Tips to Keep Ants out of Your Home

Having your home invaded by unwanted pests is every home owner's worst nightmare, and this likely includes finding out an ant colony has moved into your kitchen or somewhere else on your property. Whether you've had problems with ants in the past or you just want to ensure that you never have to deal with such a problem, here are some important tips to keep in mind.

Be Wary of Leaks Leading to Damp Conditions

Ants love food, of course, but they also love seeking out damp and dark places with moisture. This means if you have a leak anywhere in your home, you don't just have a plumbing problem, you also have a possible ant situation waiting to happen. The moment you find out you have a leak, you should contact a professional to get it taken care of as soon as possible. This may be even more important if the leak is in your kitchen, which is an area that ants might be attracted to anyway.

Just One Crumb is One Crumb Too Many

No one ever plans on having their kitchen become enough of a mess to start attracting ants, but it's the small things you overlook that can start adding up over time. You made one sandwich on your kitchen counter, for example, and left one crumb from the bread behind. Do something like this often enough and you'll have crumbs and little morsels of food hidden all over the place, even if it's not obvious at first glance. An ant only needs to find one or two of these tasty snacks before it will go back to the colony to tell its friends, and then next thing you know, there's an ant party having way too much fun in your kitchen.

Trim and Seal as Needed

Ants and other pests are likely already outside your home right now. Maybe they are living inside a nearby tree or bush. You can keep this situation under control by trimming or pruning your trees to keep the branches away from your house. You should also inspect the exterior of your house, especially around the foundation on a regular basis. Use some caulk or another method to properly seal or close up any cracks or openings you discover.

You can keep ants out of your home as long as you pay attention to things like leaks, cracks and the stray morsel of food. If you do encounter ant problem despite your best efforts, contact an ant control service for assistance.