We discovered feathers and tiny caterpillars coming out of the vent in our kid's room, and it turns out birds have burrowed into our air ducts! They got in through vents on the side of our house, where we also had some siding blow off, giving them access. Not only are they nesting there, but they've also left droppings behind. We hired a team to take a look, and they quoted us $2,000 to remove the birds and fix the damaged siding. However, upon further inspection, it seems like we might need to replace our ductwork entirely due to a possible dead bird or a large buildup of old waste found in the vents. Unfortunately, our insurance doesn't cover this kind of pest problem. Has anyone else dealt with something similar? What should we do next? We're feeling overwhelmed since our house is only 20 years old!
3 Answers
It's hard to believe you’ll need to gut your entire house for this! It's likely that only the sections with dead birds may need replacement. As for cleaning the rest, there are DIY methods if you're up for it. Just make sure to fix that hole in the siding too! It might cost a lot, but it shouldn’t be as extreme as full gutting.
I totally understand your frustration! It sounds gross, but cleaning out the dead birds and vacuuming the ducts is often enough. Just be careful and ensure you do it safely! The health risks from bird droppings can be serious, so don’t underestimate that.
Right? They're pooping in the vents! That can lead to some serious health problems. It's worth taking seriously.
It sounds like a really serious situation! Has anyone run a camera through your ductwork? That could help determine if the issue is isolated or more widespread. Also, keep in mind that duct sanitization is a specialized service that not all HVAC contractors offer, so you might need to look for a dedicated sanitizing company.
I did reach out to a company specializing in sanitizing, but they were uncertain about how much they can help. I've contacted about eight different businesses, and none seem confident in resolving this. It's pretty concerning.
I appreciate the input, but several companies have pointed out that they can’t guarantee proper sanitization without replacing the entire ducts. We didn’t realize how extensive this issue was until now.