How to Prevent a Bat Problem

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There’s no doubt bats are special creatures. They’re the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. But when they infest your home, they’re a big problem. And that’s why you need to know how to prevent a bat infestation.

If you have a bat infestation, you’re subjecting yourself to more than an unwanted guest and major fright. Bats can carry diseases that can be transmitted to humans from bites and droppings. That’s why it’s so important to know how to prevent bats from wreaking havoc on your home and health.

In fact, if you are house hunting, make sure there were no bats in the attic!

There’s a lot of advice out there on how to prevent a bat infestation. One of the most common ways to keep bats out of your home is to introduce their natural enemies, like owls, near the bats’ roosting place. Simply buy a fake, plastic owl and mount it as high as possible, while making sure it’s close to where the bats are roosting on or near your home. Be sure to move the owl three times a year to keep the bats fearful of it.

While it should be second nature to keep all your doors and windows shut, especially when it’s dark out, it’s also important to ensure screens fit tightly and that there are no tears. Bats can enter through holes as small as 3/8-inch in diameter so it’s important to plug any holes you find in the exterior of your home.

Another helpful tip for how to prevent a bat problem is to swap your outdoor light bulbs with yellow ones, which attract fewer bugs that are the primary source of food for bats. Speaking of bugs, here are the 10 must dangerous ones to avoid.

Bats love to live in the chimneys of homes and other buildings, since chimneys provide all of the roosting requirements these critters need. To keep bats out of your chimneys and furnace vents, you can install stainless steel chimney caps with a wire mesh covering.

Have you cleaned your chimney lately? Here’s how to do it.

You can also try placing mothballs in the attic and spraying aerosol dog repellent to keep bats away. This, however, should only be done after you’ve taken all of the previous precautions.

Ready to deal with other pesky pests? Here’s the ultimate guide