8 Factors Behind Bat Removal Cost
How much does bat removal cost? The price will vary. Here are 8 factors to take into mind when you’re hiring someone to remove a bat from your house.
Bats are amazing creatures that do a lot of good for the environment, but no one wants them in their home.
If you’ve discovered bats in your home siding or attic, there are several factors that come into play when determining bat removal cost.
Read on for a list of eight factors that can determine how much it will cost and how to choose the right service to help you get rid of pesky bats in your home.
1. Breeding Season
Most bats breed during the early spring, but this can continue well into the fall, too. If you happen to notice bats are breeding in your attic or other areas of the home, the removal process can be quite extensive.
To determine bat removal cost, it may hinge on just how many bats you’re dealing with. If you hear a bat screeching during the winter, it could be just one or two. Lots of squeaking sounds during the warmer months could mean you have an entire colony living up in your attic.
If there’s an abundance of mother and baby bats living in your home, the process to remove them can be quite extensive. When you discover bats in the house, think about the time of year and if they could have decided to make your home their breeding ground. A huge amount of bats will require a lot more labor and expertise, which means the removal cost can go up dramatically.
2. Preventative Measures and Bat Removal Cost
Aside from the cost to eradicate bats from your home, it’s a good idea to take a few preventative measures for the future. This step can add to the total cost, but it’s worth it to give you peace of mind.
Once the pest control expert determines how and where the bats are getting in, they can add a few things to your home that will keep the animals from returning. Most bats enter through cracks or holes in the home, but they might also squeeze through vents.
Make sure that you seal all entry points and cover vents with a protective mesh or other material. While this step may increase your cost, it’s still worth it to keep your home protected. Another bonus to sealing the home is that it will prevent other pests from entering as well.
3. Damage Repair
If you don’t notice that you have bats and get rid of them early, they can cause some serious damage to your home. These flying mammals can actually create serious structural damage.
The guano (feces) and urine of bats can start to add up as time goes on. You might notice sudden stains on your ceilings or weird markings on the sheetrock. The insulation in your attic can become soaked with bat urine, too which means it will need to be replaced.
The piles of guano can also accumulate on structural beams, weakening the wood and other material. Not only does bat excrement look horrible, but it also creates a pungent scent that will need to be removed. Ask your pest control company how much it costs to remove the guano and repair any damage the animals may have caused.
4. Expertise is Required
One reason for high bat removal cost is that it requires the skills and training of a bat expert. These animals are highly dangerous and can cause rabies as well as pose other serious health risks.
The pest control team will also have to be able to climb on ladders, and they may need to start the removal process at night. All of these factors make bat removal one of the most dangerous forms of pest control.
Bats can be aggressive so they can easily fly toward workers and attempt to bite them. The smell of bat urine and guano is also horrible so most technicians also have to wear proper protection like masks to avoid breathing it in. When you combine the need for experience with the danger factor, it’s easy to see why bat exclusion can cost a pretty penny.
5. Special Equipment is Needed
As a homeowner, you should never attempt to remove bats from the home yourself. Experience is required to handle the nuances that come with dealing with a bat infestation.
Special equipment is added to your home once the entry point is identified. This equipment allows the bat to exit, but it doesn’t allow them to come back inside.
Since many bats are considered endangered, the pest control company must handle them in a specific way. They’ll take the bats that exit and transport them to a specific location as required by state law. Combining the knowledge required to deal with bats with specialized equipment, and you can see why bat removal isn’t cheap.
6. Breaking Down the Cost
The cost for bat exclusion can vary depending on a number of factors that can affect your bottom line. An initial inspection may include a separate fee, and that’s before the removal process even begins. If bats are detected, the pest control company will then begin the bat exclusion process.
After there is no more sign of any bats, your home will be sealed and all entry points will be blocked so no more animals can get in. If there’s an extensive amount of damage, you will also need to pay for repairs. Your attic could be treated with a special spray to sanitize beams, ceilings, and flooring.
In almost every case of a bat infestation, you will also need to pay to replace the insulation. This material can be like a sponge for bat urine, so it must be changed to fresh, clean insulation to keep your home safe. Finally, you might want to pay for a re-inspection to ensure that your home is now bat-free, which will also cost a separate fee.
“Typically with bat removal requests we see entrance into homes through small openings like chimney caps, ridge or exhaust vents and gable vents,” explains Nick Massey, owner of Georgia Pest and Wildlife Specialist. “We always recommend doing full exclusion service not only to prevent future intrusion but to also prevent the potential diseases that can be associated with bats.”
7. Bats and Homeowner’s Insurance
Most homeowner’s insurance policies will not cover bat infestations or other pest-related issues. That means you will be completely responsible for bat removal cost yourself and will need to pay for it out of pocket.
Bat invasions are considered a maintenance issue by most insurance companies. That’s because these flying pests typically enter as a result of cracks, gaps, or other weak areas of the home where the bats can get inside. One way to prevent the issue is to check your home thoroughly to ensure that there are no visible spots where the animals can come in.
Keep in mind that some damage may be covered by homeowner’s insurance, but this will vary by policy and by the carrier. Talk to your insurance company if bats have done significant damage to your home. They may allow you to file a claim to help pay for the resulting damage, but they won’t assist with paying for bat exclusion.
8. The Bottom Line: It All Depends
With so many factors to consider, the cost of removing bats from your home can vary greatly depending on your unique situation. If there are only a few bats and you don’t have an entire colony living in your home, the cost might be a bit lower. On the other hand, if you’ve got hundreds of these flying pests inside, get ready to shell out some major cash.
You’ll need to rely on the experts to remove bats from your home, which requires experience, training, tools, and special equipment. In addition to the removal, sealing off the home is essential to prevent future infestations. Cleanup costs are also something to consider and are definitely worth the cost.
Besides the bat removal and prevention itself, you’ll need to pay to repair any damage done to your home. Some homeowner’s insurance policies may cover some or all of the costs for repairs. Make sure that your home is clean, sanitized, and repaired correctly to protect the structure.
Say Goodbye to Bats Once and For All
Once you have a good understanding of the factors involved in a bat removal cost, you’ll have a new appreciation for the process. You can’t afford to take risks when it comes to bats in the home, so make sure you contact a professional at the first sign of these animals.
It’s easy to see why bat exclusion is not a cheap process.
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