Ants might seem harmless, but when you spot carpenter ants in your attic, there should be a reason to worry. Carpenter ants get their name through their nest building capabilities. They have learned the art of excavating wood, forming smooth tunnels where they build their galleries. Carpenter ants, unlike termites, do not feed on the wood they chew through.
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What attracts carpenter ants to your attic?
Your attic is the perfect place for carpenter ants to nest. Since they are wood-destroying insects, your attic offers an abundance of wood they can tunnel through and expand their territory. So, what exactly attract carpenter ants to your attic?
Your attic is an ideal buffet
With rotting, damp wood that is normally found near the roof penetration, your attic offers sustenance to carpenter ants. The vent pipes, skylights, and chimneys are areas ants can thrive building their nest from the wood available. It’s important to note that the carpenter ants do not eat wood, but are attracted to damp wood.
Your attic is in their path
If you have overhanging branches or powerlines that lead straight to your attic, scouting ants might have landed an ideal home by chance. Lines and overhanging branches offer a direct highway to ants, and with all the favorable conditions in your roof, the ants will not hesitate to take over.
Idea conditions for nesting
Attics need to breathe. When they fail to breathe, they form moisture that leads to a whole host of problems. If your attic has a problem and traps moisture, it’s the ideal nesting location for carpenter ants. Moisture provides a constant water supply that will allow the carpenter ants to thrive.
Your attic is the ideal shelter
Weather abnormalities all over the globe have forced several animals to seek alternative sources of nesting rather than their normal, natural means. To be protected from ever-changing weather elements, ants will venture out into the attic, which is more than appealing.
How to carpenter ant damage your attic?
When you think about it, what danger can a less than an inch insect cause to your attic? It could take decades for it to cause any visible damage. WRONG! Ants could damage your attic in as few as six months. A single ant colony could have as many as 50,000 individuals. Carpenter ants have built a reputation for shaving through wood making holes and tunnels that damage it. When ants do this to your attic structures, it could significantly compromise their stability, and your roof could cave in any time.
Carpenter ants have also been known to invade electrical wiring. Your attic hosts some electricals, including cabling for various appliances. When carpenter ants invade these wires, they eat through the insulation posing a potential fire hazard from short-circuiting. These ants will also chew through your vents compromising the flow of regulated air in and out of your attic. Perhaps the worst damage they can cause is to eat through your wood. Since it’son your roof, these holes offer access to water that will eventually make them damp and invite fungi.
The moment you spot carpenter ants roaming in your attic, contact your local pest control service immediately. Depending on the amount of time they have stayed in your attic, you could expect damages in epic proportions. A carpenter ant control Toronto expert has the skill and knowledge to help you locate the nest in your attic. They will also help you make repairs after extermination, advising you on the best prevention methods you could use to prevent the ants from returning.
A carpenter ant infestation in your attic shouldn’t be taken lightly; these tiny insects can destroy your building’s framework if left to thrive. For more information about carpenter ant extermination and prevention services, contact The Exterminators – Pest Control Toronto today! 647-496-2211
