Prevent Ants From Coming Into Your Raleigh Area Home
The smaller pests are, the harder it is to keep them out of your home. Ants are some of the smallest common household pests found in Raleigh, and you may wake up one morning to find a whole army of them marching into your home. Ants are quite possibly the most prolific insects on Earth, with an estimated 20 quadrillion living right now. That’s over two million ants for every person! As such, ants can be found on just about every property, and it only becomes a problem when they start relying on your house for food or shelter.
From damaging woodwork to spreading foodborne illnesses, ants can cause a lot of trouble for such small pests. Follow these tips to keep ants out of your home in Raleigh.
Top 5 Ant Prevention Tips
Secure Your Food – Ant infestations commonly begin in the kitchen because ants are most often drawn into homes by their search for food. Ants are voracious little pests that have a particular affinity for sweet things like soda and baked goods, but they’ll gladly pick away at just about anything in your kitchen. If you leave uncovered food out on your kitchen table or counter, don’t be surprised when lines of ants begin feasting on it. Make sure any leftovers and dry goods are stored in tightly lidded containers so that ants can’t get at them. You should also avoid leaving food waste in your garbage can or kitchen sink for too long, as this can attract ants into your home.
Reseal Doors & Windows – Because ants are so small, they can easily crawl into your Raleigh area home through any gaps around your doors and windows. One of the best DIY ant prevention methods is to apply fresh sealant around your windows and doors so that ants won’t be able to get in this way anymore. If you’re not sure if your sealant is old, test for drafts by running your hand along the perimeter of your windows and doors. Odds are, if air can seep in, so can ants. For an additional layer of protection, you may want to install a door sweep at the bottom of any home exterior doors to keep marching ants at bay.
Place Traps – If you want to attempt DIY ant removal, you should be able to buy various types of traps at your local hardware store. Try placing these traps in areas frequented by ants, such as near doors they enter through and around the kitchen. Ant traps can prove effective at eliminating small ant infestations, such as scouting groups, but are rarely successful at exterminating entire ant colonies. Still, ant traps can help to prevent invading ants from becoming established in your home and are a good first line of defense.
Clean Up Spills – While food tends to be the biggest ant attractant, ants also invade homes in Raleigh in search of water. If water spills from a glass or leaks from a pipe, the resulting pool may draw ants into your home. Worse still, if wooden structures sustain water damage, the moist, rotting wood may attract carpenter ants into your home, resulting in severe damage. Cleaning up spilled drinks and fixing leaking pipes promptly will reduce the risk of ants invading your home.
Hire Professional Ant Removal – DIY ant removal and prevention is sometimes effective but, ultimately, it’s usually safest to hire a professional ant control company in Raleigh. Licensed ant control specialists have both the necessary treatments and the knowledge and skills required to exterminate an entire ant colony that has infested your property. These professional technicians can thoroughly resolve ant issues on a level that do-it-yourself techniques never will be able to accomplish.
Do You Need Ant Removal Services in Raleigh?
If ants have become a problem around your home, it may be time to bring in the pros for effective removal. Contact Sustainable Pest Systems today if you’d like to schedule an ant control appointment for your home in the Raleigh area!