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How To Get Rid Of Bats In Your Attic
Some people refer to bats as flying rats, and I think that description is completely accurate. Like rats, bats are known for being able to get through any crack or crevice. The most common place inside a home for a bat to hide is the attic, and it doesn’t take much of an open space for the bat to get inside. Bats can get into your attic through any type of opening. In Virginia, little brown bats are the most common type, and for bats of that size, an opening of 23 to 33 is all that is needed in order for them to get inside. I recently worked with a client who had a bat get into her home through a hole in the recessed light directly above her porch. Just the little gap in between the bulb and the well [where the light went] was all that it took. Once the little brown bat got up into the woman’s home through the well of her recessed light, it would sleep there during the day each day and fly out each night. Do a Thorough Inspection Because bats are a protected species, homeowners are not allowed to kill or trap them. It is the homeowner’s job to close up the cracks and stop the bat from getting inside before it finds the entryway itself. In Leesburg, companies like ours handle mosquito control, bat infestations, and just about everything else. Rather than killing the bats, the best option is to kick them out. When we get a call from a homeowner and reports to the job site, we will do a thorough inspection of the home and check places like the attic or wherever else the homeowner suspects bats may be living. In addition, we will check around the home to determine how the bats are getting inside. Use Exclusion Devices Once the unauthorized entryway has been located, the next step is to keep the bats from coming back in once they have left. Our company offers a number of exclusion devices that allow the bats to get out of the holes they came in from, without being able to get back in when they try to return. It is important to remember that bats always leave. They will leave the attic or wherever they are roosting each evening when they go to feed. So you can guarantee that if you put this [exclusion device] up during the day, once nightfall comes they are going to leave, but they won’t be able to come back in. Seal Up Holes If all of the bats are out of the residence, then we will seal up any holes that would otherwise allow bats in. This can be done in several ways because every situation is a little bit different depending on how the bats got in. Sometimes we can use expanding urethane foam; other times we can use screening or mesh material. In some places, you are repairing wood or replacing certain boards or something of that nature, but we also try to make it look cosmetically appealing too.” Once the bats have been excluded, it is time to begin assessing the amount of droppings that have been left behind. Depending on how long the bats have been a problem, droppings can be a major issue. If bats have been living in the attic for a year, for example, then there could be up to 10 or 15 pounds of bat guano droppings that have to be removed. I recommend building a bat house outside one’s home where the bats can sleep during the day rather than getting rid of them entirely. Bats are actually one of the best sources for natural pest control while they have gotten a bad rap. For mosquito control in Leesburg, bats are actually one of the best options out there. One little brown bat can eat several thousand mosquitoes in one night. Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com Casey Jones is a writer for www.yodle.com”>Yodle , a business directory and online advertising company. Find a pest exterminator or more local.yodle.com/articles/">related articles at Yodle Consumer Guide. |
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