Carpenter ants and odorous house ants are two of the most common invaders in our Fairfax, Virginia, homes. They’re not just annoying, either. Both types are dangerous to have in your house. If you suspect you have an ant infestation, you should immediately call a professional Fairfax Pest Control company like SPRK Pest Solutions for help getting rid of these pests.
How Can I Tell If I Have An Ant Infestation?
There are four major signs of an ant infestation. They are:
- Seeing more ants than usual in your yard: If you see more ants than you usually would expect to see around your yard, it’s only a matter of time before they move into your home, seeking out sources of food and water.
- Finding an ant parade: If you’ve found a literal trail of ants in your house, you have an ant infestation. They’re following pheromone trails that workers lay down when they find a food source.
- Finding ant hills outside your home: In each ant hill, there could be hundreds or thousands of ants lurking, just waiting for a change in air pressure, temperature, or other weather conditions before they swarm out of their nests and into your home.
- Noticing ants on the food you’ve left out on the counter: If you’ve left food on your counter or table, you may see ants overrunning it. That’s a sure sign of an infestation.
If you see any of these indications that you may have an ant infestation, you should call a company that specializes in ant control in Fairfax, such as SPRK. Our service technicians are highly trained and use EPA-approved products to treat your home and yard for ants.
We only use ant control products that are safe for pets, children, and your entire family. We believe strongly in taking care of your family as we would our own. We also believe that by looking after the customer, rather than the bottom line, we’ll have customers for life.
Is It Dangerous To Have Ants In My House?
You need ant pest control in your Fairfax home because it is dangerous to have an ant infestation. Ants can pick up bacteria and other pathogens as they’re walking through the mud and the muck outside your home. They can transfer those diseases to your food prep areas, such as kitchen counters, islands, and tables, and to your food. Food poisoning from eating food contaminated by ants, either directly or from food prep surfaces, can make you very ill.
Carpenter ants pose an extra danger because they make their colonies by tunneling through the wooden structures of your house. Colonies can range in size from 10,000 to 50,000 or more ants rooting through your wall studs, floor joists, and hardwood flooring.
The only outside indication that you may have carpenter ants is that they leave tiny holes in your walls, through which they expel a mixture of sawdust, chewed-up insulation, and dead ant body parts. If you notice any holes with a pile of sawdust underneath, you need to call SPRK immediately because we know how to get rid of ants for good.
Why Do I Have An Ant Infestation In My Home?
You have an infestation of ants in your home for the same reason you’re in your home: It provides a source of food, water, and shelter. Knowing why you have an infestation can help you learn how to get rid of ants in your house.
- Food: Ants eat the same food as you do when they’re in your home. Therefore, it’s important to store food in airtight containers or in your refrigerator, so ants can’t get to it and contaminate it.
- Water: You need to fix leaky pipes and fixtures and wipe down your shower and sinks when you’re done using them to deny ants a source of water.
- Shelter: Ants prefer a humid environment. You can eliminate that by using dehumidifiers, especially in your basement and crawl space. You’ll also want to seal cracks and crevices around your foundation and gaps around windows and doors to keep ants out.
If you take these steps and still have a problem, call SPRK for ant pest control near you.
What’s The Best Way To Get Rid Of Ants In My House?
SPRK Pest Solutions is a local, family-owned business serving the greater Fairfax area. We know how to get rid of ants permanently, and we’d love to demonstrate that knowledge to you. Contact us today to request your free quote.
