Humans aren’t the only creatures who prepare for winter in the fall. Industrious ants also anticipate the cold, such as by storing food to last them through the most frigid months of the year. Unfortunately, your home makes a warm, dry, reliable storage space. Rather than allowing ants to spread bacteria throughout your home and possibly inflict structural damage depending on the species, use these pest control methods to prevent an autumn invasion.

5 Pest Control Tips For Keeping Ants Out

1. Keep It Clean

Make your home unattractive to ants by eliminating potential food sources. Left-out food, including pet food, are “welcome” signs to ants. Store food in sealed containers, keep your trash cans closed, and wipe up all crumbs in your kitchen, TV room, and anywhere else you eat. Use a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water to clean as well as disinfect and deodorize. Also, vacuum regularly to suck up floor crumbs.

2. Call the Plumber

Check your home for leaks by looking under sinks and for signs of water damage such as yellowish spots on the walls. Ants and other pests including roaches and termites always look for moisture sources. Carpenter ants, for example, frequently build nests in damp spaces. Contact your local plumber if necessary to fix all household leaks and purchase a dehumidifier to control the amount of moisture in the air.

3. Seal All Drafts

Use caulk and weatherstripping materials to draft-proof your home. Close any gaps around windows and doors in addition to filling cracks and holes in the foundation. Sealing your home from air leaks also contributes to HVAC efficiency because the system uses less energy to maintain the temperature.

4. Get Rid of Yard Debris

Keep your property free of organic “clutter” such as piles of leaves and twigs. Ants and other tiny invaders use yard debris as nesting material. Look for ant hills while you rake and pour either boiling water or boric acid on them to kill the colonies.

5. Use Barrier Control Methods

Use natural barrier pest control methods such as spraying cinnamon oil or sprinkling salt around doors and windows. Cinnamon interferes with pheromone trails while salt dries out ant exoskeletons. Other natural pheromone disruptors include peppermint and citrus oils.

 

If ants invade your home this fall despite your best efforts, contact Copter Pest Control to deal with the infestation quickly and effectively. One of the largest independently-owned pest control companies in Alabama since 1959, these exterminators also remove termites, roaches, bed bugs, silverfish, mice, fleas, and rats. Call the business with convenient locations in Enterprise, Ozark, Elba, Eufala, and Geneva today at (334) 347-2430 to schedule an appointment or learn more about residential and commercial services online. Get additional pest control tips on Facebook.