How To Keep Bats Out Of Your Attic
Bats play a crucial role in the ecosystem by eating as much as a thousand insects per hour, but that does not mean that these flying mammals should be living in the attic of your house or building! Bats can enter attics through holes, cracks, gaps, and crevices that are just 3/8″ in diameter, which is about the size of a dime. In this article, we’ll talk about how and why bats are entering your attic and how you can prevent them from doing so! If you have any questions about bat control or are a New Orleans area resident that is currently struggling with a bat problem, please contact Pied Piper Pest Control today for a free bat removal estimate!
Why Are Bats In My Attic?
Before discussing how to get bats out of your attic, it’s important to know how and why these creatures are entering your attic in the first place. Bats, like all animals, are drawn to places where there is easy access to water, food, and shelter. Bats are also drawn to places with little light during the daytime, as most bat species are nocturnal. For these reasons, your attic may make an ideal shelter for bats. Bats commonly enter attics through cracks or holes in siding, chimneys, exhaust vents, air intakes, and other small gaps that they can squeeze through. Once bats have made it into your attic, they can go undetected for weeks, months, or even years if you do not enter the space often. Some signs of bats in your attic include chirping or scratching sounds, the presence of guano (bat feces), ammonia-like smells from their urine, and seeing bats flying around your house or building. Below, we’ll discuss how to prevent and solve bat infestations in your attic once you’ve detected one!
How To Prevent & Solve Bat Infestations In Your Attic
Due to the vital role bats play in the environment, they are a protected species in many states, including Louisiana. Bats should always be removed ethically from attics, and in most cases, should be dealt with by a professional. Some bat prevention and removal tips include:
1. Install Bat Valves
A bat valve is a one-way door that allows bats to exit your home without allowing them to return. When you install the bat valve, you have to make sure that all other entry points are sealed, leaving them with only one way to exit the building (through the valve), otherwise, these devices are useless.
2. Install Bat Houses
Another alternative is to provide bats with a different place to roost by installing a bat house. Bat houses should be installed 12 to 20 feet off the ground and 30 feet away from tree lines, other structures (like your home or building), and other obstacles (like power lines).
3. Use Bat Repellents
If you don’t want the expenses that come with buying, installing, and maintaining a bat house, you can opt for the simpler option of using a bat repellent. You can opt for natural repellents like peppermint, eucalyptus oils, and cinnamon which have been shown to irritate bats due to their strong sense of smell. By applying these oils and repellents to all entry points in your attic, you can attempt to keep bats away, but this is not a permanent solution since they don’t last forever.
4. Seal Possible Entry Points
While it might sound simple, sealing-off all possible entry points into your attic is one of the most effective ways to prevent bats from roosting in your house or building. By sealing off even the smallest of potential entry points, you can prevent the bats from invading your attic in the first place.
Contact Pied Piper Pest Control For Bat Removal in New Orleans!
If you currently have bats in the attic of your New Orleans area home or business, please contact our team at Pied Piper Pest Control today for a free bat removal estimate! We have years of experience dealing with pests of all kinds and will solve the problem quickly, efficiently, & affordably! Give us a call at (504) 366-1333 or fill out the contact form on our website, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!