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Is fall a good time to bat proof a Houston home?
Yes. Fall is one of the best times of year to get bats out of a Houston attic and seal it up. The baby bats born this summer can fly now, so a one-way exclusion lets the whole colony leave without trapping young bats inside. Texas A&M AgriLife says the best time for bat proofing is in the fall, and that exclusion or repairs done from May through August may trap pups inside the building (Texas A&M AgriLife, Controlling Bats).
Bats in your attic or walls in Houston? Call or text Chris at 281-683-6737 for a free inspection.
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The catch is timing. As Houston’s nights get colder, bats come out less, and that slows down an exclusion. The sooner the one-way devices go up this fall, the sooner the house can be sealed.
Why does Houston have so many bats?
Houston has a lot of bats, and many of them live close to people.
- Houston’s largest colony is just west of downtown. Buffalo Bayou Partnership says the Waugh Bridge colony over Buffalo Bayou reaches about 300,000 Mexican free-tailed bats in the summer (Buffalo Bayou Partnership, 2026). It’s a maternity colony, which means females raise their pups there.
- There are more colonies along the bayous. The same page says smaller colonies live under other bridges on White Oak, Sims and Halls Bayous.
- Many bats stay all winter. Texas Parks and Wildlife says a large part of the Waugh Drive colony stays in the bridge through the winter months (TPWD, Waugh Drive Bridge). Buffalo Bayou Partnership credits Houston’s warmer winters for that.
- The Mexican free-tailed bat is the usual suspect. Texas A&M AgriLife calls it the most common bat in urban areas and says it’s concentrated in the southern half of Texas (Texas A&M AgriLife).
Bridges have the narrow, dark gaps bats like. So do attics, soffits, wall voids and loose trim on a house. When a group of bats finds one of those gaps, it can become their roost.
How do I know if bats are in my Houston attic?
Bats are easiest to spot right around sunset, when they leave to feed. Look and listen for:
- Bats dropping out of the roofline, a vent or a gap in the trim at dusk
- Squeaking, chirping or scratching in the walls or ceiling in the evening
- Small dark droppings piling up on a porch, a windowsill, the ground under an eave or the attic floor
- Dark, greasy smudges around a small crack or gap where bats squeeze in
- A strong smell in an upstairs room or the attic
Bats don’t need much room. Texas A&M AgriLife says they can crawl through openings as narrow as 3/8 inch (Texas A&M AgriLife). Unlike rats and squirrels, bats don’t chew new holes. They use gaps that are already there, like the ones in old, weathered trim.
Free inspection. Not sure if it’s bats or something else? Chris will check the roofline, vents, trim and attic, show you where they’re getting in, and give you a price before any work starts. Book your free inspection or call or text 281-683-6737.
How does bat proofing work?
Bat proofing has two parts: getting the bats out, then sealing the house so they can’t come back. When you call CPL Pest Control LLC for bat removal in Houston, we use exclusion only. Here’s how it works:
- Find every opening. We check the roofline, soffits, vents, chimney and siding. Older homes often have more than one way in.
- Install one-way devices. We put one-way tubes or netting over the openings the bats are using. Bats can fly out at night to feed, but they can’t get back in.
- Wait long enough. Texas A&M AgriLife’s Bats in Schools program says to leave one-way devices up for at least 1 week in warm weather and 2 weeks in cool weather, below 50 degrees (Texas A&M AgriLife, Removing a bat colony).
- Seal the house. Once no more bats are coming out, we take the devices down and close the openings, along with other gaps a new group could use.
We never poison or kill bats. Exclusion is the only way we handle them.
Does cold weather affect bat removal in Houston?
Yes, and that’s why it pays to start early in the fall. Buffalo Bayou Partnership says the Waugh Bridge bats usually stay inside the bridge when it’s below 50 degrees or raining (Buffalo Bayou Partnership). Bats in an attic act the same way. If they don’t fly out, they can’t leave through the one-way devices.
That’s why the Bats in Schools program calls for 2 weeks with the devices in place in cool weather, compared with 1 week when it’s warm. It also says the best time to evict bats in Texas is generally between September and April, depending on where you are (Texas A&M AgriLife). On a cold-snap week, the job can take longer, but it still works.
Can I just seal the holes myself?
Please don’t seal them until the bats are out. Bat Conservation International warns never to wait for bats to fly out at night and then seal the openings, because not all bats leave at the same time, and some stay in all night (Bat Conservation International). Bats sealed inside can die in your walls or find their way into your living space.
Store-bought sprays and noise gadgets aren’t the answer either. Getting the bats out with one-way devices and then sealing every gap is what keeps them out.
Are bats in the attic a health risk?
They can be, so don’t handle bats or their droppings yourself.
- Rabies. In 2025, Texas confirmed rabies in 226 bats, about half of the 456 animals that tested positive statewide. Of the bats that were tested, 15% were positive (Texas DSHS, 2025 rabies report). Those are bats that were sent in for testing, usually because they were sick or had contact with people, not a sample of all bats. Never pick up a bat with bare hands. If someone may have been bitten or scratched, or a bat turns up in a room where someone was sleeping, call your doctor or the local health department (Texas DSHS, Rabies).
- Droppings. The CDC says histoplasmosis is a lung infection caused by breathing in spores of a fungus that lives in soil and spreads in bird and bat droppings that mix in soil (CDC, About Histoplasmosis). Don’t sweep up large piles of dry droppings, since that kicks up dust.
This is general information, not medical advice.
Frequently asked questions about bat proofing in Houston
When is the best time to bat proof a house in Houston?
Fall is one of the best times. The pups born this summer can fly, so the colony can leave through one-way devices without leaving young bats trapped inside. Texas A&M AgriLife warns that exclusion done from May through August may trap pups.
Will you kill the bats?
No. We use exclusion only. The bats leave through one-way devices, and then we seal the openings so they can’t get back in.
How long does bat exclusion take?
It depends on the house and the weather. Texas A&M AgriLife’s Bats in Schools program says to leave one-way devices up for at least 1 week in warm weather and 2 weeks in cool weather before sealing.
Can bats really get through a tiny gap?
Yes. Texas A&M AgriLife says bats can crawl through openings as narrow as 3/8 inch, so we check the whole roofline, not just the obvious holes.
Is the inspection free?
Yes. We’ll find where the bats are getting in and give you a price before any work starts.
Ready to get the bats out of your Houston home?
Fall is the right time, and the sooner the one-way devices go up, the sooner your house can be sealed for good. Call or text Chris for a free inspection.
Call 281-683-6737 | Text Chris | Book a free inspection
Related reading and services:
– Bat removal in Houston, TX
– Wildlife removal in Houston, TX
– Noticing bats in your Houston home? You’re not alone
– Bat removal in Conroe and The Woodlands
– Pest control in Houston, TX
– Contact CPL Pest Control
About the author: Christopher Villarreal owns CPL Pest Control LLC (Texas TPCL license 0567655) and has over 20 years of experience in pest control. CPL Pest Control LLC is fully licensed and insured and serves Houston and the Greater Houston area.
Published November 4, 2026.
