Improving a home’s curb appeal is the primary concern on a realtor’s mind when selling the property. However, the curb appeal will mean little if the house has a termite or carpenter ant infestation.
While you can take some DIY measures to address an infestation, consulting ant pest control services is the best solution to the problem.
You can distinguish carpenter ants from termites based on their physical features; their waist, antennae, and wings. Carpenter ants eat their way through the wood to build nests, while termites consume wood. Hence, knowing the type of insect invading your home informs you on the most effective remedies.
Finding Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants primarily nest outside in trees (preferring old tree stumps), wood piles, and landscaping barriers. They mostly survive on a protein and sugar-based diet. The ants prefer leaving their nests at night in search of food and water to take them to your house. An abundant supply of what they need for sustenance encourages them to set up a satellite (secondary) nest in your home.
The wood around windows, doors, and sidings is prone to water damage, which creates areas for carpenter ants to invade. They can gain access to your home using overhead wires and situate nesting areas in the ceiling beams, roof struts, and insulation, having a high preference for any moist timber. Nonetheless, carpenter ants can also nest in dry wood if they have access.
Waste no time taking preventive measures if you notice carpenter ants in your yard. Some steps to mitigating their invasion include repairing or replacing damaged wood around the windows and doors and clearing bushes and wood piles near your house. The (NPMA) National Pest Management Association advises homeowners to trim overhanging tree branches reaching the roof.
Property Inspection
Take time to inspect your property, checking for any problems and signs that suggest an ant invasion. Evidence for the carpenter ant infestation includes:
- Bits of insulation or insect parts lying around
- Frass piles (wooding leavings the ants use to build a nest)
- 10 to 15 ants matching or roaming around could mean there is a nest nearby
- Dead ants around window sills, doors, and wall voids
Why You Need to Seek Professional Help
A licensed pest management professional which specializes in ant control is the best bet if you want a speedy, effective, and lasting solution when you have a pest invasion when trying to sell your home.
And if the insects already have caused significant damage to your property that’s up for sale, it is best to put in place preventive measures to mitigate further damage. A DIY approach might provide some answers, but it is primarily money and a time-consuming hit-and-miss process. The quickest and most effective option is to hire a professional exterminator.
Getting rid of the pests may involve chemicals that require expert knowledge for safe handling. A licensed professional knows which chemicals to use and the correct applications in your house and yard, eliminating the pest problem and keeping your property safe for people and pets.
People often have many questions running through their minds when considering professionals for the job. They ask about the products used if they kill the pests or keep out the insects if they are poisonous and if the process might include trapping. The exterminator will inspect your home to identify the infestation and determine the best solution.
Placing poisons and barrier products around your house might sound sane and practical when putting up a defensive strategy. However, the two might work against each other. So, the poison will kill the ants that come in contact with it, and the barrier keeps more ants from coming in, but that means you will not have dealt with the satellite. The ants did carry the poison back to their nest because the barrier kept them from accomplishing their mission. Yes, you will have killed a few ants, but the impact on the satellite nest is insignificant, and it will regenerate and have replacements within a short period.
Drilling into the infested wood to place the poison potentially creates more problems because you damage your home further. Considering how deep you might need to drill and how large an area you will deal with, things can unexpectedly get complicated. Moreover, punching holes in a wall void poses safety concerns, especially if there are electrical wires and plumbing within the wall. Thus, it is best to leave the job to professional pest management specialists.
They have more experience and can tell where the pipes and wires run after analyzing your home’s structural design. In addition, they will leave your place looking cosmetically better after the pest extermination, which means they can help restore the curb appeal. The professionals are a worthwhile investment if you want to ensure your home retains its market value after dealing with an ant or termite invasion.
In Conclusion
A licensed professional gives your peace of mind since you get a solid guarantee regarding the pest problem. You can refer the pest exterminator to the new homeowner to ease their struggles if there is an unexpected reoccurrence or a new ant or termite-unrelated pest problem develops.
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