Got a bat problem? If so, you probably have guano on your driveway or siding. It looks like dark, oily stains, or piles of “black rice.”
It’s gross, and so your instinct is going to be to turn a pressure washer on the mess and to blast it all away.
Step away from the pressure washer!
While it feels productive to clean your home’s exterior, power washing bat guano is one of the most dangerous DIY mistakes a Houstonian can make. During “Bat Maternity Season” in May, this approach can create a neighborhood health crisis while utterly failing to solve the problem.
Does blasting guano remove bats?
If you have a colony of bats living in your soffits or behind your shutters, spraying water at the entrance will not make them leave.
Bats are remarkably stubborn, and in May, mother bats are biologically tethered to their flightless pups. At most, a blast of water might startle a few adults into flight during the day (leaving them vulnerable to predators), but they will return the moment the water stops.
Furthermore, high-pressure water can actually push the guano and moisture deeper into your wall voids, leading to wood rot and staining that’s harder to remove than the original mess.
What’s the primary danger of power washing bat guano?
The primary danger of bat guano isn’t the waste itself, but a fungus called Histoplasma capsulatum that thrives in it. When guano is dry and undisturbed, the risk is contained.
But hit that waste with 3,000 PSI of pressurized water, and what do you get?
Aerosolized spores. A mist of microscopic fungal fragments that you can inhale, your family members can inhale, or your neighbors can inhale.
Inhaling these spores can lead to Histoplasmosis, a serious respiratory infection that mimics pneumonia.
You turn a localized mess into an airborne biohazard.
Can moisture make the infestation worse?
Houston is already famous for its humidity. Bats thrive in warm, damp environments. By blasting water into the crevices where bats roost, you inadvertently create a humid “sauna” effect inside your walls.
This trapped moisture can lead to the growth of secondary molds which then attracts other pests, such as cockroaches. They come because they feed on organic waste.
And then there’s the smell. Wet guano is worse than dry guano by a country mile.
Why is the timing so critical?
The month of May is part of Texas’ “bat blackout” period. It’s against the law to remove bats while pups are flightless.
A DIY “washout” that accidentally kills pups or traps them inside not only gets you on the wrong side of state wildlife protections, but creates a massive sanitary issue too.
Dead bats falling into a wall void in the heart of a Houston summer will produce an odor and a fly problem that will never go away.
What’s the safe way to handle guano?
Call a removal expert. We can refer you to some. We can also schedule your appointment so we can remove your bats as soon as the bat blackout period is done.
Don’t try to handle this problem on your own. And don’t leave it to chance. Contact us to get help today.