Local Exterminator
How To Get Rid Of Bats In Your Chimney
Eliana D.

Bats can certainly be annoying, and possibly dangerous, pests particularly if they take up residence in or outside your home. If you have a bat problem, you will probably want to have them removed by a professional as soon as possible. The removal process is a little easier if the bats are only located in your chimney.

 

The same principles apply for getting bats out of chimneys as for getting them out of a residence. You have to find the exit point, and properly install a one-way exclusion device over it. It’s not as simple as letting the bats fly out at night and then install a chimney cap. You need to install exclusion devices that let them fly out, but not back in. Here Local Exterminator goes into more detail on the process of removing bats from your home.

 

How To Get Rid Of Bats

Find Entry/Exit Point

A bat only needs a opening just 3/8 of an inch wide to get in unlike other nuisance wildlife. Areas that are commonly targeted include:

  • Upper areas of the roof or siding
  • On or around vents or where other pipes enter or exit the building
  • Roof and wall meeting points and corners
  • Busted windows, window screens, or windowpanes
  • Missing or broken brickwork
  • Holes in the siding

Bat Removal

When it comes to removing bats, there is only a limited amount of ways to go about it safely and humanly. The most effective way to get rid of bats from a chimney or other areas of a building is  through exclusion devices and sealing. Below we list out the things you DO NOT want to do.

  • DO NOT light a fire – you will burn the animals alive. If they are stuck they won’t be able to get out in time before being burned alive or suffocated with smoke.
  • DO NOT rely on repellents – sounds and lights very rarely work, although, they can be used in conjunction with other efforts.
  • DO NOT use poisons or fumigants – there aren’t any legally registered products for bats and it is also illegal in most states.
  • DO NOT use traps – typically traps only catch a small percentage of the bats inside your chimney. Over time the remaining bats will just repopulate and continue your problem.

Seal the Bats Entry Point

Regardless of how you remove bats from a particular space, you won’t be able to keep them out unless you seal the opening properly.  Sealants can be expanding foam, wire wool, hardware cloth, and much more. Bats do not chew on material like rats so it’s a lot easier to seal up entry points. Ultimately you just need to make sure the bats can’t get back in.

Cleaning & Maintenance

Biological matter left behind can attract other bats as well as other pests. If you do not remove dead bats, the decomposing remains will attract flies, maggots, rats, and mice. The whole place will start to smell making your residence unbearable to live in. Guano (bat droppings) can also be terrible for the health of those who live in the building. Guano can carry Histoplasmosis, which is a disease in their urine and feces. So after removal it’s very important to clean and maintain your chimney or home.

 

As professional wildlife control experts here at Local Exterminator, Inc. , we have seen our fair share of bat infestation issues. We have the necessary skills, tools, and experience to remove bats from your home in an effective manner. Call us today if you or someone you know is dealing with a bat problem.

 

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