Buying a home is one of the largest purchases most people make in their lifetime. After making such a significant investment in your future, the last thing you want to see are tiny insects crawling around your new living space. 

Ants are one of the most common types of home-invading pests that the experienced ant exterminators at EnviroCare come across when inspecting homes. We know first-hand that ants can be much more than just a nuisance, and we know the best way to keep them away from your Birmingham property for good. 

How To Identify And Seal Off Ant Access Points In Your New Home

Moving into a new home can be a hectic time for many families. However, if you want to make sure you are the only one moving into your new house, there are a few things that you should do before moving day.

First, having your home professionally inspected before moving any item into the house is always a good idea. Because ants can be particularly challenging to detect, you should contact a company that provides pest control for ants. The inspector will not only check for pests in your home but also look to see if your home has any openings that ants can use as an entrance. 

If you want, you can check for any gaps or cracks around your home before the professional ant exterminators get there. You can check baseboards, walls, windows, doors, and other spaces around your home. Remember, ants are tiny and can fit through spaces less than one millimeter wide. If you have any small crevices or gaps around your house, use weather strips or caulk to seal them immediately. 

Incorporating Natural Deterrents In Your Birmingham Home’s Landscape

If you want to deter ants from your home, our ant control experts recommend starting with the outside. There are many flowers and plants that emit odors, oils, and various compounds that are unpleasant to some ants. Some of the different plants ants don’t seem to like include:

• Chrysanthemums

• Mint

• Basil

• Cinnamon

• Rosemary

• Lavender

• Tansy

While ants don’t seem to like these plants, many people find these plants pleasant to have around. They not only smell good, but they can also improve your home’s curb appeal. 

Strategies To Keep Ants Away From Food Storage And Preparation Areas

Ants have highly developed receptors that can easily detect small crumbs of food in the vicinity. Once one ant finds a crumb or piece of food, it will leave a trail of pheromones telling the other ants in the colony how to find the food. To keep ants out of your kitchen, make sure you wipe, sweep, and mop your counters, floors, and other areas in your kitchen regularly. You should also empty the crumbs from your toaster and clean out your other appliances that come in direct contact with food. 

Our Birmingham ant removal team commonly finds ants in the pantry when inspecting homes. When stocking up the pantry in your new kitchen, make sure to store all pantry food in individual, airtight containers. 

Signs That Your Ant Infestation Requires Professional Help

Ants live in large colonies and will spend most of their time in their nest, usually behind the walls of your home or another area that is difficult to access. If you see a couple of ants in your home, you might already have an infestation. 

If you want to keep your new home ant-free, EnviroCare can help. Our home pest control in Birmingham has provided one-of-a-kind solutions to homeowners in this area for decades. Give us a call today to learn how we can help.