Here are some tips for getting them out and keeping them out

Your attic is no place for bats. But if they’ve already moved in, it’s not so simple to get them out. Here’s how you can safely remove bats from your attic and take preventative measures to keep them from returning.

Perhaps the most effective is the installation of one-way doors that serve as exclusion devices. The bats can fly out, but they can’t come back in. To get these to work, however, you need to be sure you install them on all possible entry/exit points the bats are using. Another option is to provide a new home for the bats in the form of a bat house near your home. Hang it close to one of the entry points to encourage the bats to take up residence in their new home.

You can also obtain repellant devices that emit high frequencies or ultrasonic waves, though these may be less than effective.

Once all the bats have vacated your attic, you’ll want it to stay bat free. To achieve this, the single most important step is to seal off every entry and exit point so the bats can no longer get it. You can do this by using caulking, netting, screens or polyurethane foam to fill in the holes. Be sure to get every spot, too, as bats can be very territorial about their nests and will more than likely try to return. Don’t dismiss the smaller holes either, as some bats have been known to squeeze though square-inch or even smaller spaces.

A few simple actions can keep your attic from becoming free lodging for these flying creatures.