How to Get a Bat Out of Your Chimney (Permanently)
It is not uncommon for bats to roost in chimneys, particularly if you live in an area with a high bat population or in an area where the natural roosting habitats for bats have decreased in recent years. However, it’s important that you get a bat (or multiple bats) out of your chimney as soon as possible in order to mitigate the damage and decrease your risk of exposure to disease. The following guide will help you learn how to get a bat out of your chimney for good.
Can Bats Be Removed from the Chimney Permanently?
Yes—to a point. It is technically impossible to predict whether or not bats will ever make their way into your home again, but you can significantly decrease the chances that bats will find your chimney appealing by taking the proper steps to first remove them and then solve the conditions which allowed them to roost in your chimney in the first place.
Step by Step: Getting a Bat Out of Your Chimney
The following is a step by step guide that you should follow when you want to get bats out of your chimney.
Confirm the presence of bats
The first thing you should do is confirm the presence of a bat or bats in your chimney. Signs of bats in your chimney included:
Visibly seeing bats entering or exiting your chimney; if you can't confirm a sighting, have a group observe the chimney at dusk which is the prime time for bats to leave
Hearing rustling or squeaks coming from inside the chimney, walls or fireplace; these sounds may be more frequent at dusk and dawn
- Distinct odor of guano, which will build up over time
- Urine stains inside the chimney
- Guano stains on the sides of the chimney or near the entry point where the bats are entering/exiting
- Oily stains on the chimney
Discover the bat entry point
Once you have confirmed that there are bats in the chimney, you will need to discover the bat entry point. This is where bats will be entering and exiting the chimney. The entry point can be the top of the chimney, a crack or hole in the chimney; as well as cracks or holes in the walls, ceilings, and even vents that lead inside your home. Bats can squeeze themselves into fairly small openings.
Hire a professional bat remover
The next step is to hire a professional bat remover. A professional bat remover will be able to safely and humanely trap all of the bats and remove them from your home. It is important to hire a professional due to the laws, regulations and general hazards involved in removing bats from a residence.
Seal all entry points
The final step is to seal all entry points after every bat has been removed from inside your chimney. If you don’t seal up all the entry points, the bats—or even a different group—will return.
Keep the above guide in mind when you want to remove bats from your chimney permanently.