Bats in the Belfry? More Like the Attic: A Closer Look at Bat Infestations

Posted on August 7, 2023 by smokywildlife

Bats are often portrayed as eerie creatures of the night, flitting around in belfries and haunted houses. But in reality, these winged mammals are more likely to be found somewhere much closer to home – your attic. Bat infestations in residential properties are more common than you might think, and they can pose some serious problems for homeowners.

Join us as we take a closer look at bat infestations, the issues they can cause, and how professional bat removal services can help restore peace and safety to your home.

Call 615-610-0962 For Bat Removal Service in Nashville Tennessee

What You Need to Know About Bat Infestations

Bat infestations can be caused by a variety of factors. They are often attracted to residential properties due to the availability of food sources, like insects or pet food. The ideal environment for bats is one that provides them with shelter, such as an attic or other space that offers protection from the elements and predators. Additionally, bats may enter your home through small cracks and crevices in the exterior, or through gaps around roof vents or chimneys.

The Problem With Bats in the House

The presence of bats in your home can bring with it a variety of concerns. Bats can leave behind guano (bat droppings) which contain parasites like histoplasmosis that can be hazardous to humans. The pests themselves may also carry diseases such as Rabies that can be hazardous to your health. In addition, bats can cause damage to insulation and other materials in the attic or other areas of your home.

How to Get Rid of Bats in the Attic

If you suspect that you have bats in the attic, walls, or chimney, it’s important to deal with it quickly and effectively before the issue becomes worse. Professional bat removal services are highly recommended over DIY approaches such as specialized animal repellents and exclusion techniques. A licensed and insured wildlife control operator can identify the species of bat, determine the size and nature of the infestation, provide humane removal services, seal up entry points to prevent further infestations, and safely dispose of any guano or other debris left behind. They may also offer attic repair and insulation replacement services. By getting a handle on your bat infestation as soon as possible with the help of a professional, you can ensure the safety and integrity of your home and family.

Bat Proofing Techniques

Bat infestations, while not common, can be a significant disturbance. Bats are beneficial to our ecosystem, but they can create a mess in our homes and pose potential health risks. Therefore, bat-proofing your home is a crucial step in preventing bat infestations. Start by identifying any potential entry points. Look for cracks, crevices, holes, or spaces in your home’s wall, roof, eaves, and other areas. Bats can squeeze through gaps as small as 3/8^th of an inch! Seal these entries with high-quality caulk or a similar material to prevent bats from gaining access.

Don’t forget about your yard, either. Reducing your home’s attractiveness to bats involves maintaining your outdoor space. Trim back trees and branches close to your home, keep your trash cans sealed, and avoid leaving pet food outside. This will discourage bats and other wildlife from making your property their residence.

In Summary

No matter where you live or what kind of environment your property offers, it’s important to be aware of potential bat infestations and know how to respond if one occurs. With the right knowledge and help from a professional bat removal service, you can take back control of your home and make sure your family can rest easy.

Are you looking for a trusted Nashville animal removal service that can help you get rid of bats at an affordable price? Contact Smoky Wildlife Control at 615-610-0962 for TWRA licensed and insured bat removal and control in Nashville, Tennessee and beyond. We also work with many other types of wildlife and serve both residential and commercial clients.

Why You Should Not Feed the Wild Animals Around Your House

Posted on June 7, 2021 by smokywildlife

As children, we have wonderful memories of feeding the ducks at the park pond, or refilling our bird feeders with seed and nectar. Feeding wildlife on separate grounds is consequence-free; but now that you are a homeowner, is it really a good idea to be feeding wildlife from your own backyard? The answer sits on a spectrum, yet tends to veer towards, “no.”

Continue reading to learn why feeding wild animals can cause problems, and what you can do if you are already in over your head with nuisance wildlife activity on your property.

Wildlife Control Nashville Tennessee 615-610-0962

The Most Common Problems with Feeding Local Wildlife

The animals that are near your property likely include the usual species found here in Tennessee, such as birds, squirrels, raccoons, opossum, and skunks. If you live near wooded areas or bodies of water, then you can expect a much steadier frequency of animal activity. So, when you combine such locations with such species, you can open the door to a world of trouble if you choose to feed wild animals on your property.

Wild Animals Will Come Back for More

These animals are already on a hunt for food every night. And when they find a steady food source, they will remember it for a long time. This means they will cease to stop visiting your property, night after night. And what’s worse is that if they do not find the food that has been provide before, they will continue their search around your property for some. This leads to the consequences we mentioned before.

Wild Animals are Very Destructive

Not only will wild animals remember that your property is a sure source for food and continue to visit each night with more and more friends, but they will also cause a load of destruction. Animals like raccoons have human-like paws that allow them to grip, grasp, rip, and tear. With this advantage, raccoons will rip up lawns in search of grubs, pillage gardens for fruits and vegetables, and even try to access the inner parts of your home through the siding, roof, or garage. Once inside, the level of destruction only worsens; plus, it poses several health and safety risks since wild animals are known carriers of several infectious diseases and parasites.

They Will Make Your Home Their Own

So once animals know your yard is the place to eat, they will begin to help themselves to whatever else they want on your property. This includes shelter. They will make their nests under your porch or deck, in crawl spaces and attics, outdoor sheds and garages, and even tree houses and play sets! Log piles and stationary vehicles are other popular nesting destinations for animals like raccoons, skunks, and opossum.

They Carry Infectious Diseases and Parasites

The biggest threat that goes along with feeding wild animals on your property is the risk of being attacked or infected. As mentioned, wild animals are known carriers of diseases, parasites, and more. They are also capable of attacking curious pets and children if provoked, ill, or protecting their young. It is in the best interest of your home and family to not feed wildlife around your property.

If you insist on feeding animals, try to follow these tips:

☑ Use an animal-specific feeder, such as a bird feeder or squirrel feeder.

☑ Reduce the amount of food in warmer seasons when natural food sources are more abundant.

☑ Place the food in a centralized location to deter animals from walking across your lawn.

☑ If over-crowding occurs, spread out your sources to prevent aggressive or competitive behaviors.

☑ If you see an animal abandoned, injured, or behaving oddly, contact a licensed Tennessee critter control company, ASAP.

Are you having nuisance critter and pest problems at home or the office? Contact Smoky Wildlife Control at 615-610-0962 for professional wild animal removal services in Nashville, Tennessee. We provide service in all surrounding counties and districts too.

You Might Also Read:

The Common Signs of Bats in the House
How to Keep Chipmunks Out of the Garden
FAQS About Animal Damages and Clean Up

Smoky Wildlife Control Nashville Tennessee 615-610-0962

FAQS About Animal Damages and Clean Up

Posted on March 11, 2021 by smokywildlife

Learn the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions asked about animal damages, as well as the cleanup and restoration services available to those who fall victim to a messy critter infestation. Scroll below to get started.

Nashville Tennessee Animal Infestation Cleanup — Animal Infestation Cleanup and Repair Services – Nashville Tennessee 615-610-0962

What Kinds of Damage Do Wild Animals Cause?

Animals such as pigeons, moles, rabbits, raccoons, bats, and snakes are popular deviants that trespass onto our properties and leave behind costly messes, inside and out. They dig up lawns and gardens, rip off roof shingles and siding, pry open door frames, rip down insulation, chew through electrical wiring, and soil everything in sight with urine and droppings. Consequences of such damages include saturated floorboards and sheetrock, urine stained ceilings and walls, terrible odors, flea and mite infestations, weakened structural integrity of attics and roofing, and much more.

Will Wildlife Leave Behind Diseases?

Wild animals pose several health and safety hazards to people and pets. Many wild animals can be carriers of infectious diseases like Leptospirosis and Rabies. Furthermore, animal droppings can contain harmful pathogens, like parasites, fungi, and bacteria, all of which can be harmful to both people and pets. Additional common diseases and illnesses that can be contracted by nuisance wildlife include roundworm, distemper, Bordetella, Histoplasmosis, Parvovirus, Adenovirus, Parainfluenza, ticks, lice, and several zoonotic and parasitic diseases.

Do Homeowners’ Insurance Policies Cover Wild Animal Damages?

Not many homeowners are aware that their insurance policy for their home covers wild animal damages and infestations; however, there are always clauses on which type of animals are covered in your plan, all of which differ greatly from state to state and company to company. So be sure to always check with your assigned insurance agent to be sure your policy is compliant with wildlife cleanup and restoration.

Keep in mind, however, your homeowners’ insurance may cover these animal damages, but the damages can still be very costly. Damage expenses can range anywhere from a couple hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars. It is best to get an estimate from a licensed Nashville TN critter control company to better understand the extent of destruction in and around your property.

What Does Wildlife Cleanup and Restoration Do?

Cleaning and repair services for animal damages are comprehensive, and involve a long list of possible services. The services implemented will depend on the extent and type of damages. Standard services include waste removal, disinfection, sanitization, deodorization, louse fumigation, drywall and insulation replacement, and more.

Remediation may also include a final treatment applied with an atomizing mist machine that produces a fog of enzyme-based hazardous waste cleanser to ensure a property is 100% decontaminated. For additional information, consult with a licensed and insured Nashville Tennessee wildlife removal and control company for expert advice and service you can trust.

Was your home damaged by nuisance wildlife? Contact Smoky Wildlife Control at 615-610-0962 for affordable animal damage cleanup and repair in Nashville, Tennessee.

You Might Want to Read:

The Common Signs of Bats in the House
The Top 4 Methods to Get Rid of Raccoons
Which Squirrel Species are Found in Tennessee?

Smoky Wildlife Control

Free Animal Removal Estimates 615-610-0962

Tag Archives: wildlife removal