Bird Nesting Debris Found in Old Dryer Vent in Skillman, NJ

Challenge

During a routine treatment service of this home in Skillman, NJ, we noticed that one of the dryer vents was damaged and full of bird nesting debris. We immediately told the homeowner who informed us that the dryer vent was disconnected on the inside months ago and he just never got around to sealing it on the outside. Fortunately, there weren't any birds inside the vent.

Solution

First, we carefully removed all the nesting debris. Next, we disinfected the vent with a solution that targets bird mites. Bird mites are parasites that feed on the blood of birds. When birds leave their nests, the mites are left behind without a suitable host for their next blood meal. They will make their way into a home, and once inside they will take over, climbing all over your walls, ceilings, and beddings. To make matters worse, bird mites are tiny and semi-transparent, so they are extremely difficult to detect.  Bird mites are the main reason why extreme care is needed when removing a nest. The last thing you want to do is disrupt the mites that are crawling in and around the nesting material.

Although we offered to seal up the old dryer vent for the owner, he mentioned that he will seal it up on his own.