While most ants are a nuisance to have in your home, carpenter ants are more than an annoyance. They can be incredibly destructive, especially if an infestation goes untreated for a long period of time. Here’s what Louisville homeowners should know about identifying the type of ant in your home, the problems that carpenter ants cause, how to get rid of them, and some natural ways to prevent them with pest control in Louisville.
How To Identify The Type Of Ant Infesting Your Home
With coloring that can range from brown to black and even red, carpenter ants usually grow to just over half an inch in length. Besides their coloring, one of the easiest ways to distinguish carpenter ants from other types of ants is their heart-shaped heads, rounded thoraxes, and the tiny hairs on their backs.
The Problems Carpenter Ants Can Cause
While you may need to worry about regular ants contaminating your food or walking on countertops, carpenter ants can cause even more problems. While carpenter ants are also interested in your leftovers, they can also damage your home.
Carpenter ants like to build their nests in wood, which can cause structural damage over time. Some of the signs and common issues caused by carpenter ants include:
- Growing holes in window and door frames
- Weakening of your home’s frame and support structures
- Sinking ceilings and dipping floors
- Doors or windows that seem to stick or fit too tightly in their frames
- Bulging floors, which may look similar to water damage
With enough time, carpenter ants can also build satellite nests in your home, which makes it easier for them to cause more damage and even harder to eliminate.
How To Get Rid Of Carpenter Ants & Keep Them Away
Whether it’s the beginning of a new infestation or you’ve got a severe carpenter ant problem, there’s only one effective way to get rid of these ants, and that’s by contacting us at Action Pest Control.
With over 20,000 happy customers, we don’t leave your home until the job is done and you’re completely satisfied with our services. If you suspect that you may have carpenter ants or another type of ant infestation, there’s only one thing to do – call us today at Action Pest Control to learn more about how our ant control services work.
Natural Carpenter Ant Prevention Tips
Some of the natural ways that you can combat carpenter ants and prevent them in your Louisville home include:
- Make sure you’re regularly checking your home for leaky faucets, pipes, windows, and other excess moisture that may damage your home and attract carpenter ants.
- Get rid of any rotting or damaged wood that may be left around your home or property.
- Avoid leaving out crumbs and other leftovers as carpenter ants and other ants seek out these food sources.
- Keep a tight lid on your garbage can to prevent carpenter ants from trying to eat out of it or climbing inside.
- Use a sealant, like caulk or foam, to seal off any cracks or crevices around your home.
Along with these natural prevention tips, you’ll also want to use a professional pest service to treat the source of the infestation and prevent new carpenter ants from getting inside.