Do it yourself – Bat Removal
You’ve watched the videos, read countless magazine articles and books on the subject and logged countless hours watching home improvement shows on late-night cable television. That plumbing job turned out perfectly. New drywall installed flawlessly. Electrical work was a breeze. So now you’re ready to tackle a bat exclusion project, huh? Consider a few facts and what you need to accomplish before venturing into this uncharted territory. Wildlife control professionals are “professionals” for many reasons.
Bat removal isn’t a weekend warrior project. It begins with safety planning, and an ability to expect the unexpected. The laundry list of hazards, to name a few, includes: close encounters with disease-carrying bats, bees and bee hives, wasps, and gravity (namely slips from the roof and falls from ladders). We urge homeowners lacking appropriate safety training and experience to turn to the professionals.
What sort of equipment is required from do-it-yourself bat removal?
Ladders: 28-foot (two story); 40-foot (two-three story)
Bee Suit: A bee suit is a necessity during the hot summer months when both bats and bees are active. Propestmen technicians frequently need to seal openings with bats and wasps nearby. A bee suit lessens the stress level when there’s a close encounter with a hornet’s nest 30 feet in the air.
Ladder Hook: Attached to a lightweight 15-foot ladder, a ladder hook helps a technician traverse a steep roofline so common on contemporary construction in Ohio. Our hooks are made by Level Rite and OSHA-approved as a tie-off point for fall protection. See below.
Fall Protection: Includes a harness, specialized rope, lanyard and rope clasp.
Caulk Gun and Sealant: Required for sealing up cracks in the house.
Ridge-Guard – To secure ridge vents.
Foam Gun and Foam: Black foam is dispensed from a professional foam gun.
One-Way Doors: One-way doors are incredibly effective at excluding bats humanely. Bat Cone manufactures a device that nicely does the trick.
Safety represents the primary reason to turn to a professional. Successful bat exclusion requires working at heights, on steep roof lines and frequently in contact with stinging insects and bats. This combination can pose a hazard with serious consequences.
Assuming a do-it-yourself person owns the proper equipment, has the necessary training and is equipped with a burning desire to tackle the project. Does all of this come complete with an understanding of bat behavior? Do-it-yourself bat removal effort may result in the death of the bat in question. Failing in another way involves missing an opening or two, negating the entire effort. Small oversights in the work can simply drives the bats to relocate to a different portion of the attic, or force them into a home’s living space.
All things considered, maybe it’s easier to let a professional do the work