The damage that carpenter ants can do to a home is similar to that of termites, explains Mitch Taylor. The general manager of Capital Pest Services, Inc., a pest control company in Raleigh, North Carolina, Taylor says that he frequently treats homes with extensive carpenter ant infestations. In doing such, he has seen the damaging effects that carpenter ants can have on a home.
Most homeowners are frantic when they see carpenter ants, because they know what type of damage these pests can do. More than just eating up old food or being a nuisance, carpenter ants can actually cause damage to a home’s structure—just like termites. In eating up the wood that holds up a home, these carpenter ants can actual be a major hazard that could make your home an unsafe place to live. They can damage both the wood and walls in a home, as well as the insulation. In fact, some people believe carpenter ants can actually be more trouble for a homeowner than termites.
Typically, carpenter ants will get into areas behind the siding or in the deck or porch posts, Taylor tells us, because they are looking for areas where there is a moisture source for them to take advantage of. “As wood soaks up moisture, it makes it much easier to attract carpenter ants and for carpenter ants to infest that wood,” Taylor says. “That is another reason why it is always a good idea for homeowners to eliminate moisture conditions in and around their homes,” he says.
Carpenter ants can do damage at a much higher rate once they have infested the moist wood in or around a home, and Taylor recommends that any homeowner in Raleigh who thinks he may have a problem contact a pest control specialist immediately. “Once you do have carpenter ants, the best thing to do is really to call a pest control company and have them treat it,” Taylor says.
Treatment for a carpenter ant infestation typically involves a spot application or a spot treatment in whatever area the carpenter ant infestation is located. That may involve the removal of either the siding or wood-grained area where the infestation is occurring and where the carpenter ants currently are. Although this is an extensive process, it is necessary in order to fully get rid of the carpenter ants all at once.
In Raleigh, most pest control issues—including carpenter ant infestations—tend to come up in the warmer months, according to Taylor. He says that although it is possible to have carpenter ants infect your home at any time of the year, it is more common when the weather reaches temperatures in the 70s, 80s, or above. In addition to that, he says that any time of the year when the weather is warm and the moisture content is high—such as when it rains during the summer—is especially dangerous for people who have reason to believe carpenter ants could be infesting their homes.
To stop a carpenter ant infestation before it begins, Taylor recommends getting rid of as many moisture sources in and around your home as possible. Simple things like leaky gutters that are full of water and dripping faucets can provide the moisture that carpenter ants need to begin their infestation and begin taking over a home. “So anything that is allowing a continuous moisture source over the whole year is dangerous,” Taylor says.
If you have reason to suspect that your home has been taken over by carpenter ants, then Taylor recommends calling a pest control company like Capital Pest Services as quickly as possible for a consultation. An expert should be able to come out to your home and determine with certainty whether the issues you are having are the result of a carpenter ant infestation, and together you can come up with a customized plan of action to solve whatever infestation issues are going on in your home.
