How Much Is Pest Control for Bats? Bat Exterminator Cost Explained (Locations)

How much is pest control for bats and what does a bat exterminator cost for pest control services targeting bats? Many people find themselves asking this question when faced with a bat infestation.

While bat infestations are not so common, as with many other pests, they still occur in some places.

Also, when they occur, they can cause several dangers to humans. For instance, bats carry rabies and can bite when provoked.⁸

This calls for immediate bat removal as early as you spot them in your home. However, the issue of removal cost always kicks in.

How much does a bat exterminator cost? Well, it might range from $250 to $650 for normal infestations and severe ones might go as high as $8,000.¹

This article explores everything you need to know about bat removal costs and answers the question, how much is pest control for bats based on the situation and location.

How To Get Rid of Bats

Bats can be a nuisance for homeowners, especially if they decide to make your home their home. The worst thing is that they can cause various dangers and health issues to you and your family.

They carry diseases like rabies and can also cause bodily harm if provoked.

Getting rid of these flying mammals is also not an easy task. Trying to do it yourself might not only be challenging and dangerous but also illegal.

For some bat species, you have to call a professional bat exterminator to get the work done.

How Much Is Pest Control for Bats? Bat Exterminator Cost Explained

A bat exterminator cost mainly depends on the size of the infestation and the additional services needed.

While some infestations might cost as low as $250, others may go up to $8,000.

Here is a bat removal cost breakdown based on infestations:

Inspection

After you spot signs of bats in your home, whether in the house or in the compound, you ought to call a professional. The bat removal expert will inspect the situation at a cost and then give you the final extermination quote.

In most cases, the inspection rates are around $300.² This cost will usually be incorporated into your final bill if you are using the same company for extermination.

Single Bat Removal

In the case of a single bat, this might not be too serious, although it can transmit some diseases to the household. Wildlife control officers can help with this task of bat removal.

They catch the bat and release it back into the wild. Since the exercise is not too extensive, it can cost you around $430 or so.

The exterminator might also suggest more actions like sealing possible bat entry points to your house. This prevents future intrusion by bats.

Sealing the entry points may cost you an additional $150 to $1,500. The cost depends on how many entry points they have to seal and their accessibility.

Colony Removal

Now, if you are facing a colony infestation, things can get quite expensive. Usually, this is done through a method known as the exclusion method.

Here, the exterminator installs one-way tubes from the colony to allow the bats to exit through them.

The professional will then introduce a harmless gas near the colony, which encourages the bats to leave. They exit your home through these tubes to the outside.

This ensures that the bats are unharmed, as most of the species are protected.¹⁰

Getting the bats out is not enough. The professional has to seal off the entry points that the bats used to enter your home.

The cost here also depends on the size of the colony. For example, 2 to 50 bats can cost between $400 and $1,500, including sealing entry points.

On the other hand, 50 to 200 bats’ exclusion cost somewhere between $1,500 and $8,000.

Therefore, you should be prepared based on the size of the colony. You might have to part with quite a lot to get the flying mammals off your property.

Bat Control: Signs That You Have a Bat Problem

How do you tell that you have a bat problem in your home? Is it too obvious?

Well, it may take some time before you realize you have a bat problem. Why?

(Image: Pixel-mixer¹⁵)

They might be hiding in areas that you rarely visit or places you cannot notice them. For example, how many times do you visit your attic?

Bats sleep throughout the day and fly out during the night,¹¹ making them more undetectable. However, it does not mean you cannot spot them.

Here are a few signs to look out for:

• Flying bats near your home: Seeing bats flying around your home is among the most obvious signs. It means that they have a habitat somewhere near the area, which might probably be in your house.
  They are most visible during morning hours or as the sun sets.
• Scratching noises: Have you noticed some uncommon scratching noises in your attic or behind the walls? You might have a bat infestation.
  Bats usually scratch the walls or attic floors with their claws.
• Bat droppings: If there are bat droppings, there are bats around. The bats poop has a strong ammonia-like smell that is hard to miss.
  If you identify these droppings, call an exterminator fast.
• Chirping sounds: These are sounds of bats communicating. They sound mostly like birds, although you are likely to hear them during the night.
  At that time, birds are long asleep in their nests.
• Stains: If you notice some greasy entry points, you might be having a bat infestation.
  Bats have a greasy coating. This means that as they make their way to their nests, they stain the entry points.
  Assess these points well to determine if you have a bat infestation.

Factors Influencing Bat Removal Cost

So many factors influence how much you pay for bat removal in your home. Besides the size of the colony, consider these factors.

1. Location of the Infestation

Where are the bats located? Are they in the attic, inside the walls, basement, or chimney?

The accessibility of the bats’ location influences how much you end up paying for the removal.

Easily accessible areas cost less than other hidden locations. For example, it might be easier to remove the bats from a garage ceiling than the attic or even the basement.

This is because some specialized equipment may be needed.

2. Presence of Other Pests

Besides the bats, are there any other pests in the area? If there are, the bat removal cost goes higher.

Unfortunately, where there are bats, there is a higher likelihood of being infested by other pests. You are likely to find rodents, fleas, and termites within the same surroundings.

What does this mean? Additional costs!

Many companies charge between $100 and $350 or more to get rid of insects. On the other hand, rodent removal is roughly $150 to $550.

Flea extermination can cost anywhere from $75 to $500.

With these figures and additional costs, it is easy to see how costly some of these bat removal processes can get. One problem leads to another.

3. Clean-Up Cost

After the extermination is done, how much clean-up is required? This will certainly influence the cost of the entire process.

With large colonies, it means more clean-up work. Remember, the more the bats, the more the bats’ droppings (guano).

The possibility of more dead bats is also high in large colonies.

Fortunately, some infestations do not require much cleanup. In such situations, the costs are a bit low.

In instances where the guano is spread in a large space, maybe throughout the house or in different rooms, it costs more. If the guano is not properly cleaned, it can cause some diseases as it contains fungi and bacteria that might be airborne.

A single-story building costs between $650 and $3,000 to clean up.³ A two-story building costs $1,200 to $6,000, while a three-story one can cost somewhere between $1,400 and $8,500.

This means that before anything else, determine how far the infestation goes. The more spread it is, the more it costs.

Bat Exterminator Cost: Guano Cleanup Cost

The amount of guano cleanup needed increases the total bat removal cost. So, how much does guano cleanup and removal cost?

After the bats are gone, you might cough out an extra $500 to $5,000 to have the place cleaned and disinfected.⁵ On average, guano removal costs range between $500 and $5,000.

This is for the entire cleanup and disinfection for a maximum of 1,000 square feet of space.

You should note that these costs depend on the size of the infestation. Some smaller infestations do not require such cleanups.

More serious infestations might cost between $7,000 and $9,000 to clean. It even takes up to two weeks to complete the cleanup activities after you get rid of the bats.

Also, if the colony was in the attic, you may have to replace your insulation. The old one is often destroyed by the bats, and the exterminators often dispose of it during the cleanup.

Repair Costs After Bats Infestation

Bats can cause significant damage to the house. For example, huge piles of bat guano can cause structural damage to your ceiling or attic walls.

This needs to be checked and repaired after the exterminator is gone.

In such a case, it means you have to hire a contractor to repair the damages.

Here are some of the most probable damages and their costs:

• Sealing minor exit and entry points: $150 to $400
• Drywall repair costs: $200 to $750
• Sidewall repairs: between $2 and $14 per square foot
• Insulation replacement on the attic: between $2 and $6 per square foot
• Wiring due to chewed cords: $4 to $9 per square foot
• Crawl space repairs: $1,500 to $5,000
• Ductwork repair: this is measured per linear foot and costs between $25 and $55

These and more costs show just how expensive a bat infestation can be.

How To Get a Bat Out of Your House: Professional Bat Removal

If you cannot do it yourself, or there is a larger infestation, never hesitate to call a bat exterminator. How do you find a reliable exterminator?

Here are some easy steps:

1. Browse through wild and pest control firms in your area: While most pest control companies can offer bat removal services, try to identify the ones that specialize in such kind of work— bat removal.
2. Research on the company: Once you have identified a potential company, conduct a thorough background check. Look for referrals or reviews from online sites and also from their official website.
   Websites like BBB (Better Business Bureau) can offer immense insights about the company you intend to hire.
3. Get quotes: Most companies charge between $75 and $400 for inspections. You should shop for several companies to ensure that you get the best deal.
   Usually, you can get these quotes through a phone call, email, or on the companies’ websites. From here, you can decide which company to go with.
4. Schedule the bat inspection and removal: Once you decide on the best company, you can schedule an inspection. The professionals will come to your home, inspect the situation, and advise you accordingly.
   They will also offer you a bat removal quote, depending on how severe the bat infestation is.

The process might take a few days depending on the situation or if there are more services needed, like removal of dead bats or guano removal.

How Do Bat Removal Professionals Get Rid of Bats?

First and foremost, you cannot simply kill and dispose of the bats in the US. You need to find a safer way of chasing the bats away from your premises.

You can call a professional to help you do just that. Professional bat removers use repellents to chase the bats away.

Remember, there are no approved bat pesticides in the US.

DIY Bats Removal

A DIY bat removal is not recommended. However, if it is just one or two bats, you can follow these bat removal steps:

1. Identify the Species

Do not just jump in and start flogging the bat to get it out of your property. The first step should be to identify the species of the bat, if you can, from a distance.

You can then try to research the local laws about whether the bat species is protected or endangered. This should guide you on what to do next.

If it is a protected species, do not remove it yourself. Close all escape points and call for a professional exterminator.

If the species is not protected, then follow these simple steps:

2. Make the Bat Leave

As easy as it sounds, you can try to encourage the bat to leave. However, always be careful, as bats can be aggressive if threatened.

To succeed in this activity, close all exit points in your home except one. Switch off all electronics and any light that might attract the bat.

Then, try to scare the bat away.

3. Use a Box To Capture and Remove the Bat

Sometimes, the bat might fail to leave voluntarily. In this case, you can pick a bucket or a box and try capturing the bat.

Since a bat can bite or scratch, ensure you have protective clothing. For example, wear heavy gloves, long-sleeved clothing, and a face mask, and ultimately your eyes.

You cannot do all this while the bat is flying. Therefore, wait until it settles and cover it with the box or container.

Slide a lid under the container to lock the bat inside.

4. Release the Bat Outside

With the bat safe inside your container, you have two options. You can either release it outside, away from your home, or call a wildlife control officer to pick it up.

Remember, bats are protected in most states,⁹ so avoid harming or killing them.

Usually, if the bat is in your house, it is safe to test it first for rabies. This is something a vet can do.

This way, your family is not exposed to rabies and other infections that the bat may be carrying.

Is It Illegal To Kill a Bat?

In most states, it is illegal to kill bats. Due to their endangered nature, most species are protected.

This means that you might not be allowed to kill a bat even if you have an infestation in your home.

(Image: Salmar¹⁴)

Some of the best examples of states where killing bats is illegal are Virginia and North Carolina.⁴ In Virginia, it is even illegal to release, transport, or relocate a bat.¹²

It should not be moved from the property where it was found, especially if it is an endangered bat species.

Some of the bat species that are endangered and protected in Virginia include the Virginia Big-eared bat, Gray bat, and Indiana bat.

These species have been declared endangered by the federal government. They should, therefore, be handled carefully during the bat removal process.

Do Bats Pose Any Danger to Humans?

Yes, bats present several dangers to humans. They are known to carry diseases such as rabies, which is undoubtedly dangerous to humans.

Their droppings can also contain bacteria and viruses that can be transmitted to humans and pets. Therefore, any time the high bat exterminator cost tends to discourage you from calling a professional, reconsider.

These dangers are real.

Bat Control: How To Prevent Future Bat Infestations

While there may not be a foolproof way of preventing bat infestation in your home, you can certainly reduce the chances. The first step is to seal all the possible entry points, including cracks and openings that might fit a bat.

This gives them a hard time finding access to your home.

You can also build a large bat house far from your house. With that, the bats have a place to call a home, preventing them from making your house their home.

Mosquitoes also attract bats.¹³ If the mosquito population near your house is huge, you can expect a visit from these creatures.

Therefore, try your best to control the mosquito population in your compound.

Usually, if your compound has something that bats like, you are at a higher risk of facing a bat infestation. For example, even fruit trees in your backyard garden might be the cause of the infestation.

Learn how to reduce these attractions, and you might succeed in keeping the bats off your property.

Bat in the House: Bat Proofing Cost

Sealing off entry points is a sure way of keeping bats off your house. This involves assessing each vent, hole, or crack in the house and sealing them.

The bat-proofing cost comes after the bat removal cost. When you want to prevent future bat infestations, bat-proofing is necessary.

(Image: jochemy¹⁶)

The cost of screening a gable vent can be around $100 per vent. Sealing those holes can cost $20 to $50 each.

When sealing chimneys, chimney caps cost $47 to $300 each. This is influenced by size and brand.

Lastly, if you decide to go for a bat house, it can cost between $50 and $180.⁶ This depends mainly on the size.

How To Get Rid of Bats: Bat Extermination or Exclusion

When faced with a bat infestation, you have two options. You can go for exclusion or extermination.⁷

Exclusion means the removal of bats without harming them.

On the other hand, extermination refers to the extreme act of killing the bats. Which one do you prefer?

Almost always, the exclusion method is used for bat removal. In many states, extermination is often illegal based on the bat species.

Unlike with many other pests, you cannot use pesticides on bats. In fact, there are no approved bat pesticides in the US yet.

This means that if you want to eliminate the bats, you can only use a chemical bat deterrent.

Also, you are not permitted to kill a bat in most states, they are federally endangered and protected. Calling a professional bat remover is the best solution to remove bats from your house or compound.

Extermination can also be harmful to humans and pets in your household. Anytime you want to use extermination for other pests, always be careful.

Once the bat removal and sealing process is over, you can now relax.

The exterminator ensures that they minimize the chances of the infestations recurring, but be aware that the sealing process may increase the overall bat exterminator cost, impacting how much is pest control for bats.

Frequently Asked Questions About Bat Exterminator Cost