Bat House PVC Pole - Bats in the Attic Series part 5

[@alanwhitsitt5196]

Nice idea. I was actually looking to see if I can make a bat house out of PVC when I found this. Good video. Thank you!

[@h4bats]

The home owner had a "life situation change" while we were filming that and we never got to finish the series. I was by there about 2 months ago, the bat house is occupied by bats, but the pole is more banana shaped. I would have to say a 21 foot Schedule 40 2"ID "black pipe" is a better mounting option over all.

[@alanwhitsitt5196]

@@h4bats I'm sorry to hear that. I was actually talking about the bat house itself, not the mounting pole... I make bird houses out of PVC, so I wondered if I could do a bat house too... I might try it...

[@h4bats]

We have tried pvc and plastics, they don't have good thermal properties and tend to stay too cool (if white) or rapidly overhead if a darker color.

[@alanwhitsitt5196]

@@h4bats thank you. I won't waste my time or material then. I appreciate it.

[@trishpoppins5148]

I love bats..you did a great job... thank you for sharing xx

[@h4bats]

Thank you!

[@ericboyles9523]

I love bats!!! Thanks for the video!

[@kolankprof]

Thanks for sharing your insights and design!

[@boredwarlock5216]

This is awesome! Thank you

[@FrederickDunn]

General question regarding bat selectivity... do you think they would occupy a free standing (pole mounted) house over one that is attached to the side of a barn or other tall structure? Thanks for the video... not a fan of the pvc version though... :)

[@h4bats]

+Frederick Dunn Yeah, the PVC pole is kind of a "almost-failed" project. It does OK, but not my first choice. When you get it right it takes a lot of materials and work. However, if you can only haul up to 8' or 10' material it is an option. Bats will prefer a location with the best thermal characteristics. On a pole, a larger bat house will generally do better but even smaller ones will get what are called bachelor colonies composed of males and pups. A bat house on a structure that is properly placed in the sun for warmth will generally do very well. The structure tends to help insulate and buffer heat transfer for the bat house where a bat house on a pole does not have that additional bulk behind it. However, bat houses on pole do very well. I generally state the preference as First, mount on a structure or barn, next a pole at least 15 to 20 feet from a tree line if possible and lastly on a tree. Bat houses on trees are typically the least successful.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thanks.. well, mine is up on a 4x4 pole.. we'll see how it goes, thanks for the follow up :)

[@teamcrooks6913]

What did you use the other two bolts for? I only saw two to connect the house to the pole…. Thanks!

[@jimfisher1140]

Haven't found the version 2 video anywhere here or on site, if you made, can you insert link?

[@SordLord2]

very nice thank you

[@h4bats]

Thank you, we appreciate good comments!

[@teri9636]

Great information!

[@redbeard14770]

How did this PVC work out over these six years now? I ordered my three-chamber house today. Schedule 40 steel pipe is more expensive than I expected. I'm thinking of two pieces of 12 foot 4x4 pressure treated. One three feet in the ground with cement. The second overlapping ~four feet and scissoring should get me up to 17 feet at the top of the post. I would predrill the carriage bolt holes, install one carriage bolt loosely and pivot the upper with the house already on it and install the second carriage bolt. I can't find the video where I saw this scissor done.

[@h4bats]

It is doing OK, there is a colony of bats in the bat house. By the time you add up the cost and effort, a 21' 2" ID Schedule 40 steel pipe (black pipe) from a plumbing supply is still the best deal. The only tough part for some people is hauling it.

[@SeigeAP]

@@h4bats Do you mean just use that one pole and set it in concrete, and that's all you need? That sure does seem a lot simpler if the length isn't too much of an inhibitor...

[@shawndubay4050]

@@h4bats great idea. One question is kinda bugging me and is kinda scary is will it become a lightning magnet?? and if yes how would you lightning proof it so the bats don't suddenly become very hot. This is a big question of mine and a fear for them.

[@craigdoriety9798]

Like your idea of pvc pipe. A metal pipe would make for an excellent lightning rod.😬

[@kennymartin379]

Good idea

[@davequesnelle5945]

Ten feet of steel pole with multiple holes. You can always turn them to the sun and have them locked in

[@h4bats]

The landing area on the bat house should be 10 to 12 feet high, meaning the pole will need to be at least 16 feet long if buried in the ground and the bat house is mounted at the top. We find that 21 foot 2 inch "ID Sched 40 steel pipe is the best solution when they can be transported or delivered. We make brackets specifically for the 2" ID pipe. Thanks for loving bats!

[@edwardhallett9148]

I would have rather seen how you put the house up than the earlier wrench turning or the top of the pole cap. Was it tilted into the 10' schedule 40 or was it cut off "x" feet up, etc.... the only part I haven't done 100 times, the planting and poles w/ Bat House totally lacking, Size of that Bat House, how much did it weigh? I've seen a lot of you videos, and for those, Well Done, Thank You! This one, I'm sorry to say, Disappointing.

[@patriciacracchiola9075]

I have 2 bat houses up, similar to yours but did not use PVC pipe. It is in O'Fallon, Illinois. Should the boxes be facing South? I had mine put up 15' high. How long does it take for the bats to inhabit the boxes? How can you tell if they are occupied? Thank you, your video was very helpful.

[@h4bats]

Thanks for loving bats! Typically, bat houses would face South to South East. You want to catch the morning sun and warm the bat house up for them. They like 85 to 100 degree as their "room temperature". At 15' high, it should be about right. How long it takes depends on the bats. Often, they will find it but not start using it immediately. Also, even if they do find it, you may have intermittent use of the bat house by only a few bats. Looking up in the bat house with a bright flashlight during mid day is one way to look for bats in it (but keep your mouth closed, that's not rain). The best way is to look at the post or structure of little black spots or smears and on the ground for guano.

[@TheOrcasRule]

I know mounting in a tree is not ideal, but I keep all the branches trimmed around it do you think it could work? I can face it South/southeast, and no branches above to shade it. It's really my only option for mounting, and I already made a few houses!I

[@h4bats]

While trees are not the best place, I have seen bat houses successful in trees. It will depend how easily predators can get to it and if it is getting enough warmth. Sounds like your might!

[@KAPYOTI]

looks good

[@Mao2187]

How has the pole held up??? Any update?

[@h4bats]

It warped a little but is still in use. We lost access to the property along the way (new owner) and we can't see behind the house well.

[@alpizzi1800]

What about partially (half or 2/3 from bottom) filling w concrete?

[@h4bats]

My hope was originally to lower cost and provide something easily hauled and setup. The cost benefit began to diminish the more work and material had to go into the pole. You can certainly do what you suggest, but in the end a 2" ID Schedule 40 pipe (black pipe as plumbers call it) in a 21' length makes a great bat house pole.

[@shawndubay3736]

Very creative. I like this but would have filled the pipe solid with concrete to make it extra stiff and hold up over time. How is the success of this house??

[@h4bats]

This bat house has done OK, we should try to go visit it again and get followup pictures.

[@treeclimbing7798]

Habitat For Bats Very disappointed we were Not shown how you assembled the 2 different PVC Pipes, which is a Very Critical Step. NOT even a 1✡️ Star Rating, wasted my time....

[@Leolioness44]

Trees Climbing & Gear tenter temper! I'm sure this nice gentleman would assist you in YOUR dilemmas, if you would just ask. It seems his goal is the same as ours and well, Nobody is Perfect

[@leemedic1974]

Where is your description of version #2? You place a galvanized pole inside the top section of the pipe. What kind of winds do you think it will hold up to for a 20# bat house?

[@h4bats]

+Darnell Jordan I plan to make a followup video on this pole this spring as well as a few other pole options. Yes, I put a fence post in the top section and captured it with the top bolt to make the top 2" section more rigid. Once installed it seems very durable. So far the 2 chamber bat house has survived several storms and reasonable strong winds.

[@marcoguy1397]

@@h4bats where is the follow-up video?

[@andyholmes9301]

Hi ive just bought a batbox from my local garden centre. The gap at bottome were bats get in is only 10mm wide. Is that to small? Im in the uk. Regards

[@h4bats]

10mm is on the small side, but not a problem for most species. Ideally the opening should be about 12mm to 14mm, but you shouldn't have a problem with the 10mm opening. Bats are very persistent when they want to get into a location and can squeeze through very small openings.

[@andyholmes9301]

Thankyou. Regards

[@shawndubay4050]

Some cement or concrete should work great.

[@NeverlessWonder]

Why did you use grey pvc? Would white sch40 pvc filled with concrete and sand work as well?

[@h4bats]

I used grey (electrical) because it has sizes not available in plumbing and had a built in bell for a coupling (no separate coupling required)

[@edwardhallett9148]

NO

[@jimfisher1140]

Once direction is set, instead of gluing the pipe joint together, could you drill through and insert a bolt for removal. this would allow removing the last pole section at 7" above ground, versus going all the way to top to maintain. A similar system could be designed near the bottom, using larger pipe that is buried, inserting smaller diameter pipe, keeping in mind thickness and double piping as the he did in video. I think another comment had similar suggestion.

[@trainer05081974]

I don't see why you couldn't put a bolt and a nut on it.

[@imstelios]

Sir, did I miss the part in your series "Bats in the attic" where you removed the bats from the attic? If so redirect me, if not, wth happens next? Thanks!

[@h4bats]

Well... you didn't miss it, between myself being busy and away and the homeowner doing the same we haven't sync'd up to film it. But I'm hoping to get to that this summer. The bats are still there as well as in his new bat house so it should work out perfect. Basically, we will put a plastic hardware cloth net over the outside of the vent and let it hang down. Bats can exit, go down and leave but when they return the won't go that far down to crawl back up, they'll basically try to land close to where they enter. We've found 18" to 24" of drop down generally does the trick over vents or gaps.

[@OpekiskaWood]

My neighbor used PVC to make a flag pole that's about the same height. He glued the sections and filled the pole with sand to stiffen it. It has been up for ten years or longer with no problems..

[@h4bats]

Rick Williams hmmm... and the sand would disperse the heat to reduce thermal flexing. Might have to try that.

[@h4bats]

Under7Cs Good ideas. I'm working on using a Tpost ideal too.

[@andyholmes9301]

Thanks

[@roywaite6314]

try putting a scaffold pole in the pipe cut the pipe 2 to 3 ft off the ground insert connecter put the pipe back to gether may be fill the pipe then with concrete

[@h4bats]

that sounds like an interesting idea.

[@tonyjuarez9319]

Roy Waite you would have done better with rigid metal conduit.

[@Petlover10000]

I put a bat house which faces east on the second floor of my house, for all these years, I have not seen a bat using it, but my neighbor has a lot of bats going in his bat house. I wonder what I did wrong.

[@onecrazywheel]

Here in Florida we have to face the bat houses south. Also the bat houses in Florida need a little bit of shade during the day or it is too hot and they do not like the excessive heat.

[@senatorjosephmccarthy2720]

14: 00 Plumb it. Level refers to horizontal, plumb to vertical. Two guy wires can go at about 45° down and close to the fence. If some are needed in the other two directions, bushes can be planted close to the ground mount of those two, for safety from walking or running into them.

[@Meatpopsicle2050]

Maybe you could fill the pipe with concrete?

[@TM-zj1xt]

nice guy but too many rules.