What are the steps to get bats out of the attic
Bats are common wildlife in the United States. They are often roosting in attics in homes. Homeowners often hear loud cries from their attics to only discover a colony of bats. You want to remove them as soon as possible. They can damage your home and spread diseases.
Bats are a major health hazard. According to the CDC, bats are a common carrier of rabies and other viruses. They can infect people and pets if they come into contact with them. Also, their waste produces unsafe toxins.
Many homeowners ask, “What are the steps to get bats out of the attic”.
This list of steps will help every homeowner to remove these flying critters. The process will not only remove bats from your attic but will also prevent them from returning. Follow these steps to remove bats from your attic.
1. Discover Entry Points
First, you need to find the entry points of your home. Bats enter a house from cracks or holes in a house’s framework. Common entry points are holes in a roof, cracks, an attic’s vent, and the chimney.
Observe your home at dusk to see bats fly out of entry and exit points. This is critical to removing the critters from your attic. This way you will know exactly how bats enter your attic. You can also estimate the number of bats in your attic.
2. Enter The Attic
Check the attic for any bats roosting in it. You need to survey the current condition. Bats can damage a home due to their toxic droppings and waste. Large amounts of droppings and waste are indicators of critters in the living space. You should note possible damage and areas in need of decontamination.
3. Seal Cracks & Holes
In addition, you need to check your home for any additional and possible points of entry. Bats can enter your home from cracks and holes in a roof. These areas must be fixed and sealed before the removal of wildlife.
However, do not seal the entry and exit points at this time in the process. You need these areas to install devices to remove the bats from your attic.
4. Install Removal Devices
Next, it is time to remove the bats from your home. Install removal devices at the entry point. The device allows bats to exit the attic, but they cannot enter it. There are many devices for removing bats. You can use funnels, one-way doors, and netting. These are humane tools for removing bats from your attic. Netting will not harm any bats.
One of the most popular removal devices is the Bat Vale. The Bat Vale acts as a one-way exit to evict bats, and they are unable to return. It is a useful tool for attics, roofs, and awkward areas with cracks on a house.
5. Observe the Attic at Dusk
Next, you need to observe the netting or one-way door at dusk. This is simply to check the installation of the removal device to see if it is properly working. Look to see if the bats can exit the attic. If the bats cannot exit, then you will need to remove the device and reinstall it the next day.
6. Removing Bats
Now that the removal device is working, the bats will be able to exit the attic. Maintain the device at the entry point until all bats are moved. The process of removing the bats may take two to four days. It depends on the size of the colony.
Observe your device at dawn to see how the bats react to the removal device. You must check the entry point at this time to ensure the bats cannot reenter the attic. However, you will need to restart the process if you see bats reentering the points of entry. This means the device failed because the bats are returning to the attic.
7. Bat Box
Finally, bats tend to stay in the same area. They may migrate from your attic to a house in the neighborhood or a nearby building such as your shed. A bat box is the perfect habitation for bats. It is a humane and useful tool for a colony of bats to survive outdoors. You can attach a bat box to a tree. Bats will roost in the bat box instead of your home or neighbor’s home.
The bat house by Kenley is a great bat box for providing a home outside your home for bats. Install it in a tree on your property. Bats help eliminate mosquitoes because insects are part of their food chain. You can resolve two problems by creating a new home for bats after removing them from the attic, and they can remove mosquitoes from the area.
8. Seal Entry Point
Then, you may seal the entry and exit points after all of the bats have been removed. These points must be sealed to prevent future entry. Bats will just return to the attic if you forget to seal the entry point.
9. Screen Vents & Roof
Furthermore, you need to screen vents to your attic and place a chimney cap on your chimney. Those are common points of entry for nuisance wildlife. Bats can enter those small spaces and gain access into your home. A seal for your attic’s vent prevents bats from returning to your attic.
Install a chimney cap for your chimney. This allows smoke to exit the chimney and prevents bats from entering your home. Be sure to purchase a chimney cap with tiny holes to prevent bats and other critters from entering your home.
10. Decontamination
Finally, you need to decontaminate the attic. Bats carry many dangerous viruses. Some bats have rabies, and could possibly infect your pets. Also, their droppings and urine contain toxins. These toxins can make you, your family, or your pets very ill.
Decontamination is a long and thorough process of cleaning. You need to disinfect all areas in the nest. Some tiles and boards may need to be replaces if the damage is severe. You may also need to replace any ventilation systems. I strongly recommend hiring a professional service for replacing ventilation systems and making any major repairs to your home.
Links for Removal Devices:
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