NORTH KANSAS CITY Blog

Why You Need New Insulation After A Bat Removal Service

Discovering bats in your attic may be fun for Batman fans, but having a personal Bat Lair isn't a goal you should pursue in a normal residential home. Not only could it be dangerous for them, but it could also increase hazards for you and your household. They may carry outdoor bacteria and viruses, damaged items in storage, and ruin your insulation. The first step is to remain calm and determine a safe way to remove your uninvited roommates.

What to Do After Discovering a Bat Infestation

Call In Experts

It’s important to try to discover how many bats are living in your attic and their species. Even if there are only a few bats in your space, it’s important to have them removed before the infestation grows into a colony, which can range from 40 to 20,000 bats. Knowing the amount and species of those in your home will help professionals determine the best course of action for removal. While one or two bats can safely be removed by a homeowner, a pest management service can ensure the safety of both your household and the animals.

Locate Entry Points

Thoroughly examine your home to find where the bats are coming in from. This includes your roof, walls, chimney, and even near window sills and ventilation openings. Look for stains, droppings, or other markings that suggest recent animal activity. While their size can vary depending on the species, as generally small creatures, bats can fit in extremely small cracks and holes anywhere throughout the house.

Prevention Considerations

Once you have the bats removed and you’ve identified entry points in your building envelope, it’s time to consider preventative measures. If you’re in an area with a significant bat population, having a bat house near your home can give them a resting space that’s just as safe but outside of your environment. Adding repellents near potential entry points can also deter pests without causing harm. For bats, ultrasonic devices interfere with their echolocation, effectively driving them from your home.

Why You Should Call Insulation Experts After Bat Removal

After you call a local pest management service, the next step is to consult insulation professionals. This is a crucial process after any pest removal; because insects, rodents, birds, and other creatures are looking for a warm, enclosed space to safely hide and rest, they damage the insulation in your attic. They destroy the material to create hiding holes, nesting, and occasionally will eat the insulation.

Inspections

An evaluation of your home’s insulation is the first step for local industry experts. Once they have a breakdown of your material’s current condition, they can locate pain points. This not only includes damaged material from the pests, but also any deteriorated insulation, air leaks, and additional possible entry points.

Clean and Remove Damaged Material

Once you have an overview of the current damages and areas to focus on, the next action is to remove the damaged insulation and clean the area. The first part is fairly straightforward: the material that has been ripped, eaten, soiled, etc., will be vacuumed out or simply uninstalled, depending on whether you have batts or blown-in insulation. After that, it’s important to ensure the area is clean before new insulation is installed. If any moisture is left behind and trapped beneath new material, it could lead to water damage, mold growth, and other increased health risks.

Replace with Updated Insulation

After the area is cleared and inspected for additional damages, your insulation team can begin installing new material. In many cases, you’ll likely see an improvement in your home’s climate control, indoor air quality, and even noise suppression. Many homeowners aren’t aware of the benefits insulation provides until a situation like this, where they happen to need retrofit insulation.

While you may opt to reinstall the same insulation material and type that was removed, it can benefit you to discuss your options with the insulation team. For example, if you previously had blown-in fiberglass lining your attic floors, you may benefit from a switch to blown-in cellulose. Weighing the benefits of each material is a chance to improve your energy efficiency, temperature regulation, and reduce monthly costs with a switch to insulation that better suits your environment’s needs.

Improve Air Sealing

Simply replacing your insulation material isn’t the final step for installers at Koala Insulation of North Kansas City. Proper air sealing in your home is just as important as updated insulation material! This not only aids in temperature regulation and improved indoor air quality but also reduces entry points for pests.

Our team inspects your home for cracks, holes, and damages in your building envelope that can benefit from updated air sealing. While window sills and door frames are the most common areas to find air sealing problems, air leaks can come from a number of other areas you may overlook as a homeowner. Updated air sealing improves your environment by reducing health risks, energy costs, and chances for pest infestations.

Learn More with North Kansas City’s Insulation Professionals

When you discover a bat infestation within your home, it’s important to take immediate action. Determine the number of bats, their species, and where they’re getting in from. Calling a pest management service may not be necessary for one or two bats, but a trained professional will be able to take care of the removal without harming the bats or your home. Once they’re gone, though, the work isn’t over - insulation professionals should be consulted to remove damaged insulation and reinstall new material.

Your local insulation professionals at Koala Insulation of North Kansas City are experienced in restoring insulation after a pest infestation. However, we also understand the importance of working within your budget and schedule. We offer free evaluations so you and your household have a complete overview of damages and deteriorated material throughout the home. Our technicians can provide insight on your options so you can make a clear, educated decision to properly prioritize your needs. Contact our team today to learn more about insulation’s impact on your home and schedule a free evaluation.