We've had a disaster, please read

[RSKY]

We had been smelling a slight skunk odor for the past month or so but could not see anywhere one could get under the house. It disappeared for a while but came back strong Friday night. I thought one was just walking by. I finally found where it was getting under the house on Saturday morning. It had tunneled under the return air for the central unit. Bought a game camera and set it up, got video, set out trap, didn't catch it. Also saw a possum going under at the same place.

We have lived here for thirty five years with no problem but Tuesday night the skunk and possum got in a fight under the house.

The skunk won.

We lost.

After the fact we have found out what happens when a skunk sprays multiple times under your house. It took us less than thirty minutes to leave and head for a motel. Had to stop at a Wal Mart and buy new clothes. Spent the night in a motel, moving to an apartment today. One lady who found out what had happened called my wife the next day, she had the same thing happen last year and her bill topped $17,000. New ductworks, new central unit, new carpet, new drapes, walls washed with some type of smell reducing chemical, you get the idea. Said it was seventeen days before they could move back home. Apartments were we are staying said the longest somebody had stayed with him because of a skunk was ten weeks.

The local skunk catcher, yes, every county has one, said that ninety percent get under a house by way of the gap around the return air on a central heating unit. Then they tear into the vents. Said he has to "shake them out" of vents and catch them with his bare, gloved, hands.

The smell was so bad I could TASTE the odor.

Apparently Farm Bureau is the only insurance that will cover this. Thankfully that is what we have.

Where this critter got in is about six inches wide and two to three inches high. Check your central unit return air and seal all gaps around it. You do not want to go thru this.

RSKY

 

[murphy1244]

Sorry to hear of your troubles, hope all gets better soon.

 

[RDrancher]

We had a skunk burrow under the back wall of our raised foundation. The dog attacked the skunk and afterwards somehow got past me through the sliding glass door to our bedroom. She tried to rub it off on the carpet, the bedspread and the curtains before I chased her out. It smelled like there was a spraying skunk in our room and yes, you could taste the odor. My wife emptied a can of frebreze on it all. I couldn't believe it, but within minutes the smell was completely gone! Then, she sprayed the dog down and it stopped that smell too. That was a few months ago. We never get around to shampooing the carpet. Almost afraid to, since it doesn't have any odor.

 

[diesel lover]

Wow never heard of such a thing. I read something great on your post!! You have insurance to help you out on this issue! That is something I would be thankful for. What a nuance

 

[rekees4300]

Tuesday night the skunk and possum got in a fight under the house.

Now there's an unusual problem. Glad your insurance had a skunk clause.

 

[dave1949]

RSKY, I remember your post awhile back about the skunk smell/catching skunks.

Yuck! Your insurance company may know of some professional treatment that will get rid of most of the smell. Thankfully, I don't think skunk spray is harmful to health in any lasting way.

 

[tcreeley]

We used to use a 13' dug well with a cap over it. One day we noticed that the water in the kitchen smelled funny- like skunk. We couldn't find an obvious cause so I lifted the trap door to the well and looked down. There were two drowned skunks floating in the water. I scooped them out. Then I dumped a gallon of chlorox bleach into the well and we ran the water forever. Within a week things were back to normal.
-Once saw a great horned owl eating a skunk on the side of the road during a rain storm- natural predator.

 

[Stimw]

I knew someone who had problems with Armadillos tunneling under foundation.
He poured used motor oil in the hole and for some reason the animals moved on. ???
It should work with most critters.
I read or saw where someone had a problem with an animal and set it on fire!!! IT ran back under the house and set it on fire!!

 

[MotorSeven]

Oh man, sorry to hear that. Our three Welsh Terriers got skunked a few years ago(and no Tomato juice DOES NOT help). Anyway, 6 months later, I took on of them to the vet for regular shots. As soon as the vet walked into the room he wrinkled up his nose and said, "Whoaaa, who got Skunked???"

So I guess the good news is that YOU will get used to the smell....not so much everyone you come in contact with....:laughing:

On a serious note, I think I would just go rent or buy a couple big high volume fans, open up the underpinning and blow air under the house for a week & see if that does not take care of most of it. Of course getting rid of the skunk is numero uno on the list.

 

[Bob77064]

RSKY, I am sorry to hear this.

 

[IslandTractor]

If i recall correctly, skunk odor is mercaptoethanol. Same stuff the gas company puts into natural gas so leaks can be detected. Mercaptoethanol can be neutralized by weak acids like vinegar. Spraying vinegar or washing with tomato juice (another weak acid) are the traditional means of washing a skunked dog. Ask me how I know. Point is, don't throw out valued items before trying a simple vinegar spray followed by a rinse.

 

[MotorSeven]

We must have Trubo Skunks...tomato juice didn't put a dent in it.

 

[k0ua]

We must have Trubo Skunks...tomato juice didn't put a dent in it.

This is supposed to be a top notch skunk remedy. I can't vouch for it, but I have seen it in multiple places for years.

The Recipie & Directions

 

[buickanddeere]

No basement? Furnace isn't in a utility room in a basement?

 

[zzvyb6]

We use a product called Skunk-Off. Its an enzyme type product that doesn't mask the smell, it breaks up the molecules of crotyl mercaptan, isopentyle mercaptan and methyl crotyl disulfide (in the ratio of 4:4:3, of course) that skunks discharge. You can get it at a pet store or TSC or maybe wallyworld.

You can try after shave or mint mouthwash to clean up the place. To keep skunks away from an area, spray regularly with ammonia. They have a good memory of where ammonia has been used to dis-invite them.

 

[texasjohn]

Sorry you got skunked!

You will stop noticing so much reasonably soon. Perhaps one of the suggested fixes will help. I grew up with skunks....my dog would get into them often when varmint hunting. The smell would go away in a few days, week at most. DON'T get stuff wet...smell comes back.

Best wishes!:crossfingers:

 

[deerseeker001]

I am sorry to hear of your skunk problems have had problems in the past with them getting dogs chained up.i can only imagine.

 

[jaotguy]

another recipe for de-skunking is plain old "tide" powdered laundry detergent .. add water , mix into a paste and rub in to fur /clothes/ skin... let sit then rinse ( keep out of eyes ) ... skunk off is weaker than this treatment ( and more expensive )

can also be mixed in a new lawn sprayer ( kind used for weed control ) and used to hose down equipment that has been sprayed.....

 

[newbury]

We had a skunk burrow under the back wall of our raised foundation. The dog attacked the skunk and afterwards somehow got past me through the sliding glass door to our bedroom. She tried to rub it off on the carpet, the bedspread and the curtains before I chased her out. It smelled like there was a spraying skunk in our room and yes, you could taste the odor. My wife emptied a can of frebreze on it all. I couldn't believe it, but within minutes the smell was completely gone! Then, she sprayed the dog down and it stopped that smell too. That was a few months ago. We never get around to shampooing the carpet. Almost afraid to, since it doesn't have any odor.

John - You should contact Fabreze and sell your story!

 

[RSKY]

ServPro came out and set up an ozone generator on a step ladder in the hall by the return air vent. I had to set the fan so it would run constantly. Them I had to open every closet door, all cabinet doors and all drawers. Then I had to make sure the bed linens were striped and all dust ruffles etc up so air could flow under everything. It seems to be helping.

Thought I was gonna die before I got it all done!

One lady told us that all clothes left in her house under the ozone generator were ok. But everything they took out and tried to wash had to be thrown.

We will see.

Cost $300 to run it for 24 hours.

RSKY