Home Repair Services | Springfield

Animal Droppings/Feces Removal

Getting Rid of Animal Droppings

Many wildlife animals will make one area of your attic, walls, or basement its "bathroom," and damage insulation, wood framing or even your ceiling and walls. It's important to call Critter Control of SW Missouri if you suspect a wildlife animal may be residing in your home. The sooner we can remove the problem animal, the better your chances of mitigating damage to your home.

Critter Control of SW Missouri provides a number of services to keep any home free of wildlife damage, wildlife odors, wildlife animals, and more! Wildlife animals in the home undeniably create a huge mess with scratched-up materials and piles of feces wherever they nested. Merely removing the wildlife will not solve those terrible odors or questionable stains that insult your home. Contact Critter Control of SW Missouri by phone or online to get rid of the animal droppings and feces that plague your SW Missouri home.

Types of Animal Droppings

Mouse Droppings

Mouse droppings typically measure less than 1/4" in length and are found in areas near food, like kitchen cupboards and drawers, as well as along pathways the mice consistently travel, such as alongside walls and under the cover of furniture. Collections of scat are generally composed of a few separate pellets, which are pointed at the ends. Some professionals compare mice droppings to grains of rice in terms of shape.

Squirrel Droppings

Squirrel feces are comparable in size to jellybeans or raisins and measure from 5–8 mm in length. They usually get sprinkled along the ground as the rodents travel and the droppings easily blend in with the soil, due to their light brown coloration. Since squirrels are tree-dwelling creatures, they will often use hollow crevices in tree trunks as toilets. Droppings are generally pill-shaped and tubular in appearance and may have tapered ends.

Raccoon Droppings

Raccoon droppings are cylindrical in shape, have rounded or broken ends, and are typically dark in color, though coloration varies depending on what the animal has recently eaten. Raccoon scat is likely to contain berries, as they are a favorite food source. You will find it in large piles as raccoons choose one spot as their bathroom.

Bat Droppings

Bat droppings, often called guano, are small and dark in appearance. The elongated pellets are crumbly and disintegrate when touched. Bat guano can accumulate within walls and attics, as well as on the ground and rooftop. The musty, pungent smell of bat droppings, along with the stains they leave on walls or ceilings, are sure signs of a bat infestation.

Damage that animal droppings cause

Animal droppings are not only unpleasant and smelly, but they cause serious problems in your SW Missouri home.

Soiled Insulation—If wildlife droppings pile up, they can damage insulation so thoroughly that it will need to be fully replaced. Rodents can run through insulation, leaving their urine and droppings along the way. Bats and raccoons leave their droppings on top of the insulation, but they can seep down into your sheetrock.

Diseases—Wildlife droppings spread diseases in your home, like hantavirus, E. Coli, and more.

Flying Squirrel Droppings, L & Bat Droppings (Guano), R

Attic Restoration/Insulation

Protect Your Attic From Wildlife

Did you know that attics are one of the most frequent locations wild animals create nests and raise young in your home? This makes your home's insulation a perfect place to store up various wildlife droppings, fur, and worse. The wildlife technicians at Critter Control of SW Missouri have the professional experience to properly replace your soiled insulation with new insulation and clean the surrounding areas so that your attic looks like new. Critter Control of SW Missouri will insulate your attic the right way which will end up saving you money on the energy bills and ultimately pay for itself.

T.A.P. Pest Control Insulation Installation

T.A.P. is a new type of insulation made from recycled paper that has a borate-based pest control in the insulation. T.A.P. is not only one of the best home insulators available, it also controls attic pests like ants, cockroaches, and termites.

We will start your new green insulation installation with an inspection of your attic. This will allow us to determine the current state of your insulation, look at any heat sources or ventilation we need to plan for, and answer any questions about the process. When it's installation day, we will bring a hose into your home up into your attic and blow the insulation in. We have attic measuring sticks that show us how much insulation we need to achieve the best r-value. When the insulation is in, we will tidy the area. If there is any leftover dust, it's easily wiped with a wet cloth. You will receive a card with your attic's new r-value and all the information you need to apply for energy-saving rebates.

What Types of Animals Get Into Your Insulation?

The most common animals that get into your insulation are raccoons, mice, rats, bats, birds, and squirrels. Having animals in your insulation can create a health hazard for you and your family. If you suspect you have animals in your insulation, it’s important to call Critter Control of SW Missouri.

What do Raccoons Sound Like in your Attic?

Raccoons are nocturnal animals, meaning they are out and about during the nighttime hours. If you hear scratching and scurrying at night, it’s most likely raccoons. Raccoon sounds can range from light bumps in the night to heavy footsteps and loud destruction. Raccoons will rip up your insulation and soil it with their urine and feces.

Signs you have Mice in your Attic:

You may know you have mice in your attic if you hear scratching and scurrying in the nighttime. Like raccoons, mice are also nocturnal. Mice like to make their nests in the warm areas of your attic, such as along the hatches and access panels. They also like to get into your insulation and chew it and rip it. They will also crawl through the insulation, soiling it with their feces.

Signs you have Rats in your Attic:

Rats in your attic sound similar to mice in your attic. Like mice, they like to crawl into your cozy insulation and leave their urine and feces in it. Rats are also nocturnal, meaning they are most active at night and during dawn and dusk.

What do Bats in the Attic sound like?

Bats in the attic can be very dangerous to humans. Bat feces, or guano, in your attic is toxic and can even rot metal and wood. If it’s in your insulation, you will need a professional to help you remove it effectively and safely. You know you may have bats in your attic if you hear their wings flapping, squeaking, or clicking noises. Bats will roost all year and can be found in your attic or other crawl spaces hiberanting in the winter or roosting in the summer and spring months. The best method for bat removal is exclusion, which is a process where you leave an opening for them to fly out, but one they are not able to re-enter. If this process is done properly it typically takes 2-4 for all bats to be excluded.

Signs you have Birds in your Attic:

If you hear chirping in your attic, you can be sure there are birds living up there. Fluttering and banging around is common, as well as constant chirping if you have baby birds in your attic. Birds are not as aware of their surrounding as bats are and will bump into your walls and make a lot of noise.

What do Squirrels in the Attic Sound Like?

Squirrels sleep at night and are active during the day. You may know you have squirrels in your attic if you hear them running around during the day as they’re most likely gathering nuts to store. You may also hear what sounds like rocks rolling around in your attic—that is probably the nuts they’re storing up there.

How much Does Attic Restoration Cost?

If you have wildlife invading your insulation, it’s important to have it properly removed and replaced. The experts at Critter Control SW Missouri will safely remove the insulation to keep your family safe, then replace it with fresh insulation to keep your home energy efficient.

If you’re wondering about attic restoration cleanup cost, we can help by evaluating the area and offering you a quote. Each home needs different types of insulation, has a different amount of square footage, and other variables, but insulation installation is usually an easy process! If you simply need to cap your current insulation, we can do that as well. We can also typically work with most insurance agencies for attic restorations.

For any questions regarding attic restoration in Critter Control of SW Missouri, contact us today!

Attic/Soffit/Louvre Vent Screen Guards

Unfortunately, vents can allow wildlife animals easy access into your home. Even screened vents, if damaged, will allow entry for wildlife animals. Critter Control of SW Missouri will prevent this problem by installing vent screen guards on all problem areas.

Damaged Vent Covers

Animals like mice can squeeze through a hole the size of a dime, so imagine what animals can get into your home through a damaged screen guard! Without the proper vent covers, squirrels will love to climb your house and enter through the soffits, raccoons will have their babies in your crawlspace or chimney, and birds and bats will fly in through your attic vents.

Once you have wildlife living in your home, they will cause many more problems. The easiest and most affordable wildlife management system is prevention! You will find that the most effective way to keep wildlife out of your home is to have Critter Control of SW Missouri install exclusion materials into the vents of your home.

The photos below shows a common raccoon entry method through roof vents.

Let the experts at Critter Control SW Missouri evaluate your home for all the areas that are missing vent covers and repair and replace them for you.

Damaged soffit vent covers in Springfield

Carcass/Dead Animal Removal

Carcass Removal Services in SW Missouri

Wildlife carcasses in the walls or attic of your home create unbearable odors and stains. These all-present smells will inhabit your living area and can be extremely difficult to eliminate. Discovering dead animals inside a home is a common problem for residents of Springfield and the surrounding area. Luckily, Critter Control of SW Missouri offers full-service residential animal removal.

Dangers of Animal Carcasses in your Home

Springfield carcass removal mouse on log Dead animals in the house can carry diseases that are harmful to humans and pets. These diseases can be contracted through physical touch with the carcass. Leptospirosis and tularemia are two of the many diseases that can be contracted through animal carcasses.

In addition to being dangerous to you and your family members, dead animals in the house present a threat to pets. Deceased animals attract fleas and other bugs which are dangerous to your pet. Your pet may also be at risk of contracting a disease if they are curious about the dead animal and pick it up.

Stench from Carcasses

Factors that can affect the smell from a dead animal in the house include:

Size of Animal

Large animals like raccoons produce more odor. They have more flesh that decays.

Location of Animal

Animals will decompose faster in well-ventilated areas. If they are somewhere tight such as in the wall, it will take longer for them to decompose.

Species of Animal

Different animal carcasses smell differently because of their types of flesh.

Stage of Decomposition

As the dead animal in the house decomposes, it will gradually smell worse until the decomposition process completes.

How to Locate the Carcass

A dead animal in the house can be hiding anywhere, from your attic to your vents to your walls. You can best locate the location of the carcass by the scent. The stronger the odor, the closer you are to the deceased animal. If you can't pinpoint the location, remember that the dead animal could be behind the drywall, in a vent, or in the ceiling.

The wildlife technicians at Critter Control of SW Missouri have the knowledge and expertise to know where to look for the dead animal in your home and how to remove them without making a mess. We even clean and repair any damages the carcass may have left behind. Once the carcass has been removed, our wildlife technicians will purify the air and use neutralizers and deodorizers to get rid of the lingering odor.

Dead Animal in the Wall

If you suspect an animal has died in the wall, you may be wondering how to remove it. When Critter Control removes a dead animal in the wall, we start by cutting a hole in the drywall. We then remove the wildlife, and sanitize the area. It's important to remove any bugs or lingering secretions from the dead animal. If the area is not properly cleaned, it will attract bugs into your home. Then, we will repair the drywall to get your home back to top shape!

How do you get rid of dead animals?

The first step to getting your home back to normal after an animal has died inside is to locate the deceased animal. If the animal has died behind drywall, we will carefully cut the wall, remove the animal, sanitize and deodorize the space, then repair the hole.

Once the animal has been located, we will properly dispose of it. Following that, we will sanitize the space to kill any bacteria attracted to the deceased animal. We will also deodorize the space to get your home smelling back to normal. If you are in need of residential animal removal, Critter Control of SW Missouri is your go-to team of experts! Give us a call today to get your home smelling back to normal. 417.815.4476

How do you prevent animals from dying in your home?

The best way to keep your home smelling fresh is to prevent animals from making their way inside in the first place. Critter Control of SW Missouri has all the tools necessary to seal your home from critters and keep your home from this nuisance problem. Some of our prevention services include chimney capping, habitat modification, landscape changes, food elimination, and more.

To remove a dead animal in your SW Missouri home, call us today. 417.815.4476

Caulk & Sealing

Critter Control of SW Missouri offers a service that uses caulking and other methods to prevent wildlife from entering your home.

Benefits of Caulk & Sealing

The best critter control system is prevention! Many types of animals can fit through a hole the size of a dime--think about all those tiny holes you likely have around the exterior of your home! Luckily, Critter Control of SW Missouri is trained to spot and seal these holes. Our well-tested and trusted caulking and sealing methods fill cracks and crevices by using appropriate materials. Sealing gaps on home in Springfield

Critters in your home can cause many problems, including ruining your insulation, leaving droppings that cause health problems, or dying in your home. Sealing the holes to keep them out can save many headaches down the road.

In addition to controlling critter problems, this system also assists in saving energy. When windows and doors are sealed tight, you will notice less draftiness and feel more comfortable in your home. Ensuring your home is sealed is not only great for your quality of living but also great for your wallet and the environment.

How we Seal your Home from Critters

After Critter Control of SW Missouri technicians inspect your home for existing critters and remove them, we will seal your home to keep the problem from coming back. We will ensure you have a plan to keep wildlife out for good!

Common Areas To Caulk and Seal

Windows: As your home shift, windows become susceptible to small cracks and broken seals. While these holes may not be easily visible to the naked eye, rodents in your yard are sure to find them! These gaps are also making your home less energy efficient, which is costing you extra money.

Doors: Like windows, doors are also susceptible to unwanted ventilation. These gaps are causing drafts in your home, and also allowing tiny rodents to squeeze on in.

Siding: If you have holes in your siding, critters are sure to find them! Critter Control of SW Missouri will locate any holes in your siding and seal them up to keep wildlife from using them as a gateway to your cozy home.

Vents: If the vents in your home aren't perfectly aligned, just like holes in your siding, they present an opportunity for critters to get inside. We will ensure your vents are sealed tight to keep critters out!

Entry points in your home can be hard to see. Get peace of mind and quality services by giving the professionals at Critter Control of SW Missouri a call today! 417.815.4476

Chimney Cap and Screen Installation

Chimney cap installation in SW Missouri

Wildlife animals like raccoons, mice, and squirrels can easily enter your SW Missouri home through your chimney. To help decrease your chance of wildlife control problems, we suggest the installation of a chimney cap and screen.

What animals live in chimneys?

If your SW Missouri chimney does not have the proper vents and screens installed, your chimney is exposed to a variety of critters. Many different animals may use your chimney to enter your home, but the most common are raccoons, birds, bats, and squirrels. Not only is your SW Missouri chimney exposed to critters without the proper cap, but it’s also exposed to the elements. The proper chimney cap will keep precipitation, water, and wind from damaging the inside of your chimney.

Preventable Damages With Chimney Cap

A proper fitting chimney cap can keep your SW Missouri home safe from not only the elements but local critters as well.

Bat Damage to Chimneys

Bats are prone to causing some serious damage when entering one's home. Bats typically leave a lot of guano (bat droppings) that are known to cause histoplasmosis (lung infection) and a foul odor that lingers through houses. In addition, bat guano is strong enough to rot through wood and metal leaving the potential to cause even more damage.

Bird Damage to Chimneys

Birds don't typically cause as much damage as other animals in your chimney, however, they're known to be dirty. When having a bird in your chimney they will usually leave a lot of dropping, which similar to bats can cause horrendous odor and histoplasmosis (lung infection). They can even bring in bugs like ticks, fleas, and mites which can spread throughout your house transmitting disease.

Furthermore, birds can make nests in your chimney and you might not know while starting a fire. If there is a bird's nest in your chimney you open the potential for smoke to pour back into the house and kill a bird due to smoke, who would then be stuck up there.

Raccoon Damage to Chimneys

Raccoons will commonly use your chimney to have their babies, as it is warm and out of the elements for them. However, while doing so they commonly damage electrical systems, ventilation, and insulation. These damages can be more serious than one thinks with the possibility of starting a fire or causing water damage. Also just like any other animal they are prone to leave their urine and droppings that can lead to foul odor and mold.

Squirrel Damage to Chimneys

Squirrels will usually cause more damage trying to get to a chimney than they do once they are actually inside. Squirrels are known to cause damage to the siding and roof of a house while trying to gain access to the chimney. In addition, squirrels will chew up insulation, wiring, and vents when gaining access to other parts of the house

All of these animals can make quite a mess in your home, so the best way to prevent this is to install the proper chimney cap and screen.

Call Critter Control of SW Missouri today to keep wildlife animals out of your chimney and out of your home! Contact us online, or call us today! 417.815.4476

Chimney Repairs/Sealing/Tuck Pointing

Chimney Repairs in SW Missouri

Chimneys are exposed to extreme elements due to their location at the top of your house. Chimneys may suffer from degradation of the following areas:

Bricks
Mortar Joints
Concrete Caps
Flashing

Other possible issues with chimneys include rust, damage to the flue lining, moisture, or chimney crown damage. Contact us to discuss repairing your chimney.

Signs your Chimney is Damaged:

White Stain on the Back of Your Chimney

This is a sign of efflorescence. Efflorescence is deposits of salt on the surface of the brick or stone, which means moisture has entered the masonry and disolved some of the salts within. This sign of moisture damage can be caused by condensation, rain, or snow. If left untreated, this moisture can cause major structural damage.

Rust or Holes on Flashing

The flashing is the area where your chimney connects to the roof. If you notice rust or holes here, there is a problem with your flashing. This damage can lead to moisture infiltration and cause structural damage further down the line if neglected for too long.

Wallpaper or Paint Damage

If the wallpaper or paint next to your chimney is damaged, then there is a problem. The brick on the inside of your chimney may have cracked, or the liner could be the wrong size. It is important that the flue liner fits well with your chimney in order to prevent possible exposure to dangerous gasses.

Smoke or Odors Entering Your Home from the Chimney

If you detect smoke or unpleasant smells coming from the chimney, it is likely a sign of damage to the liner or structure of your chimney. Contact professionals quickly if this occurs, as smoke and gasses from your fireplace can become very dangerous if trapped in your home.

Visible Signs of Damage

There are some obvious signs of structural damage to your chimney that warrant significant concern and immediate professional remedy. These include tilting or leaning away from the structure, a missing chimney cap, and crumbling bricks or stones, especially at the base.

Whether these damages were created by wildlife or not, our experts at Critter Control of SW Missouri can help you repair the damages. Call today to bring life back into your home with fresh sealing, chimney repairs, and more! 417.815.4476

Crawlspace Clean-up

Wildlife damage in your home's crawl space can be destructive and may lead to much worse problems. Damaged pipes and soiled insulation can lead to odors in the home, water leaks, wood damage, flooding, and more.

Insulation Restoration in SW Missouri

After the critters have been rem Crawlspace restoration in SW Missouri oved from your crawlspace, you may be left with damage to your insulation. Animals like mice, rats, squirrels, and other rodents will crawl through your insulation. Along the way, they soil it with their urine and feces, making it hazardous to your health. If you've had raccoons in your crawlspace, there will be a latrine to clean up.

When dealing with this problem, it’s important to hire a professional like the team at Critter Control of SW Missouri. Soiled insulation is a health hazard, and we use specialized tools to keep the mess as contained as possible. We have commercial cleaners to sterilize the area, and we can reinstall fresh insulation after the removal of the soiled insulation.

Damaged Pipes

Rodents have sharp teeth that do not stop growing. To keep their teeth in check, they chew whatever is around. This may include the pipes in your crawlspace. If you have damage to the pipes in your SW Missouri crawlspace, we can help get them repaired.

Damaged pipes can lead to severe water damage in your crawlspace, so it’s important to catch the problem and repair it as soon as possible.

Water Damage

Water damage from leaking pipes can lead to a host of other issues. This can lead to foul odors coming from your crawlspace, but more importantly it can cause structural damage to the building's foundation and supports.

Contact Critter Control of SW Missouri to conduct an inspection to identify what damages have occurred and how they can be fixed. 417.815.4476

Foundation Vent Management

Closing entry holes in Springfield Foundation vents are another problematic area where wildlife animals tend to find their way into homes. Critter Control of SW Missouri will be sure to identify each problem area and install a vent or other exclusion material to keep animals out.

Ways we can block your home off from squirrels, birds, rodents, and other wildlife include the following:

· Screening foundation vents

· Installing chimney caps and screens

· Closing entry holes

Benefits of a new foundation vent

Foundation vents are essential to keeping the air flowing in your SW Missouri home, but they can be an easy access point for curious critters like birds, squirrels, and mice.

Rodents have very sharp teeth, and if you don’t have the correct material covering your foundation vent, they will chew right through it. The experts at Critter Control of SW Missouri will ensure your foundation vent is covered with the correct vent cover.

If critters get into your foundation, they can cause quite a lot of damage. You may find your pipes chewed, foundation soiled, and new baby animals running around down there. While these problems are all fixable, the easiest thing to do is have the experts at Critter Control of SW Missouri seal your home up from unwelcome guests.

Closing Entry Holes

Animals, especially small ones like rodents and squirrels, can also enter your foundation through other small holes around your home, such as cracks in the mortar or gaps in your doors and windows. Critter Control of SW Missouri will evaluate your home for any of these possible entry points and seal them up to ensure your home is protected from any unwelcome visitors.

It can be hard to identify all of the entry holes in your SW Missouri home, so the technicians at Critter Control of SW Missouri will be sure to seal everything up to prevent future damages.

The technicians at Critter Control of SW Missouri are here to protect your home from critters. Call us today – 417.815.4476

Goose Round-Ups/Management

Wild geese populations are at an all-time high and Critter Control of SW Missouri has developed a number of techniques to control populations and remove resident geese from properties. Working closely with local wildlife officials, Critter Control of SW Missouri is able to round up and remove large groups of nuisance geese. Harassment techniques often help to reduce local populations of geese and repellents may also be used on turf to deter geese from feeding and roosting. Droppings from geese can create unsightly messes and stained sidewalks. Trust a wildlife professional to handle geese control methods, as these animals may become aggressive if approached.

Inspections/Consultations

Looking Down a Chimney at Three Raccoons Did you know that Critter Control of SW Missouri is a full-service wildlife control company? We’ll inspect your property from top to bottom, inside and out when we come to your home. We'll be able to identify all potential problems and offer you safe and cost-effective solutions using our copyrighted AEW (Animal Entry Worksheet).

Some of the services we offer include:

For more information on solving your wildlife-related problems, call Critter Control of SW Missouri today!

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