How to inspect a house for bat entry holes

It is not possible to solve the problem of bats in your home until you are aware of how the bats are gaining entry into your home. This requires a detailed inspection of the whole structure. You have to move around each inch of a building and you need to have a sharp eye. The bats may enter in an entry that is as small as 3/8 inch. Having knowledge of the behavior of bats is helpful in recognizing the signs that the bats leave behind, and it helps to identify the entry points of the bats. You need to identify all the entry points of the bats or you will not be able to achieve a successful bat removal.

Access to the right tools will help. The bats may enter or exit at a high level of the house. They like to do this so that they can be safe from predators and so that they have room to swoop out and clearance for them to fly in or out. You may need to have a ladder which is over 40 feet to climb and inspect different areas of the roof or the structure of the house to identify and seal all the crannies or nooks. People may climb the roof or over the edge to get a look up into the eaves or fascia boards or other areas where the bats may enter the building.

The entry of the bats may be high up in the house or where there is an opening at the corner. It is easy to see wide-open gaps near the roof, but not all entry points will be so obvious. The bats may have brown grease in their fur, which means that you can look for an area that has brown stains at the entry point or at the exit. The bats also poop very frequently, so you may see scattered bat droppings at an entry hole and the feces may stick on the sides of shingles or walls. Bats defecate even when they are flying about, so you may see the droppings scattered around your property. It is important to be very thorough in your search because as long as bats have even one small entry hole, they will find their way inside. If you want to be sure of sealing all the access points, you may want to hire some professional help.

Go back to the How to Get Rid of Bats page or email us if you have any other questions about How to inspect a house for bat entry holes