How to Get Rid of Bats
Bats in your home can damage your property and can be a health risk, so removing them is important. Here's a guide on how to get rid of bats.
Table of Contents
If you have bats living in your home, take steps as soon as possible to have them removed.
Whether you do so yourself or pay someone to do the job for you, you should also take steps to prevent their return once they are gone. Keep in mind that you must observe local laws requiring you to remove such pests non-lethally.
Here's a guide on how to get rid of bats in your attic and other areas of your home, presented by car insurance broker
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Identify your bat problem
Finding out you have a bat problem is the first step in the process. Most often, you might notice one or two bats around your home at night, but upon further inspection realize you have a far bigger issue to deal with.
Once you realize you have a bat infestation, you need to determine a few things, including how they are getting in, where they are living, and how many bats you have.
Some other questions to ask include:
What species of bat are you living with?
Try to determine the species of bat currently living in your home or on your property. The species of bat determines their nesting habits, mating season, and other important information that you can use to help remove them and keep them out of your home.
The three most common types of bats in the U.S. include:
- Little brown bat: Common throughout the U.S., these bats tend to live in large colonies in attics and barns. They have their young in the month of June, and the young are able to fly by August of the same year.
- Big brown bat: Found most commonly in the northern U.S., the big brown bat also give birth to their young during June.
- Mexican free-tail bat: Common throughout the Southern U.S., the Mexican free-tail bat form huge colonies and like to roost in the attics of homes. Like other bats, the females of the species tend to have one young bat in June.
How are the bats getting in?
If you suspect that you have bats living on your property, you need to determine where they are living and how they are getting in. Keep in mind that bats look for dark, enclosed, out-of-the-way places to sleep during the day and journey out for food and drink at night.
If bats are living on your property, more than likely they have found an egress point, such as a broken window, crack in the wall or
foundation
, or apertures leading to out-of-the-way places in your home, including attics and crawlspaces. You can also watch the areas where you know they are living to try and determine how they are getting in.How do you get rid of bats?
Once you know that you have bats, their type, where they are living on your property, and how they are getting in, it is time to remove them.
Step 1: Change the environment. The biggest step you can take is to change the environment where they are living to one that they don't like.
Some steps you can take to change the environment to discourage bats include:
- Turning on a light in the attic.
- Hanging strips of aluminum to disorient and repel bats.
- Place a white noise machine in the area where you know they are living.
In all cases, some states have declared bats a protected species, meaning it is against the law to exterminate them. If the bat inhabiting your home is considered a protected species in your area, you need to use non-lethal ways of removing them.
Step 2: Provide an alternate living area. One option is to provide the bats a safe area to live away from your home.
Called a
bat box
, you can either build one yourself or buy one from a pest control or wildlife removal service.This options works well when you're also taking steps to drive them out of your home. Naturally, the bats will look for somewhere else to stay during the day. By providing an alternate living area for them, you are allowing them to perform their vital service of pest control while staying out of your home.
Make sure to find a place for the bats to live in that is far enough away from your home. For instance, you can set up a bat box near the treeline of your property or far out on your property in an area with ample shade.
Keep in mind that bat boxes aren't exactly pretty. If you're a member of a homeowners association or you're just renting the house you're living in, it's possible that there are rules preventing you from setting up a bat box.
Step 3: Block re-entry. You should also block the egress point the bats are using to access your home.
This can include repairing a broken window, sealing up any cracks in the wall or foundation, or installing exclusion devices that allow the bat to leave the area but not return.
How to deter bats
Once you have driven off or had the bats removed from your home, you need to stop them from coming back. Here are some steps to ensure the bats don't come back.
Step 1: Seal off entry points. As stated above, it is important to seal off any entry points once you remove bats to keep them from easily returning.
You can even pay a professional to inspect your home and make suggestions for what to do to prevent bats from getting into your house.
Step 2: Clean up any waste products. In addition, you need to clean up any waste products left behind by bats.
While you could do the job yourself, experts recommend that you pay a professional pest removal service to perform this task.
If you choose to do this job yourself, make sure to wear the proper protective gear, such as rubber gloves, eye protection, and a respirator.
Step 3: Check back frequently. You should also check your attic, crawlspace, and other areas frequently for the presence of bats to make sure they haven't returned.
Alternatively, you could pay a professional pest control service to do the task for you, and check to see if your
insurance
covers the service.It is important to remove bats from your home due to the noise they generate and the health risk they represent. Keep in mind that many local laws prohibit their extermination, leaving you to seek non-lethal ways for their removal. After you do remove then, remember to take steps to prevent re-infestation of your home.
FAQ
Can you get rid of bats with sound?
Yes, you can get rid of bats with sound. Look for an ultrasonic device online and purchase a good quality device with a wide range.
If you set up the device at night when the bats are out hunting, it's likely that the bats won't return.
Who should I call to get rid of bats?
To get rid of bars, call your local animal control or conservation agency. They are also sure to know the local laws to ensure safe and legal bat removal.
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