Does Your Attic Smell Like Ammonia?

Now that spring is here, many homeowners are beginning their annual list of chores to get their home’s turned over for the upcoming warm seasons. During this time, it is commonly required to access the attic area for things like inspections, cleaning, storage, and more. If you were just up in your attic space, and noticed a foul or strong chemical-like smell, you might need to add bat removal and cleanup to your spring to-do list.

Continue reading to learn why the smell of ammonia is a common sign of a bat infestation, and what to do if you have bats in the attic in Louisville.

Bats in the Attic
Bats in the Attic? Call 502-553-7622 Now!

Bat Droppings

Bat droppings are known as guano. Guano accumulates in mass amounts in the case of a bat infestation, mostly due to the fact that bats are not solitary animals and often come in large numbers. Furthermore, a single bat can consume more than its own body weight in insects each night (up to 1,000 insects), which can lead to a load of droppings. Needless to say, bat guano is a big, unhygienic mess to have on your hands, and must be remediated with haste.

Potential Dangers of Guano

Not only is bat guano unsanitary, it is also toxic and poses several structural and safety hazards. Foremost, overtime bat guano grows fungal spores that can cause a serious respiratory disease known as Histoplasmosis. These fungal spores are caused by a fungus known as Histoplasmosis Capsulatum, which upon inhalation, causes flu-like symptoms, such as coughing and difficulty breathing.

Although not contagious, it can be easily contracted if precaution is not taken, especially among infants, elderly, and those with weakened or suppressed immune systems. See our blog, “What is Histoplasmosis?” to learn details about this illness, including causes, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and more.

Aside from Histoplasmosis and structural damages, there are several more dangers and concerns surrounding bat droppings that you must take into consideration when dealing with nuisance bats. Read our blog, “Can Bat Guano Hurt Me?” to understand these risks more.

The Smell of Ammonia

As for smell, bat guano accumulations are commonly described as having an odor similar to ammonia, which is found in high concentrations in cat urine. A most unpleasant and strong smell, ammonia-like odors in your attic are a blatant indication of a bat infestation. If you smell ammonia, or any other foul odor in your attic, contact a DNR licensed Louisville bat removal company for information on what to do and how to get rid of them.

Louisville Bat Removal and Control You Can Trust

Call 553-502-7622 for prompt and professional 24 hour bat removal in Louisville, Kentucky and its surrounding areas. We are DNR licensed bat removal contractors that offer safe and non-lethal, 24 hour bat extraction and exclusion services for residential and commercial properties. We also provide bat cleanup and minor attic restorations for bat damages too. Request a free estimate, anytime.

Top 5 Indications That You Have a Bat Infestation

Louisville Bat Removal and Control 502-553-7622

Louisville Bat Removal and Control 502-553-7622

One of the most incredibly fascinating facts about bats is that they are the only mammals on Earth that can actually fly! Unfortunately, this gift of flight is what gives them easy access to residential and commercial real estate. This time of year, bats are searching for warm shelters to roost and hibernate for the winter. Common target areas include high-up places, like attics and roofs, where bats can make a safe, warm home for the season.

Why are Bat Infestations a Big Deal?

First, bat species that are native in the Kentucky region are not solitary mammals. This means they come in large quantities. Now combine a large colony of bats with the type of destruction they cause, and you instantly have a costly and frustrating situation on your hands. You see, once bats get inside, their natural behaviors of feeding, breeding, and nesting, negatively impacts the overall value and structural integrity of a property.

The longer a bat infestation goes unnoticed, the more damage they do. Their droppings will saturate and soil everything it comes into contact with, and even start to seep into walls and ceilings, and lead to foul, lingering odors. Sheet rock, ceilings, dry wall, insulation, roof shingles, siding, and more can also be damaged by bat infestations and nesting.

How to Look for Signs of Nuisance Bat Activity

If you suspect that you have a bat problem, contact a licensed Louisville bat removal and control company for prompt and professional wildlife abatement services. If you are not sure whether or not you have bats around, do a brief inspection of your property to look for the common signs of a bat infestation. Here’s what to look for:

🔎 Strange Noises

Bats are nocturnal, so you will not be very successful listening for noises at night. This is when they leave their roosts and hunt for insects. Instead, do your investigating during the early morning hours when they are returning to their roosts. Listen carefully to the walls, ceilings, and attics for odd noises of activity. Bat noises generally sound like fluttering, squeaking, screeching, chattering, and shuffling.

🔎 Guano Accumulation

Aside from actually seeing bats, the most distinct indication of a bat infestation is finding accumulations of bat droppings, also known as guano. You may see mouse-like droppings around window sills and eaves, since bats like to perch in these areas when coming and going from their roosts. You may also find piles of guano in the attic, crawl space, or garage areas. Bat guano is similar to rodent droppings, except it is shiny and speckled from digested insect parts.

🔎 Stains and Odors

When bat urine and guano accumulate in large masses within a roost, eventually the odors and liquids will seep into the living areas of the property. Walls and ceilings are common areas where droppings will stain. If you have brown or yellow shaded stains on your ceilings or walls, it is a strong indication of a bat infestation above.

🔎 Milky Liquid on Windows

As mentioned, bats like to perch on window sills and eaves. And in these areas, you might find milky urine stains dripping down the windows. These stains will also be sticky and odorous, and attract other pests, like gnats and flies.

🔎 Stains Around Entry Holes

Bats fur contains a natural oil that can retain dirt, and as a result, leave behind grease-like stains around their entry and exit points. If you see small gaps, openings, or holes with dirty smudges around them, it is very likely that you’ve found a bat roost.

Louisville Bat Removal and Control

Louisville Bat Removal Kentucky

Louisville Bat Removal 502-553-7622

Call 553-502-7622 for prompt and professional bat removal services in Louisville, Kentucky and its surrounding areas. We are DNR licensed bat removal contractors that offer safe and non-lethal, 24 hour bat extraction and exclusion services for residential and commercial properties. We also provide bat cleanup and minor attic restorations for bat damages too. Request a free estimate, anytime.