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If you’re searching for how to get a bat out of your house, chances are you’ve had a sudden and stressful encounter with one. Maybe you walked into your living room at night and saw something flying across the ceiling, or maybe you heard scratching sounds in the attic. Whatever brought you here, this guide will walk you through exactly what to do, what not to do, when to call for help, and how to prevent bats from coming back.
This article combines expert advice, local Burlington, North Carolina information, government regulations, and research to give you a complete resource you can rely on. Whether it’s a single lost bat or a colony in your attic, you’ll find everything you need here.
Why Bats End Up Inside Homes
Bats can enter homes through surprisingly small openings. Gaps in soffits, rooflines, vents, chimneys, or attic eaves can become perfect entry points. Once inside, they may roost in attics, walls, or chimneys. In Burlington and throughout North Carolina, bats are common, especially during the warmer months from spring through early fall.
Most single bats that end up in living spaces accidentally flew in through an open door or window, or they became disoriented while searching for a roost. Colonies inside attics, on the other hand, typically happen when female bats look for maternity roosts during breeding season.
Quick Steps for a Bat Flying Around the Room
- Close interior doors to confine the bat to one room.
- Keep pets and children out of the room.
- Turn off the indoor lights.
- Open one or more exterior windows or doors and leave the outside porch light on.
- Stand back and wait. In many cases, the bat will find its way out within 10 to 15 minutes.
If the bat lands, you can trap it carefully using a container and cardboard. Wear thick gloves, place the container gently over the bat, slide cardboard under it, and then take the bat outside for release. Never use bare hands.
If there’s any chance a person or pet was touched or bitten, do not release the bat. Contain it and call your local health department or animal control right away.
For Burlington, you can contact the Alamance County Health Department for guidance. They follow the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding rabies prevention and testing.
Why Calling Professionals Can Save You Trouble
While it might seem tempting to handle bat removal yourself, calling experienced professionals can make a big difference. A skilled wildlife removal team can identify how the bat entered, whether there’s a colony, and if your home has vulnerabilities that need sealing.
This is especially important in North Carolina, where there are legal restrictions on removing bats during certain times of year. Removing bats during maternity season, typically between May and August, can be illegal because young bats (called pups) cannot fly. Blocking the entry points during this time can trap and kill the pups, which can result in legal penalties and serious problems with odors and sanitation.
In Burlington and surrounding areas, a trusted local service is Faircloth Chimney Sweeps and Wildlife Removal. They understand local regulations, have the equipment for exclusion work, and can handle single bats or full colonies efficiently. They also provide repair services to close up entry points so the problem doesn’t return.
You can visit them here: Faircloth Chimney Sweeps and Wildlife Removal
Government Guidelines You Should Know
Government agencies offer clear guidelines on handling bats. These are some of the best resources to reference or link to on your website:
- CDC Bat and Rabies Information: https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/prevention/bats.html
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Guide: https://www.fws.gov/story/five-methods-safely-remove-bat-your-home
- Massachusetts Bats in the Home: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/bats-in-the-home
- Illinois Department of Public Health: https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/environmental-health-protection/structural-pest-control/bats-exclusion.html
- Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks: https://ksoutdoors.gov/Services/Wildlife-Damage-Control/Bats-in-Houses
- New Jersey DEP: https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/wildlife/bats-in-buildings/
These sources emphasize three main points:
- Never handle bats without protection.
- If there is potential human or pet contact, testing may be required.
- Exclusion, not trapping or killing, is the preferred method for colonies.
Exclusion Methods for Attic Colonies
If a single bat got inside, that’s one situation. A colony in your attic is another. Colonies are typically made up of female bats and their pups during summer. The recommended approach by both wildlife professionals and government agencies is exclusion.
Exclusion involves installing one-way devices on the bats’ entry points. These devices let bats exit at night to feed but prevent them from returning. After all bats have left, the devices are removed and the openings are sealed permanently.
This process should never be done during maternity season, as pups cannot fly. Timing is critical. In North Carolina, the maternity season usually lasts from May through August.
Professional exclusion often includes:
- Identifying every potential entry point.
- Installing bat cones or mesh over these points.
- Monitoring for several nights to ensure all bats have left.
- Sealing every gap afterward with proper materials like flashing, metal mesh, or caulk.
Cleaning and Repairs After Removal
After bats have been excluded, it’s important to inspect your home for damage and contamination. Bat droppings, called guano, can accumulate in attics and create odor problems. In some cases, guano can affect insulation or wood over time.
Typical post-removal work includes:
- Removing contaminated insulation or droppings.
- Replacing insulation if needed.
- Sealing gaps around vents, chimneys, soffits, and rooflines.
- Installing chimney caps or vent covers.
- Repairing structural damage that allowed bats inside in the first place.
In Burlington, many homeowners choose to have wildlife removal companies handle both the exclusion and cleanup. This ensures the problem doesn’t return and that health recommendations are followed properly.
Seasonal Patterns and Bat Behavior
Understanding bat behavior can help you prevent future problems. In North Carolina, bats are most active during warmer months. They typically return to roosting sites around March or April and may stay through early fall.
Maternity colonies form in late spring. Females gather to give birth and raise their pups. By late summer, the pups are old enough to fly. In fall, bats begin leaving their roosts and searching for hibernation sites or migrating.
Common bat species in Burlington include:
- Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus)
- Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus)
- Eastern Red Bat (Lasiurus borealis)
- Mexican Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida brasiliensis)
These species are beneficial for controlling insects, which is another reason wildlife agencies emphasize exclusion rather than extermination.
Frequently Asked Questions
Close off the room, open an exterior window, keep people and pets out, and call animal control if you suspect exposure.
No. In North Carolina, exclusion during maternity season (May through August) is restricted by law.
You can call Faircloth Chimney Sweeps and Wildlife Removal for bat inspections, exclusion, and prevention work.
