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Pest control

Are Bats In Your House Dangerous

By April 26, 2022August 17th, 2022No Comments
Bats in an attic.

Wouldn’t it be crazy if you came home from work one day and sat down on the couch to read a good book, and in the middle of your peace, you started hearing a screechy noise coming from the ceiling? As the sound continues, you venture up into your attic space in search of the noise. Could it be a bird or something else? As you get into the attic and turn the light on, you see clear as day a collection of bats hanging from the trusses in your attic! Are bats in your house dangerous? Yes, because they can transmit disease and cause damage with their urine and droppings.

Let’s take a look below at some of the ways to remove bats from your attic or basement.

Why Are They Dangerous

Bats live in wooded areas and living in these areas they have access to insects galore. Also, bats carry diseases and a bat bite could transfer that disease to you. Keep in mind the main disease that affects bats is rabies. Rabies can affect your immune system and cause some major health risks so if you want to prevent bats from entering your attic or basement, keep their entry points sealed up.

How Do They Get In

It doesn’t take much for a bat to get into your attic or basement as they are good at sneaking in through the smallest crevasses. Also, bats can get into your home if your fireplace or other vents are not screened. Always remember that discovering a bat infestation of your basement or attic will likely be made by listening to them.

Bats also make annoying noises at night time. If you hear the squeaky noises, chances are high that you have bats in your attic or basement. Also, you will notice bat guano and urine on the trusses in your attic or below the area in which the bat rests.

How Do You Remove Bats

Most homeowners are not in the business of removing pests or rodents from their property. Although bats can be invasive to your space, they do help reduce your mosquito population. Removing bats from a home should be done with care so calling on the right pest control company is key. Always make sure that the company you hire has expertise in bat removal and is a professional bat remover.

Keep in mind that you should not remove bats from a home during June and July. Why? This is the birth season for bats and the parents will not be able to return to feed the young. So, refrain from installing one-way doors during this time. Additionally, dead bats can lead to maggots, flies, and odors from decomposing. Remember, that bats are wild animals and should be handled with caution.

Wire mesh to keep the bats out of your attic.
Wire mesh to keep the bats out of your attic.

What Do I Do To Get Them Out

Bat encounters typically occur in the summer evenings between July and August. If you happen to have a bat get into your home, you should not chase it around the house. First, allow it to find its way out of the home. Let’s review the best approach:

  • Young Bats – if one enters your home, it will circle the area searching for an exit. Also, never handle the bat if it lands. A bat will land to rest and should not be disturbed.
  • Seal off the area – close all interior doors and get your pets away from the room. This allows you to seclude the bat to one area of your home.
  • Open windows and exterior doors – opening the windows and doors allow you to encourage a bat to exit the home. Giving them extra options keep them calm and bats will leave at their own pace.
  • Catch and release – if you have gloves, put them on first. Grab a container or netting that you can catch the bat and release it outdoors. Be careful not to touch the bat with exposed skin.
  • Call on a professional – safely removing a bat or bats from a room in your house, attic, or basement can be difficult and dangerous. Always call on a professional so that you keep you and your family safe and healthy.
Build a bat house for the bats.
Build a bat house for the bats.

What Can I Do To Help The Bats

Although bats are scary creatures, you don’t want to harm them. They do a great job at assisting with pest control. Keep in mind, that their main food source is mosquitos. Because they enjoy eating insects, they are beneficial to our ecosystem. With that being said, one of the best ways to keep the bats safe and away from your attic or basement spaces is by building bat boxes or bat houses.

Installing a bat house on a tree or a flat surface that faces southeast is key. Also, you want the box/house to be in the direction of the sun for 6 to 8 hours and installed 10 feet off the ground. Always try to find alternatives for living with your local creatures. You never know how beneficial they really can be, if you try to get rid of them all.

Other Recommended Maintenance

Now that you have learned that bats are dangerous in your house, look into other winged creatures. If bats can get into your attic or basement, then so can other birds. Understanding how to keep birds out is the best way to prevent an infestation. Always remember that keeping all pests out of the home is your focus.

While you are at it, keeping mice or rats away is also important. Just about anything that can move is searching for food and shelter. If your home has the access points, it can become a great shelter and food resource to many rodents and other types of pests. If you happen to get rats in your walls, you will want to read up on the best way to get them out.

Lastly, if you are planning to rent out your home and end up with a pest control issue, know your responsibility. Who is responsible for pest control when renting is important to know. Always have all of the facts when renting out your home. You wouldn’t want any surprise expenses.

Bat boxes installed on a home.
Bat boxes installed on a home.

When Do I Call A Professional

Reaching out to your local professional pest control company is necessary to get rid of bats in your home. Also, we have learned how bats can be transmitters of diseases and can make a mess of your attic or basement spaces. Furthermore, find out where they could be entering your home. Always consider bringing your local home inspection team out to take a look at your attic and basement spaces.

They can find where the pests are gaining access and communicate that with a reputable pest control company. Once the bats are removed from your attic or basement spaces, you can hire a reputable general contractor to make the necessary home repairs.

Conclusion

Bats in your attic or basement are a dangerous scenario for you and your family. Keeping your family safe and healthy from the bats is your main focus here. The bats can become a problem as they make a mess of your attic or basement spaces but dropping their guano or droppings, and urinating on the walls of your attic or basement. All South Pest Control will be able to determine your bat removal needs and offer the best preventative maintenance for future pest issues in McDonough, GA, and the surrounding areas.

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