As an HVAC professional with years of experience, I’ve seen firsthand the havoc that birds can wreak on home ventilation systems. One of the most common issues we encounter is the need for bird nest removal from chimney, dryer, vent or attic. While birds may seem harmless, their nesting habits can lead to significant problems for your home’s heating, cooling, and air quality. Among several things that happen when a mating pair of starlings chooses to nest and lay eggs inside your vent opening, the following are nearly inevitable:
- Blocked Airflow
- Damage to Ductwork
- Fire hazards
- Health Concerns: droppings, bird mites
Starlings build large and messy nests with twigs, grass, and leaves. Often enough, their nests grow so large they can fill an entire garbage bag. Such nests block air flow and trap heat, causing fan motors and dryers to overheat. At that point, the dry nest material can easily act as a fire accelerant.
Removing bird nests from dryer vents is crucial because many of them are covered with tiny bugs called bird mites. These bugs survive off of the blood of both babies and adult starlings. When the birds leave the nest or the mite population grows too large, it typically migrates into the home in search of new hosts.