Ultimate Bat Infestation & Damage Guide for Homes in Cary

Bats are among the most feared pests in the Cary area. Although not as menacing as their bad reputation may suggest, bats can be a terror if they get inside your house. Unfortunately, bats like to roost inside our attics and they have no trouble getting in. Any holes in your roof or exterior vent openings that are half an inch in diameter are big enough for local bats to squeeze their way through. Continue reading to learn the many issues that bats can cause if they start sharing your home.

 

Bat Damage & Health Hazards

The biggest problem with bats are their droppings. Bat feces are known as guano, and they’re highly corrosive. When guano lands on flooring, it will cause it to rot and the feces may begin to seep into your ceiling, causing further damage and creating an awful ammonia-like smell. When guano lands on your insulation, it will soil it and force you to replace it. If guano lands on any metal pipes, it will corrode them, which can result in a leak.

Even a single bat roosting in your attic will produce a fair amount of guano, but a whole colony of bats living inside your home in Cary will produce enough guano to cause severe damage. In addition to being corrosive, guano may contain histoplasma, a fungus that can cause severe feverish symptoms if breathed in by humans. The larger the bat colony in your attic, the higher the risk that your family will contract histoplasmosis.

While guano is the most destructive issue with having bats in your home in Cary, the biggest threat associated with bats is the rabies virus. Rabies is a lethal virus that will kill both people and pets unless they are treated quickly after exposure. Once symptoms appear, rabies is almost always fatal. Bats are the most common spreaders of rabies in the United States though, thankfully, less than 5% of bats carry the virus. Still, if you have bats on your property, you should avoid coming into contact with them as one bite is all it takes to spread the virus.

 

Humane Bat Removal Professionals in Cary

Have you discovered an infestation of bats in your attic? If so, then it’s time to give Southern Wildlife and Land Management a call to schedule bat removal services for your home in Cary!