How To Get Rid Of Ants In Brentwood

We have several common pest ants in our Brentwood service area. The ants we find getting into homes most often are odorous house ants, pavement ants, little black ants, Pharaoh ants, Argentine ants, and acrobat ants. They range in size from 1/16 to 1/2 an inch in length. If you see ants that are larger than this, they're likely to be carpenter ants. While ants generally present a low health risk, they're not a welcomed sight, and it is even more unwelcoming to find them in your food. So, what do you do when you find Brentwood ants in your home? Here are a few things you should know.

Ants Get In Because They Can

The first step in getting rid of ants is to stop ants from getting inside. They can find their way in through many tiny entry points at the base of your home. Use these tips to stop them:

• Seal gaps around pipes and wires that penetrate your exterior walls.

• Replace old weatherstripping and door sweeps that aren't getting the job done.

• Repair screens and damaged wood or door frames, particularly frames that are near the ground.

• If your home has weep holes, make sure they are protected.

More Ants Cause More Trouble

If you have a few ants visiting the exterior of your home, you probably don't have too much to worry about. But a nest that is created near your home can increase your interior issues. Here are a few tips to help reduce ants near your Brentwood home:

• Blow leaves out of your landscaping, rake them up and remove them. Leaf litter can provide an ideal ant habitat underneath.

• Get your gutters cleaned, and consider installing protectors on your gutters to keep leaves from clogging up the works. Leaves can turn to mulch and mulch can turn to soil up there. This dense matter can completely block the flow of rainwater and cause it to spill over and saturate your perimeter.

• Keep bagged trash in covered receptacles, remove trash weekly, and keep receptacles free of odors that can attract insects.

Ants In Your Home

When you find hundreds of ants in your home, it doesn't mean you have a nest inside your home. It is more likely that a scout ant found a food source and left a trail for other exterior ants to follow. When you remove interior food options for ants, you reduce encounters with ants that come in from exterior nests. You also prevent ant species that create interior nests from establishing a nest in your home. Here are a few ways you get rid of food options:

• Keep your floors clean, and clean up spills quickly.

• Refrain from setting bagged trash on the floor.

• Vacuum your rugs routinely.

• Keep dishes in a sink full of soapy water until you're ready to clean them.

• Keep your interior trash bins clean and remove trash before any smells develop.

• Store foods in sealed containers.

• Put pet food down only during meals.

Water sources can also attract ants. If you have moisture problems, it can catch the attention of some ant species.

• Fix leaky faucets, pipes, and garbage disposals.

• Use your ventilation fan when taking a shower or bath.

• Install dehumidifiers, ventilation ducts, and fans to areas of your home that stay humid.

How Treatments Can Help

Ants can find tiny holes in your exterior that are difficult to locate and seal, it is easy to let yard work go unattended, and it is difficult to remove all the food and water resources that can lure ants into your home. Routine perimeter treatments help to give you the extra protection you need to reduce ants and keep them from getting in. Reach out to us and ask us about Perimeter Plus Pest Control. There is no better way to keep ants and other pests out of your Brentwood home.