Suburban Raccoons

The answer to this question, can raccoons in the attic cause asthma for people living in the home is “yes” for some people. To understand why we say yes. You first have to understand a little about people who have asthma or are susceptible to asthma. You also need to understand a little about raccoons. The damage they can do and what happens to their feces that are left in the attics of homes. The picture on the left is a rather dramatic result of raccoons living in an attic for quite some time. Not only are there a lot of feces, but the insulation will also be soaked with urine. It is also compacted providing virtually no insulation for the homeowner. It is actually pretty disgusting. You can read about these issues in other posts on this site, now back to the main question.

Can Raccoons in the Attic Cause Asthma

Persons who are susceptible to asthma attacks have probably learned if they have had it long enough that there are in fact all kinds of triggers. Regardless of what the trigger is, the important thing is to deal with it immediately to avoid a severe asthma attack. Take your medication and remove yourself from your surroundings to ensure that the attack is only a mild one. Triggers can be colds, the flu, dust, pollen, cosmetics, and a myriad of other smells and odors that are in the air.

In the case of raccoons in the attic, they leave feces on the insulation as shown in the picture. The attic is often very hot and dry. Which tends to fry the feces and turn them into dust particles the moment they are disturbed. This could be from a slight breeze or someone going through the attic and disturbing the feces. As long as there is no air path from the attic into your home’s living area, you should be ok. If you go into the attic and do not wear a face breathing mask, these dust particles from the feces as well as the natural dust in the attic could definitely trigger an attack if dust is one of your triggers.

Other Dangers

There are many other dangers to raccoon feces which we have discussed in other posts on this site. Raccoon worms can lie dormant for a long time in eggs. Then mature and hatch inside humans if breathed into the lungs. When cleaning an attic like the one shown in this attic, hire a professional environmental control company to remove all of the insulation. The feces and make any repairs that are needed. Do not volunteer to help them unless you wear the same protective gear. Follow the same procedures they follow.

Finally, install a one-way trap door over the entrance area so that they cannot get back in and repeat the process. More on that also on other posts on our site.

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