Questions for the first conversation

Ask these by phone or in writing before anyone comes out, and listen for specific answers.

  1. Do you handle the animal, or do you work only after a wildlife operator has removed it?
  2. How will you find where the spray landed? Will someone look under the porch, in window wells and in the crawlspace?
  3. What products do you use, and how do they act on skunk compounds?
  4. Will you use fragrance, and can it be left out?
  5. Will you use ozone? If so, how long must the house be empty, and how is it aired out?
  6. How do you handle the HVAC system if the smell is in the ducts?
  7. Which materials would you expect to remove rather than treat, such as insulation, carpet pad or soil?
  8. Will I get a written quote describing the work before anything starts?
  9. What happens if the smell comes back after the next rain?
  10. Do technicians carry liability insurance, and can you provide a certificate?
  11. Do any of your technicians hold odor control or restoration certifications, and from which organization?

What good answers sound like

A careful provider will want to know where the skunk was, when it sprayed, whether it is still around, and which rooms smell. They should be comfortable saying that a skunk still living under the house needs a wildlife operator first. They should talk about finding and treating the residue, not about how pleasant the house will smell afterward.

Be cautious with anyone who quotes a fixed job sight unseen, insists ozone alone will solve it, cannot name the products they use, or pushes to start immediately without a written description of the work. None of those are proof of a bad provider, but they are worth a follow-up question.

It is also fair to ask how they will protect finishes. Some neutralizers and oxidizers can lighten fabrics or affect wood stains, and a provider who tests in an inconspicuous spot first is paying attention.

Before you sign

  • The quote names the areas to be treated, including outside spray zones
  • Materials to be removed are listed, with who disposes of them
  • Any air or whole-house treatment is described, with how long you must stay out
  • Re-treatment terms if the smell returns are written down
  • Access needs are clear: porch skirting, crawlspace hatch, attic or furnace room
  • You know who will seal entry points afterward and when

General information for Washington Park, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.