Bats are great, except when they're inside

[dstryr]

Looking for suggestions on what is practical to keep bats out of my pole barn. 24x32 with 14' sidewalls and they haven't come back yet this spring so I hopefully have a little time to get after it. You can see in this pic where the light comes in.

Bats do not chew through insulation like mice so I was considering a low-expansion spray foam. Good or bad idea? I don't intend to finish and insulate the interior but is there a better and still cost-effective option? Do I need to worry about air movement and condensation if I seal the gaps?

 

[Kaizen]

Have you seen them enter and exit there?
No soffit on exterior right?
Maybe cut and jam in the mesh material used at ridge. If your peak is sealed I’m not sure what kind of venting is going on. Spray foam sure would be easier.



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[dstryr]

There are gutters on the building so the overhang is just enough for the rain to drain into the gutters. I haven't been on the ladder to see if the ridge has mesh or on not but the peak does not appear to be sealed because I can see light like the top of the sidewalls. The front is 2 large sliding doors and overall I wouldn't say the building is sealed. Its dry inside with a partial concrete floor and I use a pedestal fan to move air in the spring to keep the condensation down until the concrete warms, sometimes with doors open, sometimes closed depending on the weather/temp.

What kind of venting is appropriate for an uninsulated pole barn? What are the drawbacks of sealing it up along the sides and ridge?

 

[Kaizen]

Just no air exchange so moisture doesn’t exit as fast nor does heat from roof. Took me years to get bats out of my attic. Any space a mouse could get in they did. What about cutting 1/8 inch hardware cloth and screwing to close the gaps? Could do that on peak as well.


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[Leaflessshadetree]

Cover the gaps and put up a bat house.

 

[aa21830]

Spray foam worked ok for me. I actually started foaming some of the gaps because snow would get inside my pole building if the wind came from a certain direction. Turned out it was a decent bat deterrent also. The right kind of barn cat works, too.....