Bat Prevention
How To Prevent Bats From Entering Your Home
Vampires have to be invited in. Bats, on the other hand, assume they have a standing reservation underneath your roof and can come and go as they please. If you don't feel this is the case, keep reading.
DIY Home Repair
You're going to want to start by doing a little home repair to prevent bats from entering the house early on. Most homes have some vulnurability where bats can enter and make a nest. Check your fascia board and soffit for any signs of damage. Make sure that if you have a barrel tile roof, that it was installed properly so that there is no way to burrow underneath the tiles, and that they aren't cracked or missing.
Inspect Your Roof For Damage
I can't stress this enough: make sure your roof is not damaged in any way. Not only will bats enter your attic, but a whole host of other wildlife, including birds, rats, and raccoons. These creatures are fine in the wild, but take well to damaging air ductwork, drywall, electrical wiring, water pipes, and more.
Check Attic Vents for Damage
Animals will, over time, damage the entrance points that they are using. They'll smear dirt, feces, oil, and hair around their entrances. Unlike humans, they are just as happy to squeeze through a doorway as they are to walk or fly through it. And when they do, they'll leave a mess. Metal vents don't see this as much but side-mount wooden vents with slats can get filthy very quickly. Look for dirt high up on exterior walls and near the soffit or eaves of your house to detect the presence of bats. And make sure you have a metal wire mesh placed over your attic vents to keep them out.
Never Use Pesticides, Poison, or Other Fumigants
Don't believe anything you read about bat poison, the use of DDT or RoZol on bats, or bat repellents. The first two are completely terrible ways to take care of your bat problem, and extremely not legal.
Bat Pesticides and Poison as Prevention
There is no pesticide or fumigant for killing bats that is within the scope of the law. The Endangered Species Act prevents any pest wildlife control provider from using any product to kill a bat. Bats must be removed physically or excluded. It is also extremely inhumane to use poison meant for other animals or insects on a bat. Poisons are generally tailored toward the creature they are made for, and can feel like torture to a bat.