I believe in volunteerism when I can.I donate blood, pull cars out of snow banks, durring winter I drive meals on wheels one day a week.And cook for the Wisconsin Trappers Assn. whenever they ask and I can fit it in. Givng a little back to the community is important to me.

I hope you guys can help, I've got bats. Take a look at the pic I think it pretty much sums up the problem. The space that their entering is about 1 inch wide. Some of them have reached the inside of the house. I'm not sure how many are up there, but I did see 3 fly out at dusk a few nights ago. I first noticed the problem 2 weeks ago. I can see some guano on the rocks below the crack, but not a lot.

I'm planning on calling the people who biuld this fireplace chase for me and have them caulk it up tight. Is that a good plan? Should they try to flush out the bats before calking, how would they do that? What do you guys advise here? Thanks

PS - I'd do this myself, but thats an 8/12 roof 20' off the ground, me and heights don't get along.

A roofer isnt a guy that knows anything about bats. They will trap them in, and then you will have differant problems. Dead stinkey bats, or bats flying all over the house. Sealing is the last step. Ill be in land o lakes today, and mabe tomorrow.

net.............it...

Sometime Caulk Just wont Cut it>>>>>>>> A person with construction experience is a Valuable asset to any "Bat Team"

"A roofer isn't a guy that knows anything about bats..."

Hey I resemble that remark?

That's why I won't take bat jobs.

Krusty

Krusty....Seattle is full of bats and lots of $$$$$..when I hear you talk like that...it makes me just want to


Oh how I would love to be in your location with my knowledge....Vinke, we should have done what we talked about!

"A person with construction experience is a Valuable asset to any "Bat Team""

"...in your location with my knowledge..."

To me, this implies my construction skills, on their own, aren't enough to do bat jobs, no?

Nor does it look, or sound, like work done by a one man crew.

Ya can't run, if ya can't walk....

Krusty

Krustyklimber-
Check PM.

OK I got an update. Its been a busy day. First off I want to thank MikeFlick for calling me and giving me a bat tutorial and advice. I'm very greatful for that.

I stared by searching the house looking for entrance points, I found none except the chimney chase. I searched the attic looking for bats, guano, and white urine stains I didn't find any. I fearfully, but bravely, climbed a ladder the 20ft and peaked over the gutter, looked at the chimey chase, rocks, and roof --- WHOA --- guano city! I'm not sure if I imagined it, but I'm sure I could hear bats up in that seam/crack scurring around.

At this point I'm pretty convinced that the bats are actually outside the house, and not roosting in the attic. I'm guessing that the few that have entered the house have somehow gotten under the chase-top, crawled over to the vent pipe setback, and from there into the attic. Then into the house via a hole that we have been using to access the attic during fireplace construction.

Time to call my fireplace guy. He's at my house in 45 min., and on my roof 5 minutes later, how's that for service? He crawls up the ladder, hops on the roof, and leaps on top of the chase like he's frickin' spiderman. He then stomps all over the top, and raps the heck out of the side of the chase top. OH YEAH I can hear the agitated bat squeeks from 20 feet below. Out come the bats, we count 10 that fly off into the woods. He gently pulls back the chase top, looks, and confirms no more bats in there, he then seals things up with silicone.

Get this, we talk trapping and hunting for 2 hours while he's here, he's a trapper and I never knew it! He's been using rebar for stakes since the 70's - I told him about earth anchors and I brought one out to show him - he flipped out like a kid at christmas, I think he's going to start using them.

So I've got an exclusion hole from the attic, that I've seen bat use, garded by a mouse trap. I'm sure that's not standard ADC protocal, but its what i'm going with.

And thats the story. thanks for reading. I hope to post a few pics tomorrow. As long as I'm not up to late taking bats out of a mouse trap.

Guys,

I was just making fun... the truth is, I'm not turning down bat work, I've just never had a call.

And I really don't know anything about bats.

Krusty

Krusty....take my offer then the next time I'm in Washington state!

If you had the first time, you'd own Seattle by now as far as bat work and wildlife are concerned!

LT.....I'm on It....... Bought you a Trailer and working on a Closing on some Dirt..........

LT,

Do us both a favor, and don't bring up our personal issues, on the open board?

Nobody cares to hear it, anymore, including me.

Krusty

That kinda sounded like it shoulda been a PM Krusty.Just my opinion.

Mike,

That was the public version, another was sent as a PM.

Maybe you agree with my logic, and maybe you don't... but I'd bet you agree that we're all sick of hearing "coulda, shoulda, whoulda"!

We can't turn back time, so let's move on.

Krusty

got a reminder how sharp soffits are again today lol poor fit at a joint by the last contractor

That statement is the ultimate truth....... I think that having some construction skills is very helpful, BUT that does not make you a bat exclusion professional. Roofers and construction workers are the PRIMARY reason that people have bat problems. Shoddy workmanship leaves gaps and openings on new or remodeled homes. It's what keeps us in business. Not too sure I would want to be considered a roofer or handyman... those are typically the creators of nice bat colonies.

Our job is to be able to see far beyond the scope of the typical roofer or contractor, and then provide a solution to the problem. Neither of those guys understand bats, and they are only worried about rain, squirrels, and maybe birds. It is often said that people do not have bat problems... they have house problems. If they knew anything about bats, they wouldn't leave all those 3/4" gaps at roofline transitions, and certainly wouldn't leave the one inch gaps along roof sheeting lower edges. The wavy roof sheeting installations are a joke, and only demonstrate the poor standards of home construction that exist in today's society. I posted the following on another message board a few weeks ago, and will include it on this board as an example:
____________________________________________________________________

Why is it that so many customers try to deal with a bat problem from the wrong angle? Just had the 3rd guy (this year) trying to tell me my bat-proofing and eviction process seems a little high priced, as he has ALREADY spent a ton of money on the problem.

Here's the basic "story" from the homeowners:

"I noticed bats in the attic about 3 years ago, and I wanted to get rid of them ASAP. I was 'pretty sure' they must be getting in through the chimney, so I called a mason and had the chimney rebuilt and new crown installed. I spent quite a bit of money on that, and shortly afterwards still noticed bats inside. Soooooo..... I had a new roof put on the house, even though the old one wasn't leaking. I was 'pretty sure' that must be how they were entering. The next year we still had bats in the attic. The ONLY THING LEFT was replacing the soffits and fascia, as I was 'PRETTY SURE' that would solve my bat problem. I hired a company to take care of those areas. Now I have been fighting this bat thing for years, and STILL HAVE BATS. Since I have already done EVERYTHING POSSIBLE to solve my bat problem, why do you think I would pay so much for YOUR service?"

I usually reply with: "It's not me who is expensive. It sounds like the other guys were WAY too high, as they did NOTHING to solve your bat problem. I would think a person with bat problems would call a company that deals with BATS. Your entire attic is accessible along the entire length of your peak trims, as they are warped away from the bricks about 1/2". The bat droppings that are accumulated directly under those gaps offer an EASY verification of the location of the access points."

I guess it is one of those things that I'll never understand. When I have a problem with electronic equipment, I don't call a company that sells cattle feed. I call the plumber for a leak, not the local dentist. Why do people with BAT PROBLEMS call everyone else BEFORE they call someone who deals with....... BAT PROBLEMS!

Some/Most finish product used on the exterior envelope require gaping to maintain warranty.......

"Shoddy workmanship leaves gaps and openings on new or remodeled homes."

Ron,

Even the best practices don't, on average, make allowances for bats.

"Our job is to be able to see far beyond the scope of the typical roofer or contractor"

You yourself admit that the required level of expertise goes beyond the typical, why expect anything more?

"Neither of those guys understand bats, and they are only worried about rain, squirrels, and maybe birds.

...If they knew anything about bats, they wouldn't leave all those 3/4" gaps at roofline transitions, and certainly wouldn't leave the one inch gaps along roof sheeting lower edges."

As it stands, rain and birds, are the only things the average or above average construction worker are currently taught TO BE concerned with.
Again, why would you expect them to, intuitively, know anything more?

And when I mentioned teaching more, the idea wasn't met well here.
"Cutting my own throat, and yours", I think it went?

"...demonstrate the poor standards of home construction that exist in today's society."

I could swear I have seen photos of you guys working on older homes, how did they get built that way, with so much better standards?
100 year old churches aren't full of fliers?

I cleaned out a bat roost last week (on my day job), that access was left open to, in the original construction, some 90 years ago.
The last guy to roof it (not me), a few years ago, sealed it up.

We say it all the time at work, in some old wreck, "they don't build 'em like this anymore"... "Yeah, good thing! Eh?"

Just like in WCO work, there's good and bad, and you can find blatant examples of both, if you look.

Again when I mentioned teaching the trades to "do better" the idea was met with resistance.

My boss loves that I'm thinking about and managing wildlife access, as it protects his liability, and provides the best quality product he can, and I'd bet other bosses would to.

To your last question, people ain't that smart, none of 'em, not roofers, or siders, or home owners, or rocket scientists, or EVEN BAT GUYS!
Not smart about everything there is....

*Until I read it in this thread, I didn't even know bat urine was white.

Krusty

Update: 3 nights have pased since the bat eviction. Good News, no bats seen, no bat noises heard, no dead bad smell. No action on my mouse trap exclusion hole set-up. I'm happy and my wife is starting to relax a little.

Glad it worked out for ya Whisker. I got swamped shortly after talking to ya. I had 4 differant bat jobs to do this weekend. Me and Kim drove 1000 mles in 3 days.

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah


Business for sale: (Moving to Seattle)!

The coffee alone is worth the trip LT. Sounds like a nice place for a summer working vacation!

Big jobs and big $$$$$$ this time of year. We are probably sold out until early October now. Hopefully the weather will hold up.Several commercial jobs in now. Low income multi housing unit complexes, I dread those, and old age multi family units.3 city blocks of work. Will try and get some photos as they progress.

Ill bet there aint a skeeter to be found!

Yes Bob, We'd like to see your bat work. Thanks,( in advance) for sharing.

What time of day are most of you doing your sealing? Been up in the 90's here so I've been trying to do most early morning or mid evening. Anyone?

I swear, yesterday was the hottest day of the year, and today it was cool. (It's 64 right now) Good weather for the guys to get their sealing done. (Guess who gets to check their cages?)

It was 91 degrees air temp but the slate roof we were on was most likely 110 or better.Had to lay rugs down to work without getting burned from the slate and the ladder rungs of the ridge hook.

Hot Here too.......Think it hit 70+............

Bob, now I know what to do with those long pieces of carpet I've been saving....( You can only find so many skunks down a window well...) Ha!

Bat calls are slow here...how's everybody else doing? Talked with Jameson, who said he is booked up until the end of October and Vinke who is starting to get a good many calls for bats.

Just wondering how everyone else is doing on bats.

It's slowing down here, Still getting one or two bat calls a day.

we just landed 3 new bat jobs ...One with a big clean out..so that 5 jobs plus the clean out in the getting ready to begin...so we are a booked for about 2 weeks....but it is slowing down..

Lets see. First Federal Savings and Loan Co Bank 4 story. No clean out just exclusion and seal.4 story building down town.65 ft lift.Pain in the backside type work due to traffic congestion and corridor block off required.

One full block senior retired home center 3 story.60 ft lift. no clean out.Exclusion and seal.

Two elementary schools in W.Va. One with a most likely a 2-3 day clean out. Lift 85ft. needed. 100 ft needed at the second school.exclusion and seal only.

One Dry cleaner / apartment building. Exclusion and real bad seal work.

That will about run out our active season here unless we get indian summer weather.

Bob, seems like all yours are commercial jobs. Do you do much residenial?

We do alot of residential each year but we get more and more larger facilities over the years now it seems. I think word of mouth and referrals from other companies have helped to get us the Commercial end jobs.I would rather do one $25,000 in a week versus 10-15 residential jobs that many take twice as long and more time traveling in different directions.We try to limit our jobs to a 3 state radius now. Just too much on the road work at times but some are those money is no problem deals. So on down the yellow brick road as they say.......

"Oz didn't give nothin" to the tin man
that he didn't, didn't already have."

I love that show....