Most people have had trouble with ants at least once in their lifetime. Chances are you have seen these pests inside your home this week, judging by the fact that you are here today. Assuming this is true, we are going to walk you through some simple tips and tricks to make sure these pests never invade your Elk Grove home again. If that sounds interesting to you, here is everything you should know.
Maintain A Clean Environment
Ants thrive in clutter and dirty environments, primarily because it provides them with more food gathering opportunities. To ensure these pests cannot find scraps of food and tasty sugary beverages around your living areas, thorough and regular cleanings are required. One strategy we recommend is that you deep clean your home once every season, thoroughly clean up once a week, and address food messes and drink spills as they occur. In addition to this, do your best to reduce clutter.
Address Moisture Issues
All ants need at least a little bit of moisture to survive. Some need more than others. To address moisture issues around your living areas, start by repairing damage to sinks, pipes, and other fixtures. As for day-to-day, make sure you wipe down moisture from sinks, bathtubs, and other areas where water has been. Another thing that helps is to run a dehumidifier indoors and empty it often. Finally, make sure your gutters are in good working conditions. One way to do this is to have them cleaned once a year.
Repair Damage To Your Home's Exterior
Different ants find their way into homes in different ways. Some crawl through gaps, cracks, and crevices. Other chew holes through structural wood. To make sure your home's exterior is guarded adequately against invasive ants, here are some exclusion tips to use today:
- Repair or replace structural wood around your home that has been negatively affected by water damage, rot, or decay.
- Fill in cracks in your home's foundational wall using a caulking gun.
- Use the same caulking gun to seal spacing around window/door frames and utility piping.
- Make sure all of your exterior doors have door sweeps and that they are in good working condition.
- Fix or replace damaged weatherstripping.
- Have more severe damage to your home's exterior repaired.
It's important to remember that ant infestations can be massive as the colony grows. Most over-the-counter (OTC) methods, such as sprays and traps, cannot eliminate the entire infestation. These products are potentially dangerous.
Store Food Properly
Ants will not just eat trash. They are also happy to snack on food and beverages left out on countertops and kitchen tables. To address this, make sure to package leftovers inside air-tight containers and then store them in the refrigerator for extra protection. Protect your trash cans by fitting them with tight, pest-proof lids. Finally, repackage foods like pet food, cereal, and rice into larger plastic, metal, or glass containers.
Call A Professional
There is no better solution to ant problems than to involve a residential pest professional. At Pro Active Pest Control, we take care of pests using advanced technologies and industrial-grade treatments. If you would like, we offer detailed inspections to identify pest pressures. This will help you evaluate your risk of infestation and help you understand what pests want to be inside your home. If we discover issues, we will quickly address them. We will also offer you some options to make sure pests like ants stay out in the future.
Call us today at Pro Active pest Control to learn more about our comprehensive service options. One of our friendly pest control representatives will walk you through our methods and treatments and help you find a time to have your Elk Grove home serviced.