How much does it cost to hire a professional bat removal service?

No, it’s not a flying rat. That furry little creature with wings is a bat! Bats are always on the lookout for a good home, and sometimes that means your home—specifically chimneys and attics. While bats are important to our ecosystem, it’s no picnic to share your home with them. They are active at night, meaning you can’t get a good night’s sleep, and sharing a living space with bats can also be hazardous to your health.

Bats are hard to get rid of on your own, which is why you should look into hiring a professional. Pros are able to remove bats without killing them and can help identify how they are getting into the house so you can prevent the problem from returning.

Female bats are constantly on the prowl for a warm location to roost and eventually raise their young, and they often occupy chimneys and attics. The cost of hiring a professional to remove bats from the attic varies based on your location, but the average price for removal of a small colony, including the initial inspection but excluding cleanup after the removal, is $150.

All about bats

There are dozens of species of bats in the United States, but there are three main culprits that like to move into houses:  the little brown bat, the big brown bat, and the Mexican free-tailed bat.

These bats hibernate during the winter and in the late spring the females start to look for places to roost and raise their babies. This is what usually leads to bats coming indoors. Chimneys and attics are warm and safe from predators, which makes for an inviting space for a mama bat. Bat pups develop to maturity during the summer and eventually leave home in autumn.

Bats are active at night, and you will usually start to hear them chirp and flutter starting around dusk. Bats are extremely beneficial to the environment, but when they get in close proximity to humans, it can become a problem.

Many bats are insectivorous, and some can eat up to their weight in insects every night! Unfortunately, bats can sometimes carry rabies, but the bigger issue lies with their droppings, or guano  ¹.Human exposure to guano can lead to a respiratory disease known as histoplasmosis.

Signs of having a bat infestation

Many bats in the United States are very small and can fit into tight spaces. Occasionally, a bat will accidentally wander into your house and get stuck, but as the weather starts to get warmer, say around late spring, female bats will start to look for a safe place to roost.

• During the spring and summer, you may start to see bat droppings (guano ) on window s.vills  ², which is a sign that someone may have moved in.
• Guano buildup will also cause an odor, which is another sign.
• Bats can also be very noisy. Sometime around twilight, bats will start chirping and rustling, signs that you may have a maternity colony on your hands.

Due to regulations against harming bats, you may have to live with a bat colony until the juveniles have aged enough to fly on their own, usually late summer or early fall.

Female bats want to find a warm place where they can raise their young, and they can make their way into a house through vents, chimneys, cracks in the wall, and open windows and doors.

Where are bats found in the house?

Female bats want to find a nice cozy place to raise their young, and there are a few prime locations where you might hear the signs of a bat colony.

Exclusion vs extermination

Bats are very important creatures in terms of insect control and for that reason they are protected by federal and some state laws. For that reason, bats are not exterminated and killed. Instead, the bat removal process is called exclusion and involves allowing bats to leave the roost and sealing off any way they could possibly re-enter.

When you call a professional, the pros can perform a variety of services. The first that will need to happen is a home inspection. Since bats become active at dusk, someone will need to observe the house at that time of day to determine the points of entry. The bat removal expert will then build what’s known as an exclusion door. This allows bats to leave, but doesn’t let them get back in.

Labor

Most professionals charge by the project, divided into services. You can expect to pay at least $75 for an initial inspection. The actual bat exclusion and removal will cost at least an additional $75, depending on the size of the bat colony. Sealing up entryways is yet another part of the process, and you can expect to pay at least $100 per gable vent to prevent bats from returning and an additional $20-$50 to seal any other holes that bats may enter through. The cleanup process can often cost significantly more than the removal, as it involves both cleaning bat droppings and replacing insulation.

Guano removal

As mentioned above, guano accumulation is unhealthy and can lead to respiratory disease. Part of the bat removal process also requires cleaning up guano . Guano is commonly used as fertilizer, but when it builds up in an enclosed space it develops a significant odor and can cause a respiratory disease known as histoplasmosis. Guano needs to be removed by a professional equipped with all of the appropriate biohazard gear. In many cases, the attic or wall insulation will need to be replaced, which adds to your overall costs. Without seeing the scope of the guano problem, it’s difficult to give a price estimate for guano removal, as the problem could be contained to only a few square feet or could be as large as the entire attic.

Enhancement and improvement costs

Attic Restoration

Bat removal is only one part of the process. Bats leave behind guano , which poses health risks. Guano removal is a separate service, but it’s often provided alongside exclusion services. The price for guano removal can vary significantly depending on how severe the problem is. If you have an unchecked bat colony with hundreds of members, that add up to a lot of guano . The work is hazardous and may take several days, depending on the severity. Attic restoration and guano removal is often billed as a single service, usually because it’s virtually impossible to remove guano without replacing at least some of the attic insulation. Depending on the severity of the situation, this could potentially require replacing all of the insulation in the attic. The cost of attic insulation will vary based on how much square footage needs to be covered and the type of insulation you use. These materials can cost anywhere from $0.44-$1.45 per square foot, and labor can cost about $0.95 per square foot.

Bat proofing

The only way to ensure that bats don’t come back is to seal all of the possible entryways. Each gable vent will need to be screened, and all holes will need to be sealed. The cost for this is outside of the cost of an inspection. The average price for screening a gable vent is $100 per vent, and the average price to seal holes ranges from $20 to $50 per hole.

Additional considerations and costs

• A quick Google search will reveal dozens of bat repellents. None of these are certified or guaranteed to work. The most effective way to deal with bats is to get professional intervention.
• DIY bat removal is not recommended. Bat removal experts have the proper tools and equipment to get bats out of the house. Bat droppings can potentially cause the lung disease histoplasmosis, and professionals are better equipped to decontaminate the area.
• Before you take on any bat-proofing measures, you will need to contact your local wildlife agency. Bats are protected on a federal and state level , and you’ll need to make sure to conform to regulations.
• Bats are valuable members of our ecosystem, and bat houses are a great way to give bats an alternative to your attic. You can buy bat house kits, build one yourself, or buy a finished bat house. Kits and houses range in price from $50-$180.
• When you request a quote from a bat removal professional, inquire about warranties, as this will vary business to business. Most warranties do not include an incident where a bat comes in through an open door or window.
• Homeowner's insurance usually covers bat removal, but you’ll have to check your individual policy for specific details.
• Remember, you get what you pay for. If someone is offering what seems like a great deal, you can usually expect lower quality service. Don’t go with the cheapest quote.
• Bats want a warm place to raise their young, and that means a place with a lot of food. One way to deter bats is to create an unappealing feeding ground by getting rid of mosquitos. There are single services and long-term services to get rid of mosquitos, and the cost will vary based on your property size.
• Female bats look for a place to roost and raise their young during the summer. Bat exclusion cannot take place during the maternity season, as the babies are not capable of leaving on their own.

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