Are Mothballs Dangerous In The Attic

Many people will recommend moth balls to get rid of squirrels in the attic and other pests.

Are mothballs dangerous in the attic.

In fact the odor of mothballs can be detected at a few parts per billion in the air. This was one of the worst experiences of my life. Could someone please give me ideas on how to remove the mothball odor. The mothballs are quite effective at keeping them away.

Concentrations high enough to be effective for pest control can be dangerous for anyone exposed to them. The dangerous myth of mothballs. One part per billion is about several drops of water in an olympic size swimming. The gas emitted from moth balls is heavier than air and will seep from your attic into the lower levels of your home your living areas.

Sure some mothballs are visible on the surface but the ventilation is like snow and many of the balls dipped under the surface. Now i have the odor of mothballs coming into my home worse in some areas than others. Two weeks later the house still smells. The mothballs are all in the insulation.

Besides the ease of just throwing a 1 2 box out in the garage or up in the attic and letting the smell chase away their troubles is so much more simple than breaking out the spray. While it s possible to wait out the mothball smell this isn t recommended in no small part because the poisonous residue will remain after the smell dissipates. They include squirrels skunks deer mice rats dogs cats raccoons moles snakes pigeons and a variety of other animals. Mothballs can seriously impair indoor air quality.

After 15 hours in the attic i probably got half the mothballs. This is the problem. Moth balls take oxygen out of the air. Moth balls contain either naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene both of which become a gas when exposed to air releasing that signature pungent mothball odor.

Getting rid of the mothball smell. I put a very large number of mothballs in the attic and on the insulation to deter the squirrels. A relatively common mistake is placing mothballs in an attic to repel squirrels. Most moth balls are made from naphthalene which is derived from coal tar.

Often mothballs are used in these locations to control pests other than clothes moths stone said. The question is if they are equally as useful in keeping a bat away. However the fumes can last much longer allowing mothballs to effectively last for several years if in a properly sealed container. Any such use is illegal.

Mothballs are the little spherical objects that are used to keep moths away from your clothes when you store them. Moths love to chew at clothing like wool and they can ruin clothes that you have put in your attic or closet. Many people use moth balls to get rid of squirrels and other pests in their attic without knowing of the dangers.