Here in the Chicago IL area, the weather is starting to warm up! However, with warmer weather comes hoards of ants, especially after a rainy season. Rising temperatures encourage worker ants out of their nests in search of food and water, which is why they will often end up in your property. If you’ve dealt with ants before, you know how tricky they are to get rid of. For that reason alone, it’s important to do everything you can to ant-proof your home before you’re infested! The team at Anderson Pest solutions has gathered their expert ant prevention tips to keep your property safe from ants in the months ahead.
Why Do Ants Get Inside?
Like all types of pests, ants are on the hunt for food and water. For this reason, kitchens in homes tend to be a hot spot for ant infestations. If you have crumbs on your counter tops, stove top, or floor, you can be sure ants will find them. They are also attracted to excess moisture problems–if you have a leaky faucet or pipe that causes a surplus of humidity or moisture, ants will likely be drawn to the area.
Ants oftentimes get inside through tiny cracks and crevices in your foundation. Once they’ve made their way in, they will retreat to any area where they can gather food and water.
Best Ways to Ant-Proof Your Home
Keeping ants out requires diligence, because they are definitely opportunists. By doing all you can to seal your home against them, you can hopefully avoid an infestation in the coming months. Some of the best ways to ant-proof your home include the following:
- Inspect the foundation of your home and seal any cracks or crevices using a silicone-based caulk.
- Keep any pet food bowls clean and always clean up after messes and spills. Pick pet bowls up off the floor after meal times.
- Make sure downspouts and gutters are all functioning properly so that water is flowing away from the foundation.
- Regularly check under sinks for excess moisture problems and repair leaky pipes promptly.
- Trim trees and shrubbery in your yard to be at least 6 inches away from the home.
- Wipe down any counter tops and sweep floors regularly to clean up spills and remove crumbs.
- Store food (including pet food) in airtight containers and refrigerate ripe fruit.
- Dispose of garbage on a regular basis and use trash cans with a tight-fitting lid.
How to Get Rid of Your Ant Problem
Ants are the biggest nuisance pest in the nation and cause homeowners a lot of grief all year long. If you’ve done all you can to prevent ants in your property and are still dealing with a growing number of trails in your property, it’s time to call the ant exterminators at Anderson Pest Solutions.
