Attic Cleanup and Bat Guano Removal
If you have significant damage and require insulation replacement, we suggest that you hire an actual restoration company. Attic restorations are more complicated than it may sound. You need to consider proper sanitizing, utilizing a true HEPA Vac, and evaluating attic ventilation. Most wildlife companies simply do not have the proper skills, training and equipment to complete a restoration properly. Hire an expert.
Histoplasmosis – Bat Guano and Bird Droppings
Histoplasma capsulatum is a fungus living naturally in the environment, most likely occurring in areas associated with large quantities of bird and/or bat droppings. Human interaction in this environment can cause lung infections when the fungal spores are inhaled. Health risks of contracting histoplasmosis has been publicized in the media; this is the same fungal disease that is transmitted to humans.
The risk of histoplasmosis exposure due to guano buildup in an attic is likely to be very low, because people generally access those areas infrequently. Additionally, most homes are maintained to keep moisture and water outside. Growth of the fungus requires a warm, humid environment common under rotting logs or in rich organic soil. (The fungus can grow in the buildup of droppings present under bat roosts that have been used of for a long period of time, like caves.)
Lung infections may occur after fungal spores are inhaled. It’s important to note, however, that many people who inhale the spores do not get sick and the disease remains a rarity in Ohio in spite of the large number of homes containing bat colonies. Learn more about the symptoms of histoplasmosis — which are similar to pneumonia — through trusted references sources like the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Contact your doctor immediately if you have any concerns about your health.
Get more histoplasmosis information through the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).