Ants are among the most common household pests, and it’s not uncommon for homeowners to approach ant prevention in a do-it-yourself manner. However, handling ant infestations on your own may put your home at risk if the ants in question are carpenter ants.
Carpenter ants look much like any other common ant to the untrained eye, except their behavior is much more destructive as they consume wooden structures to build their nests. This damage can happen very quickly, and may have already been going on for weeks or months before you first see signs of carpenter ants in your home! Rather than waiting until it’s too late, you should seek professional solutions right away.
Benefits of Professional Carpenter Ant Prevention
By calling in the professionals when you see signs of possible carpenter ant activity in or near your home, you could protect your home from disaster situations. Here is why a professional approach to carpenter ant prevention is always the best choice.
Accurate Ant Identification and Prevention
Because carpenter ants look so similar to other species of home-invading ants, it can be difficult to know whether the ants you see crawling around on your floors or countertops are highly destructive or just inconvenient. Pest control experts are best trained to spot the differences and determine the optimal treatment approach, no matter the infestation situation. They can also set up better ant prevention defenses to minimize the likelihood of future carpenter ant problems.
Protect Your Home from Costly Damage
Carpenter ants are the second most destructive pests in Kansas City, and they may be living in your walls or ceiling far longer than you realize. While they may not move as quickly as termites, carpenter ants can still cause thousands of dollars in property damage or more before you know they’re even there!
Professional solutions don’t just mean addressing the problem after it has already happened — it means total ant prevention, so you never have to deal with carpenter ants in the first place! Signing up for a termite and pest control program will keep your home regularly inspected for pest activity and treated against any current or future infestations.
Identification of Other Pest Problems
When you get help from pest prevention experts, you aren’t just investing in eliminating the problems you know about. You’re also investing in protecting your household against the problems you don’t know about! Even if the ant infestation you’ve uncovered isn’t carpenter ants, professionals will inspect for signs of termites and other pest problems. They can advise you on any at-risk areas in your home, such as moist or exposed wood, and help you create an effective pest and ant prevention plan in addition to the treatments they apply.
How to Prevent Carpenter Ants
While practicing pest prevention isn’t a guarantee, it’s always good to be mindful of ways to reduce or eliminate attractants that may draw carpenter ants and other pests to your home! Here are some quick tips for ant prevention:
- Eliminate moisture sources such as leaky pipes, clogged gutters, or damaged downspouts.
- Keep wood piles away from the side of your home and cover them to protect from rain.
- Trim trees and shrubs away from the side of your home by at least two feet.
- Clean up food sources, especially sweet substances.
- Remove decaying wood from your yard.
- Schedule regular service with a qualified pest control company like Advantage Termite and Pest Control, which can detect early signs that are easy to miss!
Signs You May Already Have Carpenter Ants
If you’re unsure whether you have a carpenter ant problem, there are a few key signs to look for that may help you identify a carpenter ant infestation. The most obvious and concerning sign of carpenter ants is damaged wood. Whether carpenter ants or termites damaged this wood ultimately doesn’t matter. Both will require professional solutions as quickly as possible!
The easiest way to tell the difference is by the appearance of the damage itself. Whereas termites gobble up wood rapidly and create rough tunnels with layers of soil and mud, carpenter ants burrow tidy tunnels along the path of least resistance. Since they don’t actually eat the wood, carpenter ants leave piles of wood shavings known as frass outside their holes.
When in Doubt, Choose Professional Ant Prevention!
You never want to mess around with wood-destroying insects, as they can cause a lot of problems in a short amount of time. If you even suspect that you may have carpenter ants in your home, don’t wait to get professional help! Advantage Termite and Pest Control is well-versed in dealing with the Heartland’s most destructive and difficult-to-manage pest situations, and we’re ready to help keep your home safe and pest-free.
Call us at first sight – we do it right!
