Live Bat Exclusion- Michigan

STEP 1 - Home Inspection: You have to find out how the bats are getting in and out of the home, where they are roosting, what damage they have caused, and are there health risk. They fly out 15 minutes before sunset and fly in 15 minutes before sunrise. Bats don't all leave at the same time. They make several trips in and out of the attic per night. They typically roost in sheltered, warmer areas within the structure. Meaning they typically roost in attics. During the attic inspection you typically don't see the bats out in the open. They usually crawl down walls, sleep underneath insulation, and wedge into soffit voids. They use your attic as a toilet and leave droppings (guano) all over your attic. The bats we generally find in your attic are big brown and small brown bats. During the inspection of the home you can often times determine if you have a maternity colony living in your attic. It is important not to remove bats during maternity season. In Michigan this is typically during June and July depending on the climate. Male colonies can be determined with very few droppings. If you are unsure it is important to wait, because bats are protected and beneficial.

STEP 2:  Sealing and Repairs: bats usually have several entry points leading into the attic and home. It is important to find all potential openings. A bat professional has experience and can typically find these areas fairly easy. Most openings are usually small, often about a half-inch, something a homeowner may miss. In order to remove the bats, you have to leave an opening for them to fly out. They can enter through several areas, so you don't want to seal off potential entry points beforehand. Never seal an existing entry before starting the exclusion. Droppings and dark rubbing marks identify the entry point.

STEP 3 - Exclusion: Install one-way door devices at the primary entry point. Depending on the structure, you can use 1/6" bat exclusion netting, garbage bags, cones, or exclusion tubes like the one in the picture. Every home or building is different. Some homes may require more than one exclusion device. One-way doors must be installed properly so the bats are not trapped in the attic. This is very important. Bats will panic and may end up in your living quarters. It may sound simple, but it takes years of experience. It's important to leave these devices installed on your home for at least 10 days, some days longer depending on the colony of bats. Leave them up longer if you are unsure if the bats are gone or not.

STEP 4 - Re-inspection: After all of the bats have been excluded it's time to remove the one way doors and seal the bat entry points . Bats in Michigan live an average life span of six to seven years however some bats can live longer than 20 years. Bats may try to get back into their original roost for as long as five years. Bats are mammals not rodents so they can't claw or chew their way back in. If the building is sealed properly bats will not be able to get back in. We always use the best materials to repair the openings. 50 year caulking, roof sealant, hardware cloth, and professional grade foam are some of the materials used to seal of the openings.

STEP 5- Cleanup: Bats often leave behind a mess in the attic after they are excluded. Bat guano (their feces) can pile up after in the attic after time. If bats have a roost in your attic and walls it is important to clean up the mess. Attic clean ups are typically done through the power of a 20 horse power gasoline vacuum. we use 150 feet of hose and 75 gallon insulation bags to remove all of the contaminate waste. If the insulation is rolled batted insulation it may have to be removed by bagging it in 45 gallon construction bags. Attics must also be sanitized and deodorized as well. We use paint sprayers and attic foggers to clean your attic. See our attic restoration page for more information on the clean up process.