Bats can cause damage to your home. They enter easily and quickly through nothing more than an inch or less of space. Once inside, their guano or fecal buildup can introduce serious health issues to your family.
What is guano?
Guano is bat excrement. Bat guano is toxic to humans and looks like mouse droppings, only darker, more prominent, and produces a horrible odor. It stains walls creating unsanitary and dangerous conditions. If not addressed, guano accumulations afford microorganisms such as histoplasmosis (lung disease) the ability to grow and fester. The infection can spread thru inhalation into the lungs from the roosts present in your walls, attic, barn, or crawlspaces. Large amounts of guano that accumulate can fall in between walls and ceilings. It will be visible to the homeowner.
What are the health dangers caused by bats?
An article in the New York Times by Christopher Mele suggests,
For anyone who simply doesn’t handle bats, the risk of contracting a disease from one is extremely remote,” he said. “In America, we have been repeatedly warned of rabies from bats, yet rabies from bats is exceedingly rare, just one or two cases annually in all the U.S. and Canada combined.”
Dr. Matthew G. Heinz, an internist in Tucson, Ariz., also cautioned that bat bites, “like any animal bite, can give you a nasty bacterial infection.”
Aside from a bite, even if a person has skin-to-skin contact with a bat, it should be captured and tested, according to Mr. Herzog, the wildlife biologist. If that’s not possible, the person should contact health officials about rabies treatments.
Further, if a bat is spotted where someone had been sleeping or near a person who is unable to communicate — a baby, for example — the assumption should be that the person was exposed and should be treated for rabies, Mr. Herzog said.
People with compromised immune systems could be susceptible to histoplasmosis, a fungal infection with roots in deposits of bat guano, though such cases are “relatively rare,” Mr. Herzog said.
How can bats damage my home?
According to Realty Times,
The damage bats cause can range from physical or structural damage to health and safety damages. Having bats inhabiting your house may result in a strong, unpleasant odor due to their droppings or guano left in your chimney, walls, and attic. If a colony of bats resides in your home, expect at least 30 to 40 bats leaving guano every day. Accumulation of guano results in an unpleasant odor spreading throughout your home, which also carries a health threat that can be fatal.
Here are the damages that bats may cause to your home:
- Insulation And Wiring Damages: In addition, bats can cause damage to your home. These nocturnal creatures can chew on and damage your walls, insulation, and electrical wiring. When this happens, your health and safety can be compromised as your family is more exposed to drafts and possible short circuits or other electrical problems. It can also lead to higher utility bills due to breach in your insulation, particularly in your roof and attic.
- Roof Damage: Check thoroughly the totality of your roof because bat access may cause damage to your roof. Also, it could result in a broken window, a broken or missing brick, or a loose piece of siding or board.
Is it safe to be in the house with a bat?
The answer is, “it depends.” One bat does not present a significant problem; however, a colony of bats can grow in size, and then real problems can occur. As discussed, a buildup of guano and urine presents health problems.
This time of year, as bats look for a warm place to stay, or baby bats become lost and find their way into your home, you will hear scratching sounds or wings that are rustling as bats enter your attic, chimney, or fly in quickly through an open window or door. Also, if a bat is trapped and dies within your walls or your home, you may notice the unpleasant smell of that decaying bat. Please do not ignore these signs. They are a window into larger problems.
It is best to contact a professional bat removal and pest control company to eradicate the bats and inspect your home for damage. In many cases, a cleanup and possible property damage may need to be performed to ensure the removal of any toxic matter.
Always call a professional bat removal service
Please do not attempt to capture bats or treat them in any way. Instead, call us for 24-hour emergency service at 518.374.0357.
Bat Eradication: Inspection to determine points of entry. Install one-way funnel over exit/entry points. All other potential exits/entry points will be sealed to prevent bat access in other areas of the structure. Place monitors in the attic to view any activity. Removal of one-way funnels and seal exposed entry points in late summer. Three-year warranty.
Not only do we eradicate unwanted bats from your structure in a humane way, but we will also perform emergency live bat removals, drop off captured bats to labs to be tested for rabies, clean up any damage or destruction left behind and disinfect bat guano.
RIDGE-GUARD® is the ultimate ridge vent protection and is patented by the US Patent and Trademark office. Installing RIDGE-GUARD® on your roof ridge vent locks the vent down securely, which will prevent bats from crawling under the plastic or fiber roof ridge vent, as well as keep squirrels, mice, or rats from chewing their way into the attic.
Exclusion Services from AccuShield provides a comprehensive evaluation of the structure, and the results are reviewed with the homeowner or business owner. Then, a complete course of action is determined and executed. We do not trap bats unless they are physically flying around your living space. It is recommended to get them evaluated for rabies if found in living areas.
Removal and cleanup of bat infestation by a professional will return your home to a safe and clean environment for your family and pets.
resources:New York Times and Realty Times,
