Pest Control
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A loft is warm, dry and rarely disturbed, which makes it an ideal place for birds and rodents to nest. Problems there can go unnoticed for months. By the time the birds or rodents have been dealt with and the way in has been closed, the loft can be left with a thick layer of droppings, old nests and fouled insulation. That needs clearing before the space is safe to use.
Signs something has been living in the loft
- Scratching, scurrying, flapping or cooing from above the ceiling.
- Droppings on joists, insulation and stored belongings.
- Twigs, feathers or shredded material in the loft or the gutters.
- Flattened, tunnelled or stained insulation.
- A stale, ammonia-like smell, or a stronger smell where something has died.
- Small insects or mites appearing in rooms below.
If you are not sure what you are hearing, our guide to noises in the house may help narrow it down.
Deal with the cause first
Cleaning a loft while the birds or rodents can still get in is wasted work. The first step is to deal with whatever is there and close the way in. For rodents, that means treatment and proofing. For birds, it means waiting until any active nest is no longer in use, because wild birds, their nests in use and their eggs are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and then proofing the gap they used.
Why the loft needs clearing
- Health. Rodent droppings and urine can carry bacteria such as salmonella and leptospira, the cause of Weil's disease. Bird droppings can carry bacteria and fungi, including the organism that causes psittacosis. The risk comes mainly from handling fouled material or breathing in dust from it.
- Insects and mites. Old nests, droppings, dead birds and unhatched eggs feed carpet beetles, moths, flies and mites, which then find their way into the house. Our guide to bird mites covers one of the most common results.
- Smell. Soiled insulation holds odour long after the animals have gone.
- Insulation that no longer works. Flattened, tunnelled and soiled insulation loses much of its value, and it cannot be cleaned.
Can I clear the loft myself?
A small amount of fouling can be cleared carefully by a householder. Wear disposable gloves and a well-fitting dust mask, dampen droppings with disinfectant before you touch them, bag everything, and never sweep or vacuum droppings dry with a household vacuum, which spreads the dust. Wash your hands and clothes afterwards.
A heavily fouled loft is a different job. Lifting large amounts of contaminated insulation in a confined space raises a lot of dust, and the waste has to be bagged and disposed of correctly. That is where we come in.
What a full loft clean-up involves
- Removal of contaminated insulation, nests, droppings and debris.
- Bagging and disposal of the waste in line with the regulations for contaminated material.
- Vacuuming the loft with suitable equipment, including joists, the underside of the roof and any old wasp nests or cobwebs.
- Disinfecting the whole space.
- Re-insulating the loft to the current recommended depth.
When to call us
If your loft has been fouled by birds or rodents, call us on 01926 632 929 or request a quotation. We can deal with the pest, proof the way in, and clear, decontaminate and re-insulate the loft. We recommend that we do the whole job, from the pest through to the clean-up, because our technicians are qualified to sign the finished work off. If another company has already dealt with the pest, we can still carry out the clean-up. Our bird control and rat control pages explain how we deal with the cause.
Bird control and proofing → Cleaning up after rodents → Ask about a loft clean-up →