San Jose pest control deals with a variety of menaces, not the least of which is the ant. While you may view the ant as more of a nuisance than anything, know that where there is one, there are many and that species found in your own yard can pose severe health concerns to you and your family. If you observe an ant infestation in your home, do not wait; call in pest professionals today for the best pest control for ants.
Should I Be Worried if I See One Ant In My House?
It is exceedingly unlikely that you have a single ant in your house. If you see one, you most likely need ant control services in San Jose.
One of the most common types of ants in San Jose is the carpenter ant. Like all ants, they do not travel alone. In fact, it is quite customary for a single colony of carpenter ants to exceed 10,000 individual ants.
As the name implies, they have quite the propensity to build nests out of wood. If they have found their way into your home, this poses a great structural risk to your dwelling, as upwards of 10,000 ants chew through your window frames, door frames, crawl spaces, etc.
If you see a single ant, you can be nearly certain that there are more — often many multiples of what you have seen. The damage these colonies can administer can threaten the very foundation of your home.
For these reasons, carpenter ant pest control is of the utmost importance.
What Problems Can Ants Create In My Home?
The problems that arise with an ant infestation in your San Jose home are numerous, with wide-ranging consequences:
- Annoyance: It is quite simply annoying and off-putting to have to deal with thousands or tens of thousands of ants infecting your home.
- Structural damage: Carpenter ants, in particular, can cause severe structural issues, often not covered by homeowners' insurance.
- Venom: Many varieties of ants are venomous, namely fire ants.
- Disease: Ants can transmit food-borne illnesses such as E. coli and salmonella.
Although sometimes thought of as more of a nuisance than a threat, ant infestations should be taken seriously because, depending on the species and number, the problems can become severe and hard to control if too much time elapses.
Why Are There Ants In My House?
Like most pests, ants in San Jose enter your house in order to find food, water, and shelter. Each species also has a specific job to do. Deeding on the job they have to do, there may be an additional reason why the ants have opted for your home.
As you can imagine, ants do not require much space at all to get into the home. If just a handful of ants sense even the smallest amount of food and locate it within your home, they emit pheromones informing the rest of their colony of that fact, and in the not-too-distant future, you could have a swarm on your hands.
In addition, for carpenter ants specifically, your house has nearly a never-ending supply of wood to build their nests.
How Can I Permanently Get Rid Of The Ants In My House?
Below are some San Jose ant prevention tips that will make your home less hospitable to ants going forward:
- Dispose of food quickly and thoroughly.
- Keep food sealed in airtight containers, especially sugary foods.
- Seal up pet food.
- Fix leaky pipes.
- Seal gaps in your home's exterior, foundation, windows, doors, and mortar.
- Keep your home clean
- Maintain your yard
- Replace water-damaged wood
In addition to removing the above sources and any entry points into your home, do yourself and your family a favor and call in pest professionals.
Pacific Pest Management has over 17 years of experience in the ant pest control industry servicing San Jose and the surrounding area. We will schedule an inspection, resolve your ant infestation, ensure we do everything to prevent it from recurring, and follow-up visits as needed to make your home safe and pest free once again. Reach out today to get started and to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in San Jose.