Silver Bullet Pest ControlBat Removal & Exclusion in Garfield, NJ
Bats coming out of the roofline at dusk, droppings piling up in the attic, or a bat flying through the living room? Silver Bullet Pest Control is a Garfield company licensed by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife. We get bats out the legal, humane way and seal the house so they can't get back in.
4.9 stars on Google • NJ License 90568B • Licensed by NJ Fish & Wildlife • 15+ years • Based in Garfield • Hablamos español
A bat inside right now? Don't let it go yet if anyone was asleep in that room. Read the steps below, then call 973-510-2585.
- ✓ Same-day appointments often available
- ✓ Licensed & insured in NJ
- ✓ Homes & businesses
- ✓ English & Español
How do you get rid of bats in a Garfield, NJ house?
Bats are removed by exclusion: seal every gap except their exits, fit one-way devices so they fly out but can't return, then seal those last openings. In New Jersey this is only allowed at certain times of year. Silver Bullet Pest Control, a Garfield company licensed by NJ Fish & Wildlife (License 90568B), does it all. Call 973-510-2585.
When bats can legally be excluded in New Jersey
New Jersey protects its bats and sets dates for when a colony may be moved out of a building, so that flightless young never get sealed in. Any company you hire should follow this calendar:
| Dates | Can bats be excluded? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| April 1 – April 30 | Yes | Bats are back from hibernation and pups haven't been born yet. |
| May 1 – July 31 | No | Maternity season. Pups can't fly, so sealing the house would trap them inside to die. |
| August 1 – October 15 | Yes | Young bats are flying and can leave with the adults. |
| October 16 – March 31 | Only after an acoustic survey shows no bats | Some bats may be hibernating inside. Exclusion goes ahead only once a survey confirms no bats are present. |
If you're calling between mid-October and March, the acoustic survey comes first. Meanwhile we can inspect, find the entry points, seal the gaps bats aren't using, and book the exclusion for the right time. If anyone offers to "just seal it up" in June, that's a red flag.
A bat got into the living space: what to do
If a bat was in a room with someone who was sleeping, or with a young child, don't release it. Keep the bat and call your local health department about rabies testing. A bat bite can be too small to notice, which is why this matters even if nobody felt anything.
If nobody was sleeping in the room and no one touched the bat:
- Keep children and pets out, and close interior doors so the bat stays in one room.
- Open a window or outside door in that room and turn the lights off. Many bats will find the way out on their own.
- Never pick up a bat with bare hands. If it lands, wear thick gloves, cover it with a container, slide cardboard underneath, and call us or the health department before doing anything else.
A bat inside the house usually means there's a colony in the attic or walls, or an easy gap nearby. Once everyone is safe, call 973-510-2585. We're based in Garfield, so an inspection is often available quickly.
Signs you have bats, not squirrels or mice
People often call us thinking they have mice in the attic. These clues point to bats instead:
Flights at dusk
Watch the roofline for 20 to 30 minutes around sunset. Bats leaving one by one from the same gap is the clearest sign.
Guano
Dark droppings collecting under an entry point, on the attic floor or on a windowsill. Unlike mouse droppings they crumble into a shiny dust.
Rub marks
Brownish greasy stains around a gap at the soffit, chimney, gable vent or siding where bats squeeze in and out.
Squeaks and rustling
High-pitched chirping or scratching in walls or the attic, especially at dusk and dawn rather than through the night.
Bats can use gaps about the width of your finger. Text photos of droppings or stains to 973-510-2585 and we'll tell you what it looks like.
How we do bat exclusion
Inspection and dusk check
We inspect the roofline, attic, chimney and siding, and when needed watch at dusk to find exactly where the bats exit.
Seal the inactive gaps
Every gap the bats aren't using gets sealed first, so the colony has only its main exits left.
One-way devices
During a legal window we install one-way exclusion devices on the active exits. Bats fly out to feed and can't get back in. No bats are trapped or killed.
Final seal and check
Once the bats are gone, the devices come off and those last openings are sealed. We check our work and tell you what we saw in the attic.
We're licensed by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife for wildlife work. Ask any company you're comparing to show you that license; a home improvement contractor number isn't the same thing.
Why bats find Garfield houses, and why a local company helps
Garfield sits along the Passaic River, with the Saddle River close by to the east. Rivers mean insects, and insects are what bats hunt at night. Add older houses with wood soffits, gable vents, slate or shingle roofs, chimneys and aluminum siding that has shifted over the years, and there are plenty of small gaps that lead into warm attics and walls.
Many homes in Garfield are two-family houses and attached buildings, often built close together. A colony in one roof can spread to the house next door through gaps at a shared roofline. We look at those connections, and if bats are moving between buildings we'll tell you so you can talk to your neighbor or landlord.
Being a Garfield company is a real advantage for bat work. Exclusion isn't a one-day job: there's an inspection, often a dusk check, the install, a waiting period, then removal of the devices and final sealing. Each of those trips is short for us, which makes the job easier to schedule around the legal windows and your family.
What affects the cost of bat removal
Every bat job gets a free quote after an inspection. These are the main things that change the price:
| Factor | What it means for your job |
|---|---|
| Number of gaps to seal | A tight house with one exit point is a smaller job than an older roof with gaps along every soffit. |
| Roof height and pitch | A steep or three-story roof needs more ladder work and time. |
| Size of the colony | A few bats behind a shutter is different from a large group in the attic. |
| Time of year | From mid-October to March an acoustic survey comes first; in May through July we can only inspect and seal inactive gaps. |
| Attic condition | If there's a lot of guano we'll show you and talk through the next steps. |
| Other wildlife | Squirrels or raccoons using the same openings add repair work. |
Call or text 973-510-2585 with photos of the roofline or the droppings, and we'll tell you what to expect before the visit.
Keeping bats out of your Garfield home
- Cap chimneys with a proper screened cap.
- Screen gable, ridge and attic vents with fine mesh.
- Repair loose soffits, fascia boards and flashing, especially where the roof meets a wall or dormer.
- Check where siding, trim and window frames have separated over the years.
- Keep window screens and storm doors in good shape if you open windows on summer nights.
- Never seal a gap you see bats using between May 1 and July 31. Call us instead.
If squirrels or raccoons are also getting into your roof, see squirrel and raccoon proofing in Garfield.
Related pages
Get a free bat exclusion quote
Tell us where you're seeing bats or droppings. We'll explain the legal timing and set up an inspection.
Why Garfield calls us for bats
- Licensed by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife
- Exclusion done only in the legal windows
- Based right here in Garfield
- 15+ years of wildlife and pest work, 4.9 stars on Google
- Hablamos español
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🔒 Your info stays private · Hablamos español.
Bat questions from Garfield
Can I remove bats from my attic myself?
It's not a good idea. Bats are protected, exclusion is only allowed at certain times, and sealing the wrong gap can trap bats inside the house or push them into your living space.
Why can't you remove bats in June?
May 1 through July 31 is maternity season in New Jersey. Pups can't fly yet, so excluding the adults would leave the young trapped inside.
Can bats be removed in the winter?
From October 16 to March 31, exclusion goes ahead only after an acoustic survey shows no bats are present. We can still inspect and seal unused gaps during that time.
I woke up and there was a bat in my bedroom. What should I do?
Keep the bat instead of letting it go, and call your local health department about rabies testing. Do the same if a bat was in a room with a young child.
Do you kill the bats?
No. Exclusion lets bats leave on their own through one-way devices, and then the openings are sealed.
How long does bat exclusion take?
It usually takes a few visits over one to two weeks: setup, a waiting period while the bats leave, then final sealing. Timing also depends on the legal window.
Are bat droppings dangerous?
Guano in an attic can carry fungal spores, so don't sweep or vacuum it up without protection. We'll tell you what we see and talk about next steps.
Is a bat in an apartment the landlord's problem?
Tell the landlord or building manager in writing right away. Who pays depends on the lease and the building, but the bats usually come from the structure, which the owner controls.
Are you licensed for bat removal in New Jersey?
Yes. We're licensed by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife for wildlife work and hold NJ License 90568B.
¿Pueden sacar murciélagos de mi casa en Garfield?
Sí. Estamos en Garfield y hablamos español. Llame al 973-510-2585 y le explicamos cuándo se puede hacer la exclusión según las reglas de Nueva Jersey.
Bat removal near Garfield
From our Garfield base we handle bats across Bergen and Passaic counties.
Updated November 2026 by the Silver Bullet Pest Control team, Garfield, NJ • NJ License 90568B