Tag Archives: bats in attic

Disease in Bat Feces

Bats are great to have in the wild because they help control insect populations from getting out of control, but they are not so great to have in your home.

Bats in Illinois are well known to be carriers of rabies and are more likely than any other wild mammal to carry the disease. Less well known is that their feces (bat guano) can carry disease as well.

Bats living in your attic can cause problems and most concerning among them is disease carried in their guano.

Related: How to get bats out of the house

Histoplasmosis in Bat Feces

Piles of bat excrement in attic

Piles of bat excrement in attic

Histoplasmosis is an infectious disease which can be contracted by inhaling the spores of the histoplasmosis capsulation fungus.

The disease is not actually carried in the bat feces. Instead, it is a result of mold which grows on the bat guano.

Bats can create large piles of feces in your attic. Where a rodent such as a mouse will spread its feces throughout its range, bat feces will usually accumulate in a single area.

If you don’t notice the bats in your attic or home right away, piles of guano can accumulate. Over time it can begin to become the perfect environment for the histoplasmosis fungus.

How histoplasmosis is transmitted

Histoplasmosis infections are caused by breathing in the spores of a histoplasmosis capsulation fungus. This will happen if the spores become airborne, which is most likely to occur when you are trying to clean up the bat feces or another work project that disturbs the mess, causing the dried feces to break up and become airborne. This will result in an infection of the lungs.

Histoplasmosis is not contagious from person to person

Because it is a lung infection caused by inhaling the spores, an infected person cannot transmit the disease to another person.

Symptoms of histoplasmosis

Possible symptoms include fever, dry cough, chest pain, joint pain, red bumps on your lower legs. In severe cases, symptoms may include: excessive sweating, shortness of breath, coughing up blood.

Most people who are infected with histoplasmosis will not actually contract any symptoms. It will often disappear in less than two weeks without treatment.

If a severe infection is untreated, a person could incur scarring on the lungs from the infection, which can cause lasting damage to the lungs, blood vessels, and other internal organs.

However, it is usually only a danger to people with weakened immune systems, the elderly and children.

Increased or continuous exposure to the source of the spores can increase the severity of the infection. This is why proper cleanup is so important.

Related: Why attic restoration is important

Bat feces cleanup

Attic restoration

A cleaned and restored attic

Before doing any cleanup, you will need to make sure all the bats are removed from the attic and that any points of entry have been sealed so they can not return.

It is recommended that you use a professional bat removal and attic restoration service to clean up after bats.

Bats are a protected species in Illinois and must be handled by trained professionals like our team.

We are experienced and well equipped to perform bat excrement cleanup. We have protective clothing and respirator devices to protect ourselves so we can get into infected areas and perform a thorough cleanup.

We can make repairs to your property and take preventative measures so you don’t have to worry about those pesky bats returning.

 

Have a bat problem you need assistance with?
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Bat removal estimate call: (847) 464-1861


Attic restoration

Why Attic Restoration is Important

Cleanup and restoration of your attic after animals have been living in the space is critical for the health of you and your family. 

Attic restoration means to clean and restore your attic to the condition it was in before unwanted wildlife moved in and created a mess.

You may think getting rid of the animal in your attic is enough, but that is not the end of your problem. Animals living in your attic will make a mess, leaving feces and diseases after they are gone.

For professional attic restoration in the Chicago area, please contact us online or call (847) 464-1861

Problems caused by animals in the attic

  • Animal feces and urine in your insulation
  • Leftover food and food waste
  • Animal and urine odors
  • Mold growing in urine soaked areas
  • Roundworms, parasites and their eggs
  • Animal scents which can attract more pests

Related: Dangers of animal feces in the attic

It’s extremely important to make sure all these issues are taken care of. They are not something that you would want to attempt on your own because you risk becoming infected by some diseases.

Parasites such as roundworm can become airborne, risking infection simply by breathing them in.

A trained professional attic restoration technician will clean, disinfect, and repair the attic using an air filter and protective clothing.

You will also need to make sure that you inspect the home to locate and repair any points where animals have entered your home. This may include roofing, fascia, soffit, siding, and chimneys.

Professional cleanup and attic restoration helps protect you and your family from disease. Animal entry repair will prevent the problem from happening again.

Live animal trapping and attic restoration video

In this video, you can see the Attic Solutions team cleaning and restoring a customer’s attic and returning it to its original state.

For animal removal and attic restoration services in Chicago, the Chicago suburbs and southern Wisconsin, contact us online or phone (847) 464-1861


 

Bats in the Attic During Winter Months

Brown bats in attic during winter

As the winter months approach, common bats will either migrate to warmer climates or more commonly, hibernate from November to April.

It’s quite possible bats may be hibernating in your attic!

It was once thought that bats usually hibernated in caves during the winter months but it is actually much more common for them to find a safe spot in homes and buildings. We just usually don’t realize it because bats don’t just find a spot at the top of your attic to hang like we might imagine.  They often will hibernate beneath your insulation or find a space in between the walls.

What not to do with bats in your attic

Don’t seal their exit! The most common mistake people make is to seal all of the entries and exits during the day. The problem with this is that now you’ve trapped them inside. Those bats will now be desperate to get out and will very likely find their way into another room in your house, creating an unpleasant situation.

Dont Kill the bats You may not realize this, but in most states bats are a protected species. They are so valuable in helping control insect populations that they are protected at both the state and federal level.

Don’t use poisons, glue boards, or high-frequency noise emitters Although you might be able to buy these products online, there is actually a federal ban against ultrasonic pest control devices. It is illegal to poison bats in Illinois.

What to do about bats in the attic

Inspection Whether you do it yourself or hire a professional bat removal service, the first step is a thorough inspection to find bats, their locations, entry and exit points.

Exclusion You need first to locate the primary entry and exit points while observing the bats in the evening. During the winter months, bats may exit your home to search for water if the temperature move above 45 degrees. When all bats have left the home for evening hunting, this is when you should seal all entry points.

Professional Removal Bats in your attic during the winter months will spend a majority of the time being inactive. This is a good time to contact a professional removal service to have them safely removed. Remember, bats are a beneficial and protected species, so do not attempt to remove them yourself during hibernation.

Call a professional

If you don’t want to remove bats yourself (and we DON’T recommend it), then please call Attic Solutions at (847) 464-1861 for professional bat removal in the Chicagoland area.

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Image Source: Wikipedia Commons
Post Sources: The Bat Guy & MIBat Control

Bat Hibernation

rabid batsIt is that time of year again, bat hibernation!

During the winter months in the Chicago area, it is possible for bats to take up residence in your home. And where there is one bat, there is often a colony of bats.

Due to the extreme temperatures during the winter months, there are far fewer flying insects, which means a lot less food for bats.

In order to survive, bats have to hibernate and need a comfortable environment that stays around 35-40 degrees Fahrenheit. These intelligent creatures have learned attics are the perfect place to ride out the cold.

For professional bat removal call (847) 464-1861

How Did A Bat Get in My House?

Because bats are so small, it is not difficult for them to sneak in through a crevice, window, or chimney and move in to your attic or basement. Bats do not always end up at haunted houses! Any home with space, a place to roost, and nearby insects is at risk. If you have a bat in your home, you need a bat exclusion. Bats are a protected species and this is not something you want to do yourself.

What Is A Bat Exclusion?

Bat exclusion is the removal of bats from your home. Bats are a protected species under the Illinois wildlife code and any kind of poison or chemical use for removal is forbidden. Exclusion is a multistep process and requires trained trustworthy professionals, like our technicians at Attic Solutions, who are familiar with the laws and regulations.

What Kind Of Bats Are These?

While there are approximately 14 various species of bats in Illinois, the ones that most commonly move into your attic are Little Brown Bats and Big Brown Bats. Since bats are not rodents, bat removal and exclusion may even be covered by your homeowner’s insurance policy.

Are Bats Dangerous?

Bats are social, intelligent creatures. While they are extremely beneficial to insect control, they can be more than a nuisance when moving into your home. Bats are not only primary carriers of rabies, a fatal disease, but a lesser-known danger is the health risk associated with their excrement. Exposure to bat droppings, or guano, may cause histoplasmosis. This disease primarily affects the lungs and if left untreated, can be fatal.


As soon as you suspect you may have a bat infestation, call us immediately at 847-464-1861 for removal.

We are trained professionals and equipped to deal with bat exclusion and removal, including humane live animal trapping (never poisons!).

We will remove the bats and fix any property damage they may have caused. Click to read more about bat removal services from Attic Solutions.