home such as: soffits and fascia. When dead critters are suspected to be in the attic area, they must be removed. Usually, these pest animals are Raccoons, Squirrels, Opossums, and can even be Rats. They’ve got to go! Leaving them could damage the ceilings of the home as they further deteriorate. Gross huh!
Fixing the attic vent screens and entry areas after all the animals have been removed is your safest bet. It is recommended for the homeowner to do a thorough inspection of their attic vents and home, before animals take up residence.
“They’ve got to go! Leaving a dead animal could damage the ceilings of the home as they further decompose.”
3. Walls
No easy path of removing the dead from a wall space. Typically I’ve found Rodents to be the main culprit to be the dead animal in the walls. Especially if the homeowner has a rodent problem. However, birds and squirrels are no exception. The idea is the critter pit falls into the wall cavity and can’t get back up. Getting rid of a dead animal in this area can be done, but is easier to prevent this before happening in the first place.
Fixing door sweeps are a good start for the homeowner experiencing rodent problems. Typically the garage area around garage doors can often times be a solid rodent entry. A good place to start fixing a dead animal problem is inspecting these areas for potential rodent entries. Next, follow-up with a good trapping program to remove these unwanted pests.
4. Basements or Crawl Spaces
Gaps in the foundation of a home can lead to a nasty dead animal smell. The dead in this area can lead a homeowner to believe something died in the heating vents. I’ve not found this to be the case. However, mobile homes are also notorious for this problem. The critter will find a nice cozy home within the balloon insulation underneath the flooring. Getting rid of the dead animal in this area can be quite the chore to find, but can be done with a little belly crawling.
Once the animals are removed, fixing gaps around the foundation is a must to prevent critters from accessing the basement and crawl space area. Be sure to inspect the crawl space door and replace it if missing or if it can be easily moved with a little force.
5. Soffits
Here is another tricky area that the dead quit ticking. Rotten fascia or loose soffit vents make this an easy area for critters to access entry into your home. Getting rid of dead animals in this area can be a difficult task. Preventing animals from accessing this area once the animals have been removed can be quite easy or extensive. Some fascia boards may need to be replaced and soffit vent covers should be solid and intact.
As you can see preventing dead animals from your home can be quite a task. It can be difficult to find out where and what kind of animal has made itself into your home. This is why it is important to have a professional dead animal removal company in the St Joseph, Mo. area to inspect your home and make these preventative repairs. That company is All Friendly. All Friendly will remove your dead animal and restore your home to it’s original condition. If you or someone you know goes “Eeek” the next time the smell appears to be a dead animal, don’t hesitate to contact us!
