Single-entry exclusion
For a small colony using one clear opening. A one-way device is fitted, and the remaining gaps are sealed. It is often the simplest case.
Serving Hennepin County
Bat Exclusion in Minneapolis
Bats hibernate or migrate in winter and return in spring. Humane exclusion is planned around when the colony is present.
- Phones answered 24/7
- Autumn sealing before the hard freeze
- Price confirmed before treatment
Get a fast quote
Fastest: call (855) 974-4733. Or send this and we call you back.
Bats
Bat Exclusion: what it covers
Quick answer
Bat exclusion in Minneapolis means finding where bats enter, fitting one-way devices so they leave on their own and sealing the openings afterward. Bats are wildlife, and the timing of the work depends on whether young are present. Minneapolis Pest Control connects you with a local technician and confirms the price before work begins.
A bat in a Minneapolis house is a different animal problem from a squirrel in the attic. There is no gnawing, no nest of stolen insulation and no scrabbling in the early morning. There is a quiet colony, a pencil-width gap, and a decision about how and when to close it. The wrong decision, made too fast, can leave bats trapped inside or young abandoned.
Bats in this region hibernate or migrate for the winter and return in spring, so the calendar matters more here than almost anywhere else on the site. We do not give dates on this page because the right dates depend on the current rules and on what the technician finds in your roof. What we can do is describe how the work is shaped. Minneapolis Pest Control answers its phones 24/7 and passes you to an independent local company.
A single bat in the house can happen and is not necessarily a colony. A repeated sighting, droppings or staining at the same spot is what suggests one.
- Service area
- Minneapolis & Hennepin County
- Availability
- Phones answered 24/7
- Phone
- (855) 974-4733
Warning signs
Signs you need bat exclusion
Do not touch a bat with bare hands, seal an opening while bats may be inside or try to smoke or poison them. If a bat has bitten or scratched someone, or was in a room with a sleeping person or child, contact a doctor or the local health department.
- Small, dark droppings that crumble to a shiny powder beneath an eave, gable or attic opening
- Brown or oily staining around a gap in siding, fascia or a vent
- Bats seen circling the house at dusk, especially around one corner
- A faint squeaking or rustling inside a wall or attic in the evening
- A musty, ammonia-like odor in an attic or wall cavity
- A bat found flying inside the house, particularly at night
- A stain trail below a small crack where bats enter and leave
- Droppings piled on a windowsill or porch floor below a roost
Our process
How our bat exclusion visit works
Inspect at dusk or by day
A technician looks at the roofline, siding seams, chimney and vents, and may watch the house at dusk when bats leave. Evidence of staining and droppings marks the likely routes.
Decide when work is appropriate
The technician considers whether young may be present and what rules apply. The work is scheduled so that no flightless young are left behind. We do not state dates here, because rules and weather decide them.
Seal all but the main exits
Secondary gaps are closed with materials bats cannot move, such as flashing and sealant. The main openings are left for the exit devices.
Fit one-way devices
Tubes or flaps let bats out but not back in. They stay in place until activity stops, which the technician checks at dusk.
Close and clean
Once the colony has gone, the last gaps are sealed. Droppings are removed with protective gear, and the attic may be treated or have insulation replaced.
Cost
How much does bat exclusion cost in Minneapolis?
No published Minneapolis price for bat exclusion was found, so none is shown. The quote depends on the following.
| Job | Typical range | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Number of entry points | Scales with the building | A single gap is simpler than many small ones around a large roof |
| Height and roof access | Affects the method | Steep or multi-story roofs need extra safety work |
| Colony size | Set by the inspection | A large colony leaves more droppings to clean |
| Timing of the work | Season-dependent | The work is planned around when bats are present and when young can fly |
| Clean-up and repair | Quoted separately | Insulation replacement and carpentry are separate items |
These are cost drivers, not prices. Your exact price is confirmed on site before any work starts.
Why does the timing of bat work matter so much?
Bats are wildlife, a colony may include young that cannot fly, and rules on handling and timing may apply. Closing the entry while bats or young are inside can trap them or send them into living space. A technician plans the work around the colony and the rules in force then.
We deliberately give no dates on this page. Any date quoted here would have to be checked against current rules, and the technician will do that for you.
What is certain is the principle: bats leave on their own, through a one-way device, and nobody should be sealed in.
What do I do if a bat is inside my living space?
Close the doors to the room, open a window or outside door, turn on the light and let the bat find its own way out. If it lands, cover it with a container and slide a card under it. Do not touch it with bare hands. Call for advice if anyone may have been bitten.
A bat in a house is usually lost, not aggressive. Keep pets and children out of the room.
If you woke to find a bat in the bedroom, or if a child or an impaired person was in the room, contact a doctor or public health office for advice on whether any follow-up is needed.
How small is the gap?
Bats can use a gap much smaller than most people expect, about the width of a thumb or less. They often enter at the junction of the roof and a wall, around chimneys, behind loose siding and under fascia. A technician traces staining to find the actual route.
The staining around a gap is oil and dirt from many small bodies passing through.
Open vents, loose flashing and gaps in soffits are the most common routes.
- Roofline and ridge
- Gable vents without screens
- Loose siding corners
- Chimney flashing
- Gaps where additions meet the original house
Can I poison or fumigate bats?
No. Poison is harmful to people and pets, and a poisoned bat can die inside a wall or fall into living space. Exclusion is the accepted method: it lets the bats leave on their own and then closes the building so they cannot return. A technician will not use poison.
Poisoned bats fall into walls or living areas and can pose a real health risk.
Bats feed on insects, which is one reason to move them rather than harm them.
What does an inspection cost me in time, and what will it show?
An inspection takes a technician a short visit, often with a look at the roofline from the ground and from a ladder, and sometimes a dusk watch. It shows where the bats enter, how many routes there are and whether the building needs repairs before exclusion can start.
Expect questions about when you first noticed signs, where you hear sounds and whether you have seen bats at dusk. Your answers narrow the search for the entry.
You will also get an honest answer if the problem is not bats at all. Droppings in an attic can belong to mice, and sounds can come from squirrels. Our squirrel and raccoon page covers that side.
Options
Types and options for bat exclusion
Whole-building exclusion
For larger or older buildings with many possible gaps. The technician inspects the full envelope, which can include a chimney, soffits, siding corners and gable vents.
Attic clean-up and restoration
After the bats have gone, droppings and soiled insulation are removed. It is a separate job from exclusion and is quoted separately.
Hennepin County
Why bat exclusion is different in Twin Cities Metro
The seasonal pattern here is plain: bats are away or dormant through the cold months and return in spring. That is why a February call about a bat in the attic is unusual, and why spring and summer are when most noticing happens.
Wooded lots, lakeshore homes and houses with large trees nearby are common settings, and older buildings with many repairs offer more gaps. A house near water attracts insects, which attract bats.
Because the colony is absent in the cold, winter is a good time to plan. Finding the entry points and scheduling the repair in advance means the work can start when the timing is appropriate.
An older house can have more than one roost. A bat colony in a chimney chase is a different job from one behind siding on the far side of a porch, and a thorough inspection checks the whole envelope rather than the first gap that shows staining.
Skip the guesswork. Call for a straight answer.
Tell us what's happening and we'll tell you honestly whether it's a quick fix, and what bat exclusion should cost.
Where we work
Bat Exclusion across Hennepin County
- Bats in Minneapolis
- Bats in Saint Paul
- Bats in Mendota
- Bats in Hopkins
- Bats in Navarre
- Bats in Minnetonka
- Bats in Loretto
- Bats in Osseo
- Bats in South Saint Paul
- Bats in Eden Prairie
- Bats in Circle Pines
- Bats in Wayzata
- Bats in Inver Grove Heights
- Bats in Champlin
- Bats in Newport
- Bats in Maple Plain
- Bats in Chanhassen
- Bats in Crystal Bay
- Bats in Savage
- Bats in Long Lake
Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.
Related
Related services
Squirrel and Raccoon Exclusion
Attics and chimneys draw squirrels and raccoons in the cold months. Finding the entry, removing the animal and closing the opening.
General Pest Control
Seasonal pest control for Twin Cities homes, timed to the October move indoors and the April thaw instead of spread evenly.
Basement and Foundation Sealing
Sealing rim joists, sill plates, window wells and utility gaps in Twin Cities basements before the ground freezes.
FAQ
Bat Exclusion FAQs
When is the right time for bat exclusion?
We do not state dates, because rules and the colony's condition decide them. The principle is that work must not trap bats or young inside. A technician will explain the timing that applies to your house when they inspect.
Do bats damage the building?
Droppings and urine can stain wood and insulation and cause an odor. Bats do not gnaw like rodents. The main concerns are hygiene and the nuisance. Cleaning the attic after the colony leaves is often worthwhile.
Are bats dangerous?
They can carry disease and should not be handled. Most bats seen in a house do not bite. If anyone has had contact, seek medical advice. Do not handle a bat with bare hands under any circumstances.
Will bats come back after exclusion?
They may try. Bats are loyal to a roost and will search for ways back. Properly sealed gaps stop them. A technician checks the work after the season to confirm that the seals are holding.
Can I put up a bat house instead?
A bat house gives displaced bats a place to go and can be a good addition, but it is a separate matter from clearing your building. Exclusion must come first. Ask the technician for advice on placement if you want one.
Is it safe to clean up droppings myself?
Dried droppings can release dust, so wear a mask, gloves and eye protection, wet the material before removal and bag it. For an attic with a lot of droppings, a technician or cleaning specialist is a safer choice.