Iowa, If Your House Smells Like Ammonia, Get Out Immediately

What is ammonia? Ammonia is a colorless gas, but this is not a warning about a gas leak in your home.

Ammonia has a strong odor that smells like urine or sweat. Ammonia occurs naturally in water, soil, and the air, and is also found naturally in plants, animals, and the human body.

Though this is a natural scent, your house should NOT be smelling like ammonia. If it does, you just might have a bat infestation!

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Bat excrement (aka bat feces) produces an unpleasant odor as it decomposes in attics, wall spaces, and other voids. Ammonia from bat urine emits a very strong odor once there's an infestation, and it smells just like a urine-soaked cat litter box. In some cases, urine trails can be seen on the walls or rafters in the attic. Similar odor problems occur when animals die in inaccessible locations.

Signs That You May Be Experiencing A Bat Infestation In Your Home

Bats Flying Around Home. ...
The Scent Of Ammonia. ...
Unexplained Odors. ...
Dead Bat Sightings. ...
Stained Holes. ...
Bats Inside Of The Home. ...
Strange Noises Coming From The Home's Interior. ...
Squeaking Sounds.

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Why You Should Stay Away From Bats

You should avoid handling bats because several species, such as the hoary and big brown bats, which are found in Iowa, have large teeth that can puncture skin if they are handled improperly.

Also, bats can carry diseases, including rabies. The best way to protect yourself and bats is to stay away from them and get medical care if you come in contact with them.

How To Get Rid Of A Bat Infestation

Since bat pesticides and bat extermination are illegal, pest control companies use a process called exclusion. Exclusion is designed to seal the primary exits that bats use with one-way doors. This allows the bats to leave safely without allowing them to return.

Bats love old houses. Crumbling chimneys, cracks and holes, and vents with missing screens are open doors for little mammals that can squeeze through a crack or hole smaller than a quarter.

If you have a big bat problem, it is best to call your local exterminator. However, if one bat flew through your front door by accident, here is a silly but also an educational video on how you can get rid of the bat yourself.

When calling on the professionals, here is what the process of bat exclusion entails.

Stay safe out there!

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The Best Places To Watch Iowa Football Games

We have gathered 15 places around the Quad Cities where people LOVE to watch Iowa Football games. Many bars with owners that are Hawkeye fans have specials on game days. Cheaper beer, special dishes, and even free shots when Iowa scores a touchdown.

We asked listeners where their favorite place to watch Iowa football was, and here is what they suggested.