Bat Removal & Exclusion in Commerce, GA
Little dark droppings piling up on the porch or the ground under a gable vent? On an old Commerce house that is the most common sign of bats living in the roof. Call us and tell us about the job — we will confirm the local crew for your county before any work starts.
Bats in your Commerce home
The first sign of bats on a Commerce home is usually not the bats themselves. It's droppings on the ground or porch floor right below where they live: small, dark, crumbly pellets that collect under a gable vent, a loose piece of trim or the top of a chimney. You may also see a few bats leave at dusk or notice a dark smear around the gap they use. The ponds, pastures and creek bottoms around town are full of the night insects bats eat, and the gable vents and old chimneys on mill-era houses give them a place to sleep during the day.
The bats in Georgia attics are mostly big brown bats and little brown bats. They are protected, so they can't be killed or poisoned. They have to be let out with a device that lets them leave but not come back. Timing matters too, because for part of each year the colony has young that can't fly yet. Bat problems in Georgia are mostly a summer issue, which is exactly when the rules about timing apply.
April 1 through July 31: the young can't fly
From April 1 through July 31, female bats are raising pups that can't fly. If the gaps are closed during that time, the adults get out and the young are left behind to die in the wall or attic. That's why exclusion isn't done in that window. Our crew will often leave the bats alone until it's over unless they can confirm there are no young; if they can't confirm it, they wait. The exception is a real health risk to the people in the house. If it can't wait, Georgia DNR allows exclusion inside the window when a licensed Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator does it. An inspection can be done any time of year.
Where bats get into a mill-era roof
Bats don't chew holes. They use gaps that are already there, and some are barely wider than a finger. On an older Commerce house that might be a gable vent with torn screening, a gap where fascia has pulled away, the seam where an addition's roof meets the original, or the top of a chimney that hasn't been used in years. Because the gaps are so small, a pro checks the whole roof and often watches the bats come out at dusk to see which ones they actually use.
How the exclusion is done
Some jobs are done in one day, but most take two or three visits. The pro hangs a bat valve or other one-way device over each gap the bats are using. The bats leave at night to feed and can't get back in. After enough time for the whole colony to leave, the pro checks that the space is empty, then seals the gaps for good, with metal wherever possible. Sealing too early traps bats inside, so waiting is part of the job.
Guano, histoplasmosis and a bat in the house
Bat droppings, called guano, can carry the fungus that causes histoplasmosis, a lung infection. The spores get into the air when dry droppings are disturbed, so don't sweep or vacuum guano yourself. If it can be removed, it should be. That doesn't always mean all the insulation has to be replaced, though. Some companies recommend that when it isn't needed, so ask what is actually contaminated. A single bat inside your living space is different: bats can carry rabies, so don't handle it, and if it was near someone sleeping or a child, call your local health department.
Why not just caulk the hole
It's tempting to see the gap and seal it the same afternoon. If it's maternity season, or if any bats are still inside, that traps them, and you end up with dead bats in the wall, a smell, and a problem with a protected species. Mothballs, sprays and ultrasonic devices don't move a colony either. The order is always the same: inspect, let the bats out with one-way devices outside April through July, then seal.
Common bat questions in Commerce
I have bats in my attic in Commerce — how do I get them out?+
When can bats legally and safely be removed in Georgia?+
Are the bats dangerous — what about histoplasmosis or rabies?+
There are bats coming out of my old chimney at dusk — what do I do?+
Can't I just seal the gap where the bats get in?+
How much does bat removal cost in Commerce?+
Other Commerce problems that come with bats
Our wildlife crew handles these closely related problems — the ones that most often turn up with a bat issue.
Got more than bats in Commerce?
If bats found a gap in your Commerce roof, other animals may have found one too. See everything we handle locally on the Commerce wildlife removal hub, or jump to Georgia wildlife removal.
Want the background before you call? Read our statewide guide: Bats in your attic: Georgia law, maternity season and what exclusion costs.
One call to your Commerce bat crew
Bats don't chew, but their droppings build up quickly in an attic, and closing the gap at the wrong time traps young bats inside. Call us and tell us about the job — we will confirm the local crew for your county before any work starts.
- Local to Jackson County. Georgia DNR-compliant handling — call to ask about licensing and insurance.
- Timed exclusion. One-way devices used outside April 1–July 31, so no young bats are sealed in.
- Done right. Removal, exclusion and cleanup.