What equipment is needed to exclude a bat?

Bats in Your Home

Your attic and other parts of your home are dark and secluded. It reminds bats of caves and other structures they roost in, which is why these animals sometimes end up in people's homes.

Their presence may not seem like a problem at first, but these mammals will quickly start to ruin your days. For starters, bats are nocturnal. That means they'll be making noises as you try to fall asleep, preventing you from getting a good night's rest.

These flying mammals also give off a horrible smell, and they leave their droppings everywhere. In fact, their guano is corrosive and will stain and damage your home if not dealt with promptly.

Bats also carry many diseases like rabies and histoplasmosis. The former causes paralysis, and the latter causes lung issues. Yet both commonly lead to death.

That's why you need to remove the bats as soon as possible.

Why Exclusion?

There are a lot of ways you could get rid of bats, like trapping them or using poison. Yet you should never use these methods, as they're ineffective, unethical, and illegal.

Trapping is ineffective because bat roosts often contain dozens of bats. You'd need a lot of traps to catch them all. Poison is also ineffective. It typically fails to kill all the bats, and it leaves you with lots of corpses to deal with.

Both these methods are also unethical, as you'd often hurt or restrict the animal.

Such methods are also illegal, as bats are protected in most states. These animals are both endangered and useful to society. That's why there are many laws set to protect them and ensure they can continue helping us.

That leaves only one method that's effective, ethical, and legal. And that method is exclusion.

Exclusion: Difficulty and Equipment

A lot of people with bat problems may consider exclusion, but they're concerned that it's too difficult. While professionals will no doubt be better at performing exclusion, it's still possible for you to do it. Especially if you follow good advice on the subject.

Exclusion also needs less equipment than other methods. You won't need a dozen different traps or to buy lots of poison for your home. Instead, you just need three items:

• A one-way funnel.
  
  
• Some caulk or sealant.
  
  
• Some steel wool.
  
  

These items are very affordable and easy to find, so nearly everyone can try to do exclusion.

Exclusion Steps

• Find entries: The first step of exclusion is to scour your home for gaps or holes that the bats use to enter and exit your home. These are small and difficult to spot, but it's important you find them all.
  
  

• Seal holes: The next step is to seal all these holes, save one. You'll need to use steel wool and caulk to do this. Once you're done, the holes should be impenetrable, and it's time to work on the last one.
  
  

• Attach funnel: You should now attach the funnel to the final hole. Make sure the wide end is pointing indoors, and the narrow end is pointing outdoors. This allows the bats to leave your home but stops them from coming back in. With this step done, you just have to wait until the bats are gone.
  
  

• Clean and repair: Once the bats are gone, you can remove the funnel and seal the final hole like before. You should then carefully clean the area — with protective equipment to prevent the risk of infection — and sanitize everything.
  
  

Professional Help

If you're short on time or would like guaranteed results, you should call a professional. Experts have spent years removing bats from different homes, so they've mastered the art of exclusion.

Many professionals also offer repair and cleanup services, so you can focus on your work while they do theirs. Make sure to call a professional and schedule their services.