What You Need to Know About the Carpenter Ants in Redding

Carpenter ants in Redding can eat wooden items from the inside out. So, what's the most effective way of protecting your home and furniture from these menacing pests? Adopting preventive and control solutions, including professional pest control in Redding from Jefferson Pest Control. But to understand more about these destructive pests and what you should do when they infest your property, let's begin by identifying where they hide.

Carpenter Ant Nests: Where Are They?

The most likely place to find carpenter ant nests is in damp wood that is often damaged by water leaks around sinks, roofs, bathtubs, poorly flashed chimneys, and door frames. In most cases, carpenter ants in your house nest in moist hollow spaces in walls, behind the dishwasher, or on the porch columns. You can tap wooden surfaces like spaces along baseboards using a screwdriver to listen for hollow sounds that are found in infested wood. If the nest is close by, the carpenter ant swarmers on your Redding property will respond with rustling sounds. 

Can You See Carpenter Ants in Your Wall?

You may experience ant infestation when you see sawdust piles on your windowsills or on the floor. Additionally, a part of your wall may buckle if it harbors carpenter ants. At night, you may hear rustling noises on ceilings or the wall; you can even hear the chewing sounds of ants while they construct their nest. Once you identify or even suspect a carpenter ant infestation, call in the professionals.

The Dos and Don'ts of Carpenter Ant Control

If you're dealing with carpenter ants, it's important to know the dos and don'ts before getting started:

• Do: Know your carpenter ant facts. Carpenter ants can either be red, brown, yellow, or black. You can also identify them by their size, which is half an inch long. Carpenter ants have large mandibles for biting and chewing wood, but most don't have wings. Once they make their nests, they will cause structural vulnerabilities in the wooden materials in your home.
• Do: Remove decaying wood. Inspect your home for damp wood and remove and replace it as soon as you notice it. If pipes are leaking, replace them, or wood damage may result.
• Do: Hire professional pest control. Call Jefferson Pest Control once you spot carpenter ants in your house. We can also eliminate carpenter ants and deter future invasions with professional-grade treatments.
• Don't: Ignore the signs. It is very easy to ignore the presence of carpenter ants in your home, but avoiding them for a long time will lead to expensive damage to your house. Some common signs to look for include discovering small wood shavings, hearing rustling sounds in walls, and seeing many carpenter ants in several areas of the house. 
• Don't: Assume that carpenter ants are harmless. If you assume these ants are not harmful because of their tiny size, you might be shocked when experts unearth the damage the ants have done in your house. 

Observing these tips will help you prevent an ant infestation from taking over your home. In addition, you will be able to save on losses that can accumulate due to damage.

Professional Carpenter Ant Extermination in Redding

Sadly, since carpenter ants in trees in your yard can move into the house and nest inside the home structure, it is difficult to get rid of them on your own. It's better to call a professional exterminator if your DIY prevention methods have failed. The pros at Jefferson Pest Control will eliminate a carpenter ant infestation for good and help you prevent them from returning.