Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
One of the best deterrents against house bats is to improve the energy efficiency of the house by insulation, weatherstripping, and caulking windows, doors, and other gaps between the exterior and interior of the house. This will not only reduce the passage of hot or cold air and moisture but it will also eliminate openings used by bats to gain entrance into the home. These energy-conserving methods, besides lowering heating-cooling costs and providing long-term batproofing, are also eligible for a Federal residential energy tax credit (IRS, personal communication) as provided by the Energy Tax Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-618). This statute provides a residential energy tax credit of 15% of the first $2,000 of expenditures made on or after 20 April 1977 and before 1 January 1986 with respect to the taxpayer's principal residence, the construction of which was substantially completed before April 1977. Income tax regulations, providing the public with guidance needed for determining whether a residential energy tax credit is available, were published on 29 August 1980 in the Federal Register, 45 F. R. 57712.
In addition to the Federal energy tax credits, 43 of the United States grant some sort of tax benefits to residents who spend money to reduce their energy use (Anonymous 1980c).