Bat Away Your Bat Problems – How to Keep Bats Outside

Have you recently spotted bats flying in or out of your home, or heard screeching or fluttering sounds near your attic? Are you worried about a certain, distinct smell in the house, or seen any browning or yellowing of your walls, especially near the ceilings? If you suspect that you are dealing with a bat infestation, you are most likely right. While bat urine can cause discoloration of the walls, their excrement (guano) emits a strong, unpleasant smell that can quickly spread throughout your home.
You must take all the necessary steps to drive these flying mammals out of your home. It may not be a bad idea to provide them an attractive alternative in your yard. Not only will that rid your home of these interesting critters, but it may benefit your property in more ways than you imagined!

Get Bats Out of Your Home and Into Your Yard

• Address the Problem in Your Home: Bats usually arrive in droves, so if you suspect a bat problem, chances are that more than one has taken refuge in your home. Whether they are hibernating, nursing their young ones, or using the cozy spaces of your home for roosting during the day, it is imperative to address this infestation immediately and carefully.
• Tackle the Vulnerabilities to Avoid Re-entry: In addition to driving out bat colonies from within your home, you need to identify even the tiniest of vulnerable areas that these mammals can squeeze through to gain entry. Moreover, bat colonies may find more than one entry point to your home; it is possible that they enter through one opening and exit through another. Check your home for potential vulnerabilities, such as loose shingles, broken tiles, holes in the walls or ceilings or cracks near the beams or pillars. Repair and seal these areas to prevent access permanently.
• Give Bats an Enticing Abode in Your Yard: Provide bats their preferred roosting conditions in your yard:

• Create a warm, inviting bat house at the perfect height and location
• Install a water feature such as a fountain or bird bath
• Add plants with insect-attracting, fragrant, night time blooms

Not only will this help you keep your home in healthy condition, but the insect-hunting bats will keep your yard free of mosquitoes, moths, beetles and a variety of other bugs that eat up your garden vegetables and disrupt your outdoor relaxation time. For more info on attracting bats to the yard, and not the house, check out our blog Tips to Attract Bats to Your Yard in the Vancouver Area.