If you thought the only things that make scary noises in the night were ghosts and goblins, think again. Sometimes, it’s the unexpected guests in your chimney that can send shivers down your spine.
Bats, while fascinating creatures, make for terrible roommates. So, why on earth would bats even choose this eerie abode? And, more importantly, what do you do if they decide to make your chimney their new haunt?
How to Evict Bats From Your Chimney or Home
In Texas, as in many other places, bats are a protected species. According to the Texas parks and wildlife code, it is illegal to kill any species of bat without a permit unless it is an imminent threat to human health and safety.
In fact, the City of Houston strongly discourages do-it-yourself techniques to bat removal because of the dangers to both the bats and the humans handling them. Here are some things you can do to kick these squatters to the curb without hurting anything more than their pride.
Identify the Species: Before taking any action, determine the species of bats residing in your chimney. The laws of what can and can’t be done to a bat can be different depending on the species of bat. Knowing what kind of bat is living in your chimney is a good start to getting them out of your home.- Timing is Everything: Bats have their young in the spring and early summer. During this time, they are especially vulnerable. It’s best to avoid any eviction efforts during these months to prevent harm to the bats or their pups.
- Call a Professional: For the safety of everyone involved, hiring a professional in bat removal will ensure that the bats are removed without harm. This process will involve scheduling a proper time when all of the bats, including the pups, will naturally leave the roost to feed. While they are eating, various tools and components are put in place to discourage and prevent them from coming back to your chimney.
…and After the Bats Have Left?
Once the bats are gone there are some important things that you need to do to make sure they don’t come back and to make sure you can continue to use your chimney safely. Here are some steps:
✔️ Clean Up Responsibly
Just because the bats have left doesn’t mean that they didn’t leave things behind. Especially their guano. Guano is bat feces and it can be laced with disease. It is crucial that your chimney is cleaned thoroughly even if you don’t plan on using your chimney for a while.
✔️ Prevent Reentry
Just because they have left for now doesn’t mean that they won’t come back. Another bat colony will probably find your chimney just as appealing as the first colony did. Fortunately, there are things that can be done to prevent this:
- Schedule an inspection. At Lords Chimney, our techs are trained in finding weak spots in your chimney defense system and getting them taken care of. Bats can squeeze through the tiniest places and these bat accessible spots are easy to miss. Our pros have experience locating these seemingly invisible nooks and crannies.
- Seal off entry points. In addition to spotting the problem spots, we are also equipped to get them sealed off, keeping them out forever. Of course, you don’t want to seal off your chimney entirely. You still need the flue to direct smoke and burning by products to safely escape.
- Install a chimney cap. One of the most important parts of your chimney is the chimney cap. This part of your chimney sits above the flue, letting out the things that need to escape, while preventing things from getting in that shouldn’t. A well-fitted, well-designed, and properly installed chimney cap will not only prevent bats from making a home in your chimney, it will also keep other critters from building nests and homes in your chimney, as well.
Why Bats Love Chimneys
Bats love to roost in caves and trees. That is because they are dark, sheltered from the elements, and protected from predators. In fact, you can find bats in lots of human-made structures that provide these environments, such as home attics, under bridges, in tall building crevices, and, of course, we can’t forget the bats in the belfry at your local church. Your chimney meets all the appropriate criteria for a bat haven.
Just remember: Bats provide a huge advantage to the environment as they keep insect populations under control so it is important that when we evict them from our chimney that we do it humanely.
Chimney Problems? We’re Here to Help
You don’t have to live with unwanted guests in your chimney. At Lords Chimney we can help you make sure your chimney is working as it should while keeping out unwanted guests. Call us today to schedule an inspection and keep those critters away.