When bat guano has been building up around your house or in your attic, your only choice is to hire a professional to remove it.
Do you need wildlife removal services? Request a quote today!
What is guano?
Bat guano is the excrement of various bird and in this case bats. As a fertilizer, guano works great and is sought out by organic farmers all over the world but when bat guano hits a home, it’s not a pretty site, it’s basically not good for anything.
Is bat guano dangerous?
Like all feces, bat guano is dangerous to one’s health. According to the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management, it’s unsafe to inhale bat guano because it’s known to carry a fungus called Histoplasmosis. People who inhale this fungus can contract Histoplasma Capsulatum which is a disease that affects the lungs and other parts of the human body.
From the Public Health Agency of Canada on Histoplasma Capsulatum we find:
Histoplasmosis is the most prevalent mycosis in North America and more often reported in the areas surrounding the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. Exposure to dust or soil for prolonged periods of time as well as activities which disturb bird and bat guano increase the risk of infection and have also been indicators of localized outbreaks. Approximately 80 % of the general population tested around the Mississippi and Ohio rivers showed hypersensitivity to Histoplasma capsulatum. The largest group of affected individuals were young adults.
Simply put, bat and bird guano is highly unsafe and dangerous to your health and the health of your children. Call the professionals who will safely remove the bats from your home and thoroughly clean up the guano.
How bat guano damages a home
Not only is bat feces dangerous to your health, but it looks ugly hanging around your home and it could do substantial damage. Not only that, but anything that has been exposed to bat or bird guano needs to be removed and replaced with new products.
The areas in the video where you see the black smudges caused by the guano, all need to be replaced because if it’s left to linger, dry and be scattered by the wind or rain, and it can be inhaled by a human.
Watch the video to see a decent sized pile of bat guano that accumulated outside the window of a home:
If the area cannot be replaced there are some chemical solutions that can be used instead but removing and replacing is the safest option.
Bat guano damage in your attic
If bats are left alone and the conditions are optimal, a colony of bats will stay in your attic for as long as you own your home. Of course most of the time, a homeowner will be able to tell if bats are living in their attic, but if they’re left there for a considerable amount of time, you can expect a lot of costly damage to your attic.
Most of the time, bats will drop their guano outside of the door to their colony, but if left for years in an attic, you can expect a substantial pile up of bat droppings in your attic too. These droppings will start to leave a terrible odour in your home that will get through the walls and into your living space.
Bats are also able and inclined to chew through walls and wood, damage the attic insulation and even destroy electrical wires.
So what do I do if bats are living in my attic?
You need to call the professionals. You need the bat or bird guano cleaned up safely and if there is any damage you need to get the damage repaired.
Letting bats live in your home for prolonged periods of time can severely reduce the value of your home too. If you suspect you have bats or other wildlife living in your attic, call is for a home inspection – we’ll safely and humanely remove them for you.
Do you need wildlife removal services? Request a quote today!