Board & Batten Exterior Shutters That Bats Don't Like

Space

• Creating a turbulent breeze that blows warm air out from behind the shutters, not to mention exposing more of the areas behind the shutter to sunlight, can make the shutter seem uninviting to the bats. Most board-and-batten shutters hug the walls by your windows very closely. Installing spacers behind existing shutters or finding new shutters that rest a few inches out from the wall would make the area not as attractive to bats desperate for shelter. The Bat Conservation and Management company recommends leaving at least 3 inches of space behind the shutter, though the University of Rhode Island recommends 1 to 2 inches.

Light Colors

• The color of the shutter affects how much sunlight and warmth the material absorbs. If the shutters you have are a dark color, paint them a much lighter shade if not white. More light will reflect off the white paint, lessening the amount of heat the shutter absorbs and transmits down to the bats. Bats will be less likely to go for shutters that don’t provide enough warmth.

Lighting

• Bats are nocturnal -- the y don't like light. One board-and-batten shutter that bats won’t want to be near is one that doesn’t provide any shade. Install a light near the shutter and keep it on all night to lessen the likelihood that bats will choose that shutter as a home. If the home is large, however, it might be more difficult and expensive to install lights by all the shutters. Purdue University notes the lights can also attract bats if there are a lot of insects flying around the light.

Caution

• Be careful trying to repel bats during their nesting season. A baby bat that is abandoned because the mother bat can’t return to the nest will die, and bats that are roosting in a suddenly hostile environment could die as well if they can’t move somewhere else. Then you’re left with the cleanup, not to mention any residual guilt. Plus, trying to move a shutter that actually has sleeping bats behind it is enough to frighten most people. Try to get through the season and then, when it gets colder and the bats leave for the winter, do your bat-repelling modifications. If the situation is truly out of hand or you feel you or your family may be at risk, contact a bat control company. Do not go near sick bats. Call a bat control company immediately if you find any on the ground because bats can carry rabies.