Every homeowner will never want to experience an ant infestation. However, this event may not always be avoidable. Sealing off your home completely from ants can be difficult; however, it is important to know why these insects enter your home to take proper pest control Schertz, TX, and reduce invasions. The following are the causes of ant issues in your home and how to prevent invasions:
Leftover Food
Ants need food and water to survive. Usually, they are looking for easy sources of food. This is the reason ants are quite common in kitchens and places where they can find leftover food. To avoid an ant infestation, clean up kitchen spills, store food in airtight containers, and keep fruits in the refrigerator if possible. Also, think about putting bay leaves in dry goods containers to keep ants from invading your pantry. Bay leaves have a smell that repels most ants.
Greasy Surfaces
Left-behind food residue and grease that usually hide on your stovetop or the sides of food storage containers can also attract ants. So, make sure to wipe off syrup containers, honey bottles, and other things that could leave a sticky residue. Also, keep the stovetop clean after cooking to eliminate a possible food source that could draw ants into your home.
Sticky Garbage
You might forget to rinse out your garbage bins regularly or the soda bottles or canned food before you throw them into the garbage bin. These items can attract ants. Before you toss anything with leftover food, clean them, rinse them out first.
Pipe and Faucet Leakage
Aside from food, some ant species need a dependable source of water to survive. So, you must make sure water and moisture are not lingering in commonly moist areas of your house, especially your bathroom and kitchen. Make sure to inspect your toilets and sinks for leaks and keep windows and sealed and closed during wet weather.
Decaying Wood Around the House
The wood in and around your home can become moistened because of leaky pipes and rain, making it the ideal hideout for carpenter ants. To avoid an infestation, replace rotting wood in the structure of your home and ensure your yard is free of tree stumps and fallen branches. This can help eliminate potential nesting grounds for both carpenter ants and termites. Also, consider storing fire food at least 20 feet away from your house.