How To Keep Ants From Invading Your Home This Fall
Fall is here! The weather is getting cooler, and you're not the only one who wants to hunker down indoors where it's nice and warm. Insects, like ants, will also be trying to find shelter as the weather starts to turn this fall. So how do you make sure those ants don't come marching right into your living room or kitchen? Start by following these strategies.
Don't let leaves pile up in your flower beds.
Keeping up with the fallen leaves can be tough, but it's worth your while to spend a few minutes every day sweeping up any leaves that have accumulated in your flower beds. If you let the leaves accumulate in piles, the leaves in the middle of the pile will start breaking down and rotting. This is the perfect food for ants. And once they find a nice, food-laden, warm pile of leaves up against the foundation of your home, they do not have to go very far to find their way inside. Keep the leaves cleaned up, and you'll decrease your risk of an ant infestation.
Seal up the crevices.
If the ants don't have a way into your home, then you won't have an indoor ant problem. Ants can squeeze through the tiniest of gaps, so it is unlikely that you will ever be able to seal every little hole through which they could enter — but you can seal the main ones. Make sure the caulk around your AC vent and any pipes is in good shape. If it is starting to peel or chip away, remove it and replace it with a new bead of silicon caulk. If you can see any cracks in your foundation, along windows, or in door frames, seal them with caulk as well. The caulk may not be a long-term structural fix for any cracks, but it will keep the ants out.
Move your garbage can.
Yes, keeping your trash bin right near the front door is convenient for you, but it's also convenient for the ants. They'll be desperate for a food source, and if they move into the trash bin and it is close to your home, they don't have to travel far to come indoors. Push the trash bin over onto a further corner of your property so you don't give ants this opportunity.
Keep things dry.
People often think that food attracts ants — and it definitely can. But often what the ants are really after is moisture. They love humid basements, leaky bathroom faucets, and wet kitchen sinks. Track down the primary sources of moisture in your home, and work to address them. This might mean installing a dehumidifier, or it might mean having a plumber repair your leaky faucet. Be vigilant in your use of exhaust fans after you take a shower and cook, too. A dry home is a lot less likely to attract ants.
Clear your gutters.
All of those fall leaves can quickly clog up a gutter. And clogged, leaf-filled gutters are a common attractant for ants. Do not wait until the end of the season to clean your gutters. Get up on a ladder and scoop out the debris every weekend — especially if you have a tree overhanging your gutters that causes them to clog quickly. Fresh leaves are less appealing to ants than rotting, wet ones.
With the tips above, you can keep ants from making your home their fall and winter abode. If you do come across ants in your home, contact an ant pest control service ASAP. Treatments are most effective when they are used early on.
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