Bats in Your Home? What Ohio Homeowners Need to Know 🦇

Finding out you may have bats in your home can be unsettling, especially when you aren’t sure how they’re getting in or how many may be there.

Bats are a common wildlife issue for Ohio homeowners, and they’re especially good at finding small openings around a home. Sometimes the first sign is a bat suddenly flying through the living room. Other times, homeowners hear noises in the attic or notice activity around the roofline in the evening.

Here are a few things you should know if you suspect bats are using your home.

How Do Bats Get Into a House?

Bats can fit through surprisingly small openings, which means an entry point may not be obvious from the ground.

Some of the areas we commonly inspect include rooflines, soffits, fascia, vents, flashing and other small gaps or construction openings around the exterior of the home.

This is why finding and removing one bat doesn't necessarily solve the problem. If there is an opening that bats are actively using, it needs to be properly identified and addressed.

Signs You May Have Bats

Seeing a bat inside is an obvious sign, but bats can be present without ever making it into your living space.

Homeowners may notice scratching or movement in the attic, bats flying from the roofline around dusk, staining near an entry point or droppings in an attic or around the exterior of the home.

Sometimes there are very few noticeable signs at all. A full inspection can help determine whether bats are present and where they may be getting in.

Why You Shouldn't Just Seal the Hole

If you find what looks like a bat entry point, sealing it immediately isn't always the answer.

If bats are still inside, closing their active entry point can trap them in the structure. They may then look for another way out, including finding their way into the living areas of the home.

Bat exclusions need to be done correctly and at the appropriate time. The goal is to allow bats to leave while preventing them from getting back inside, followed by properly sealing the home against future entry.

Bat Exclusion in Ohio

Timing matters when dealing with bats in Ohio.

During maternity season, young bats may not yet be able to fly. Excluding the adults during this period can leave young bats trapped inside the structure. Because of this, bat work needs to take Ohio's wildlife regulations and the bats' life cycle into consideration.

A professional inspection can identify the active entry points, other potential openings and the work needed to properly exclude the bats.

What Does KBC Look for During a Bat Inspection?

At KBC Wildlife Solutions, we don't just look at the spot where a homeowner thinks the bats are entering.

We inspect the home for signs of bat activity, active entry points and other areas that could potentially allow bats into the structure. From there, we can recommend the appropriate exclusion and repair work for that particular home.

Every house is different, which is why properly identifying the problem before beginning repairs is so important.

Think You May Have Bats?

Whether you've found a bat inside, heard something in the attic or noticed bats coming and going from your roofline, we can help determine what's going on and what needs to be done next.

KBC Wildlife Solutions provides bat inspections and exclusion services for homeowners throughout Central Ohio, including Delaware County and surrounding communities.