What kind of damage do bats cause in the attic?

Bats are not a huge problem if there are just a few of them. But if you have a large bat colony in your attic, then you will be in a bit of an alarming situation. The problem isn’t bats, but their feces. Bat feces and bat urine are corrosive and can cause significant damage to a house’s structural integrity. On the other side, bat feces can be a carrier of several diseases that can be dangerous for human health.

Bats live 25-30 years. They eat lots of insects, which leads to the release of feces almost a dozen times a day – and this can give you a picture of just how much bat guano you will have in your attic in a matter of weeks. Besides, a bat colony is growing every year, which adds to this problem.

After the pile of bat feces has grown up, the smell will become more intensive, wrapping around your entire home like a toxic cloud. Besides the nasty smell, bat feces can be a carrier of histoplasmosis, a dangerous lung disease that can cause life long health consequences for individuals with low immunity. Besides histoplasmosis, bats can occasionally be rabid and transfer this dangerous infection to humans by biting them. This is a rare case, but it is important to seek medical assistance as soon as you have been bitten by a bat.

Bats in the attic will not chew on wiring, wood or insulation. The only problem with their presence in the attic is this huge creation of bat feces that is dangerous for your home and for your family due to health risks.

In order to protect yourself and your family from the risks associated with bats in the attic, it is necessary to exclude them from there. This can be organized in a safe way for all the bats that are in your attic with a one way exclusion funnel. This is a device that will enable bats to go out of your attic but will disable them from getting back in. However, keep in mind that bats don't all go out in the evening; some of them go outside while others stay in. This is why it is important to keep the device on for as long as necessary for all the bats to safely go from your attic outside. When this has happened, it is safe to shut all the entrances to the attic.

Go back to the How to Get Rid of Bats page or email us if you have any other questions about What kind of damage do bats cause in the attic?