What to Do When You Find a Dead Animal in Your Ducts

As much as you don’t want it to happen in your own home, a small animal or rodent can occasionally work its way into your ductwork. This can happen in any home, In addition to wall spaces, basements and attics where small animals often hide air ducts are actually one of the most suitable pathways for them to move around unnoticed. If left unaddressed without proper air conditioning maintenance, they’ll leave many holes in your duct walls and let the air escape. Your HVAC system will end up having to work harder by pumping more air to circulate around your home, which only adds to your energy consumption and monthly utility bill.

“How Do I Know if I Have a Dead Animal in My Ducts?”

You’ll know if a small animal or rodent somehow dies within your ducts just by the smell. This becomes evident by the air circulating inside your home. For most homeowners, it can be an unfortunate problem, and it’s usually left to the professionals to do a clean, efficient job. If you still have'[t decided on doing this yourself, here’s what you can do:

“How Can I Find the Carcass?”

An easy way to find the carcass is to follow where the smell is coming from. Your HVAC system circulates the air inside your home, so it

will also distribute the rotting smell into every room. You’ll have to turn off your HVAC system, then leave your windows open to let in fresh air. Doing this can help you trace the source of the foul smell. Once all your rooms have been aired out, it should be easy to find the area that has the strongest odor. Depending on the size of your home, you may still have to go around your home’s interiors a few times until you determine the location of the dead animal.

“How Can I Remove the Carcass?”

Once you’ve found the dead animal, consider hiring a certified technician who specializes in ductwork and air conditioner repair. This is to ensure that the body can be disposed of properly, the ducts cleaned efficiently and the exposed duct repaired professionally. In fact, when you hire out our services, we’ll also inspect your ductwork and make sure it’s properly sealed, ensuring that no animal will crawl into it again. If you still want to try disposing of it yourself, you’ll need a garbage bag, screwdriver, flashlight, rubber gloves, disinfectant cleaner and paper towels.

• First, use a screwdriver to remove the register cover. Use your flashlight to look inside the duct and see if the carcass is visible. If you can’t see the body, you might need a telescoping inspection camera to maneuver the twists and turns of your ductwork. This type of equipment is usually used by our team when we do regular ductwork inspection on other homes.
• If you see the carcass but it’s beyond your reach, you may need another tool to reach it. This can be something as simple as a bent clothes hanger or a long hose attachment for your vacuum cleaner if you have one. If it’s totally beyond your reach, you’ll have no choice but to get it removed professionally.

When you engage our services, we’ll use the necessary equipment to locate and remove the dead animal from awkward, hard-to-reach places in your ductwork. Whether for ductwork maintenance or other air conditioning installation services, hire Superior Air today by calling (559) 734-2002. You can also contact us through our  convenient online form. We serve Tulare and surrounding areas in CA.