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As a homeowner, you are unlikely to avoid an ant infestation on your property, so you should always be prepared to deal with them effectively. However, if an ant infestation is a recurring problem in your home, there may be several reasons for that you may have overlooked.
If that is your case, this article is for you! Here, you will find information about the most common causes of an ant infestation, ranging from leaving your food out and having decaying wood around your house to leaky faucets, greasy surfaces, and sticky garbage, among other things.
Also, keep in mind that some places are more prone to pests. For example, if you live in Nevada, you’ve probably contacted ant control Las Vegas more than once. Still, there are several things you can do to decrease the pest problem. Read on to learn how to get rid of an ant infestation and prevent another one from occurring.
You’re Keeping Food Out
In an effort to be more relaxed and save time, many people have started leaving food out on the counter after they’ve eaten it. Unfortunately, this is a significant cause of ant infestations. Food left out will rapidly attract hungry ants, and once you notice them, there will be more and more of them visiting your property and looking for food.
It is crucial that you always put away your food after eating, preferably in the refrigerator or pantry. If you don’t have enough space to store everything, buy some airtight containers and use them to store all your food.
Your Garbage Disposal Needs Repairing
Leaky faucets are by far the most common causes of annoying home repairs, but they are not the only ones. If your garbage disposal has a leaky seal, it can also attract ants to your property. Therefore, if you suspect that there is a leak, you should contact a plumber immediately to have it fixed. Otherwise, you might be inviting ants to your home!
You Aren’t Keeping Your Surfaces Clean
One of the most effective ways to prevent an ant infestation at home is to keep all your surfaces clean and dry. That includes any area that you might have grease or sugars spilled on it.
Keep in mind that ants love sugar, so if you spill it on your countertops, be sure to clean it up as soon as possible otherwise, it will attract ants to your property. Also, make sure that you wipe down all your surfaces after cooking every time and never leave any food residue behind.
Your Home Has a Water Leak Nearby
When it rains heavily outside, water may enter your home through holes in the roof or in places where pipes can come loose. Now, if those holes are near the ground, they may allow ants into your house. That is why you should always check for any cracks and fix them as soon as possible.
You Have Leaves or Dirt in Your Gutters
Gutters are designed to channel water away from your property, but if you have leaves or dirt in them, they will not work correctly since water will be trapped in them and will eventually funnel inside your house attracting ants and other pests. It is another reason why you need to clean your gutters regularly.
Popular Ways of Dealing With Ant Infestation
Now that we’ve covered the reasons why you might be dealing with an ant infestation, it’s time to take a look at the most popular ways of dealing with the issue. Here’s what you should do:
Use Insecticide Sprays
You can quickly eliminate an ant infestation with insecticides that you spray directly on the ants. These sprays are very effective, but they are also dangerous for humans, so be sure to use them with caution and always follow the instructions carefully!
Create Ant Traps
Ants usually travel in trails, so if you find one, there likely are many of them close by. To avoid an ant infestation, you can set up traps near the trail so that when ants pass by, they fall into them.
Seek Professional Help
The case might be that your ant infestation is to severe for you to deal with it yourself. You might also notice that any of the ways you’ve used don’t work or that ants are coming back every time you get rid of them. If that sounds familiar, it’s high time you seek help. Hiring pest control professionals should deal with your problem effectively. They will also provide you with best practices on how to ensure ants won’t come back.
Conclusion
And there you have it; those are the most common causes of an ant infestation. However, they may not be the only ones. That is why if your ant infestation is persistent, you should always check for any cracks in your property and clean off grease spills as soon as possible.
You can also try setting up ant traps and using insecticide sprays. Although if your problem is more serious, make sure to contact professional pest control services to deal with it for you.