Bats may seem outwardly pretty harmless, so you might be tempted to leave them alone when you discover them in your attic. Yet bats are one of the most common sources of pandemic-style diseases like Covid-19.
They also carry fungal diseases like Histoplasma capsulatum, which causes histoplasmosis, a deadly lung disease. They can be an incredible danger to your family.
They even cause structural damage to your home.
They can also cause your house to smell. Bat urine and droppings will ruin your home. So will dead bats in your walls. If you suspect you have bats in the home, you should take steps to get rid of them immediately.
Signs of a Bat Infestation
Do you see bats flying around the exterior of your home at sunrise or sunset? That means that they're going out to hunt and then returning. To your house! Your attic has become their nest.
Find a dead bat on your property? There's a good chance they're nesting in your attic.
You should also take note of any unexplained smells, or the scent of ammonia.
Hearing strange noises in the walls? Squeaking sounds or scratching sounds? These, too, can be a sign of rats in the home.
Handling Bats in the Attic
There are humane ways to remove bats from your home. You want to get them out without killing any anyway, because, as mentioned, dead bats are a nasty, unsanitary, smelly hazard you don't want to deal with. They are also state and federally protected and cannot be harmed.
That means they need to be removed by a professional, and the holes they're using to get into and out of your house need to be sealed up completely. You'll also want to get a clean-up company into your attic and home to make sure all urine, feces, and dead bats are properly handled. We can certainly recommend some local Houston providers.
Bat removal is generally inexpensive but depends on the size of the colony. We'll give you a quote after examining the size of your bat problem.
Note that you can't keep bats away or drive them away with pheromones, lights, or other methods. You have to trap them, block them, and get rid of them. Most DIY methods simply aren't very effective at ending the problem, and don't accomplish more than making you feel better.
Do you have a bat problem? Elite Wildlife Services can help you manage them humanely and quickly. Contact us today to schedule your appointment.
