Can I Get Rid of Bats in the Attic On My Own?

Posted on September 30, 2022 by virginia

If you suspect that you have bats in the attic in Richmond, Virginia, you are probably right. Hearing sounds of scurrying and flapping, squealing and screeching, shuffling and bustling, are all common indications of an attic pest infestation. If it’s not bats, it could be birds, squirrels, or chipmunks. You can tell you have bats rather than the latter possibilities if you spot the other common, tell-tale signs of bats in the attic.

For instance, bats are nocturnal, so they are most active at night, from the hours of dusk, up until dawn. Furthermore, bats have very distinct droppings, called guano, that look nothing like other woodland species droppings. Guano looks a lot like rodent droppings, but larger and full of visible insect parts. You can also confirm a bat infestation in the attic if you see dark, greasy stains on your siding or roof. These stains are caused by the bat’s fur rubbing on the surfaces as they enter and exit your home or building.

Although having bats in the attic is a major problem that requires immediate attention and intervention, the good news is that a bat infestation is entirely reversible, so long as you have the right information and resources. Does this mean you can get rid of bats on your own? Continue below to learn what you need to know about bat removal and restoration before making that decision for yourself.

Get Rid of Bats in the Attic Richmond Virginia 804-729-9097

Bat Removal is For Trained and Licensed Professionals

Bat removal should only be carried out by trained and licensed professionals who retain the proper resources and permits for humane wildlife control. This isn’t just a recommendation urged by the industry, it is also the law in most cases. Many states deem it illegal to touch, tamper with, harm, or trap a bat. Various species of bat in Virginia are Federally protected under the Endangered Species Act and by the EPA. This includes our state bat, the Virginia Big Eared bat.

Furthermore, bats are known carriers of several infectious diseases, some of which are 100% fatal, like the Rabies Virus. Bats also carry and transmit lice, ticks, mites, fleas, gnats, and several other types of ectoparasites. It is important for you to understand that, even though you have a nuisance bat problem, local bat populations are ecologically beneficial. It is vital that we protect and conserve bat species around the world for the sake of our agriculture, economies, and more.

How to Get Rid of Bats in the Attic in Virginia

To properly get rid of bats in the attic, you must contact a licensed and insured wildlife control company that specializes in bat removal services in Richmond, Virginia. The proper permits, resources, equipment, and training to safely extract bats from the attic, exclude them from returning, and repair and restore the affected area. This might include insulation replacement, decontamination, animal damage cleanup and repair, and integrated pest management.

In conclusion, never attempt to touch, trap, harm, or kill a bat in Virginia. If authorities find out that you have violated any of these regulations, you will be fined thousands of dollars and subjected to several other civil penalties, possibly restitution and community service.

Would you like to know which company in Virginia to trust for safe and affordable bat extraction and abatement services? Contact Virginia Bat Pros at 804-729-9097 to get bats out of the attic in Richmond, or in any surrounding Virginia areas, including Fairfax County, Norfolk, and Manassas. We serve residential and commercial clients.

Frequently Asked Questions About Bat Infestations

Posted on November 8, 2021 by virginia

Nuisance bats are not something you want loitering around your home. Bats are known to cause extensive amounts of damage to both interior and exterior areas of a home or building. Since local bats are tiny, they can squeeze through an opening as small as 3/8ths of an inch! That means the smallest gap, crack, or opening is a wide open door for bats. They are best at gaining entry into attics but can also be found infesting areas like crawl spaces, garages, roofs, sheds, and more.

If you suspect that you have bats in the attic or a bat infestation problem on your property, review these frequently asked questions about bat infestations and bat damages to learn your options for remediation.

Richmond Virginia Remove Bats in the Attic 804-729-9097

Bat Infestation FAQS

What Kinds of Damage Do Bats Cause?

Bats cause a lot of damage, mostly with their droppings. Wherever they reside or roost, bats will leave behind urine, feces, and food debris. Floorboards, ceilings, walls, insulation, electrical wiring, and more will become saturated and stained overtime. They may also gnaw on electrical wiring, drywall, insulation, and more. On the exterior of a home, bats will leave behind an oily residue around their entry points. This oil comes from their fur and leaves behind black-ish brown stains that are indicative of a bat infestation. Bats can also damage roof shingles, siding, and gutters.

Where Do Bats Like to Hide Out?

The most common areas for bats to roost is hollowed trees, roofs, attics, crawl spaces, under porches, in garages, and in sheds. They prefer quiet, dark, and warm spaces. If they can find access to any of these areas, they will roost there for as long as they can.

How Many Bats Do I Have in the Attic?

The only way to know how many bats you have in your attic is to hire a professional critter control company in Virginia to diagnose the problem. However, it is helpful to understand that bats are not solitary mammals. So, where there is one or two bats, there are likely many more. Furthermore, you are likely to find bats in the attic over any other part of your house.

Is Bat Guano Dangerous?

Guano, or bat stool, can be a highly useful resource under the right circumstances. However, the accumulation of guano in your home can pose some serious health risks, making it quite dangerous indeed. Guano can grow fungal spores called Histoplasma capsulatum, which can cause a serious lung disease called Histoplasmosis.

Histoplasmosis is also known as “Cave disease”, “Darling’s disease”, “Ohio valley disease”, and “spelunker’s lung.” Histoplasma capsulatum fungal spores can become airborne and then inhaled by both people and pets. Guano can also develop and transmit viruses, bacteria, and parasites, which become airborne too.

How Can I Repair Bat Damages?

The only way to properly renovate damages caused by bats in the attic or other area of your house is to hire a professional Virginia bat removal and control company that provides wild animal damage cleanup and restoration services. In many cases, homeowners’ insurance policies cover bat damages to some extent, and many wildlife control companies accept and perform insurance claim work. They will cleanup, decontaminate, sanitize, fumigate, and repair the mess left behind.

Are you looking for safe and affordable bat infestation removal and attic cleaning service near you? Contact Virginia Bat Pros at 804-729-9097 for affordable bat damage cleanup and restoration in Richmond, VA and its surrounding counties. We serve residential and commercial properties.

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

How Did Bats Get in the Attic?

Posted on November 22, 2019 by virginia

Have you recently discovered a roosting colony of bats in your attic? If so, there are many steps you must take to have the bats removed safely, and then reverse all of the mess and damages. But first, you might be asking yourself how bats got into your house in the first place? Continue reading to learn the possible entry points of your home that bats could have used to gain access to your attic, and what you need to do to get the process of bat removal started as soon as possible.

Bats in the Attic? Call 804-729-9097 Now!

Bats are Very Small

The species of bats native to Virginia are very small. In fact, they are so small, they can fit through an opening as tiny as 3/8ths of an inch! That is basically the thickness of a nickel. Their small stature aids them in finding access to our homes. Anything from missing roof shingles to crumbling mortar can give bats a perfectly good entrance into the interior spaces of your house.

Common Bat Entry Points:

✦ Crumbling Mortar or Wall Plaster
✦ Missing or Loose Roof Shingles
✦ Torn Window Screens
✦ Cracks or Holes in Siding
✦ Rotted Window Seals
✦ Broken Door Frames
✦ Missing or Cracked Soffits
✦ Chimneys
✦ Attic and Roof Vents
✦ Broken Gutters or Downspouts

If your home has any vulnerable spots such as the ones listed above, it could be the entrance bats used to get inside your attic. Fortunately, all of these vulnerabilities can be resolved with proper bat exclusion services. A bat removal and control company will implement technological methods and strategies to seal up all openings and defects of your home’s exterior to prevent further animal intrusion. They can also use various other strategies, such as environmental modifications and biological applications, to add to your home’s security against nuisance wildlife.

Attic Damages Caused by Bats

Bats leave behind a large mess of bat droppings, urine saturation, property damages, and even bat bugs. There are many common damages bats are known to cause; and the larger the colony, the more mess you will be faced with following extraction. Not only are damages something to worry about, bats and bat droppings can present several serious health risks to both humans and pets. This makes cleanup and repair just as vital as the process of bat removal. A licensed and insured Indianapolis bat control company can provide the proper decontamination, sterilization, deodorization, and restoration your attic needs to recover from a bat infestation.

Safe and Humane Bat Removal in Virginia

Call Virginia Bat Pros at 804-729-9097 for safe and humane bat removal and control assistance in Old Dominion. We serve all of Virginia and its surrounding areas. We offer 24 hour bat removal, as well as, numerous residential and commercial bat exclusion services, such as bat cleanup and restorations for bat damages. We even provide insurance work! Contact us today for a free estimate.