No one wants to deal with pests, but unfortunately there are many reasons you may need to handle ants in your home. This is definitely not something you should ever want to do, but it can certainly be a problem. Whether you have ants in your home already or you’re trying to make sure they never take root, consider these tips to make it easier to handle these ants.
- Seal Cracks and Holes in Walls
First off, you want to make sure you’re sealing cracks and holes in your walls. This is especially important in walls that go directly to the outside, but ants can definitely burrow into walls on the inside of your home as well. Because ants are so good at getting into ultra-tight spaces, it’s easy for them to get in through any cracks and holes, even ones that seem too small for ants to fit through.
Both structural and non – structural cracks are common causes of ants in homes. Not only pest issues, but structural cracks are also the biggest threat to your home’s structural integrity. Homeowners do need to worry about cracks in the foundation. Don’t put off a repair because structural cracks worsen over time, which means a more expensive repair if you wait.
Concrete leveling is a way to lift and level uneven concrete slabs, such as uneven floors, patios, etc., by injecting lifting material under the slab. Concrete leveling is less expensive and faster than digging up the unlevel slab and pouring a new one.
- Ensure Windows and Doors Have Tight Seals
You need to make sure the windows and doors in your home fit snugly against their frames. If the doors fit poorly or the frames fit poorly against the wall, you may end up with an ant problem. Again, ants are incredible at noticing any small entryway, especially if they follow an air stream through the hole. Make sure you can’t see any light coming through outside windows and doors.
- Fix Leaky Pipes and Faucets
Even if pipes and faucets have very small leaks, that’s often enough for ants. Ants, after all, are themselves very small, which means they only need a little bit of water every day. Leaky pipes and faucets don’t have to leak a lot for them to attract ants, who will then set up shop for good in the home afterward.
- Seal Food in Airtight Containers
Whenever you have food in your pantry, it’s a good idea to move that food into an airtight container. Some products come in airtight containers, like canned goods. However, some products come in less-than-airtight containers, like pasta and flour. If you have these foods and ant problems, it’s often a good idea to move everything into an airtight container at least until you’re able to figure out the ant problems.
- Empty the Trash Frequently
The trash often includes both water and food, two things that ants need to survive. Although trash doesn’t always attract ants, it often attracts ants when you let it sit for too long. This includes letting the trash sit in a secondary location where it can continue to create rot and allow for water to accumulate. If you have ants accumulating around the trash, consider emptying it more frequently so this doesn’t happen anymore.
- Repair Cracked Pavement and Foundations
Ants can enter a home through even the smallest of openings. Structural foundation cracks can allow moisture to seep into the home, attracting ants. Structural cracks in a home’s foundation or walls provide easy entry points for ants to come inside. If you have an ant problem in your home, it’s best to consult a pest control professional to identify the source of the infestation and develop an effective treatment plan.
Cracked pavement and cracked foundations can both lead to serious problems in your home and one of those problems is ants. Ants love to come through cracked pavement into your home and they can burrow into the ground to come through cracked foundations. The best way to fix this problem is by fixing the cracked pavement or foundations directly. You’ll need to talk to a foundation repair expert, but they’ll be able to fix the problem at the base level rather than just fixing the symptoms.
Conclusion
Ants can be an annoying pest to deal with, but they’re also thankfully a pest that you can typically deal with relatively easily. Although some ant infestations may need professional help to treat, you can often use these tips to make it easier to manage. Make sure you call in whoever may need to help you with these tips, from a plumber for leaky faucets to a foundation repair expert for cracked pavement.
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