Ants: How Much do Exterminators Cost?

Ants are beneficial to the environment as they help in aerating the soil, keeping nature clean, and assist in the propagation of flowers and plants. However, when they get inside your house, they can be a nuisance.

Handling an ant problem through DIY methods may work for a while, but you may need to call a professional ant exterminator. How much do ant exterminators cost? That’s a concern for most homeowners.

In this article, we look at the carpenter ant exterminator cost. We also evaluate factors that affect the price.

How Bad is an Ant Infestation?

Spotting a few ants may seem harmless. However, when neglected, this can lead to an infestation. The effects of an outbreak are severe. Below are some reasons why you shouldn’t ignore an ant problem.

Ants are a Nuisance

These pests create thick trails across the ceilings, walls, and floor corners. They are an unpleasant sight and can be a nuisance if you’re hosting visitors.

Ants Can Compromise the Structural Integrity of Your HouseCarpenter ants love to hide along wooden areas of your home. They will chew through wood, which could weaken the whole structure. Failure to handle an ant infestation could mean having to pay for repairs and pest control services.

Food Infestation

Ants walk and stay in colonies. When indoors, they look for food by eating what’s available or cutting through food packaging. Failing to store your food could result in food contamination. You may also be exposed to food poisoning.

Can You Do It Yourself?

You can deal with an ant problem if you’ve just spotted some few ants at home. The key is early detection. Here are some pointers to help you deal with a simple ant issue.

Find their Entry Points

Ants love to crawl in through small gaps, cracks, and crevices. Ensure that you seal any spaces, holes, and cracks. Install sweeps beneath doors and garage openings.

Identify their Trail and Use an Ant Bait

Ants leave a trail behind when looking for food. Use this to your advantage by placing an ant bait along the path. You can also set it near the identified nest. However, if you have children and pets at home, you may want to consider using a bait station to prevent accidental ingestion.

Keep it Clean

Sanitation helps with prevention and control of ants. These pests require food, water, and shelter to survive. To starve them off, you need to keep all foods sealed, surfaces clean, and floors swept. That will create an unfavorable environment for them to stay.

Why Should You Call Professional Ant Control?

Although it may appear costly to hire pest control services, you’ll find the amount considerable given the amount you’ll incur in repairs. Here are a few reasons you should consider working with a professional ant exterminator.

Ability to Identify the Species You’re Dealing With

Experienced exterminators first seek to identify the cause and the source of these ants. They also determine the species of ants, and If they can cause a significant infestation problem. After identifying the species you’re dealing with, they will determine the best treatment to suit your situation.

Safety

As a homeowner, you may not know how to eradicate ants safely without causing harm to your family and pets. A professional ant exterminator understands what treatment works for a specific species. They also have the experience to know how to eliminate these pests safely without causing any harm.

Experienced pest control staff will educate you on precautions to take when handling the equipment they place inside your house.

Save Costs

While hiring an ant exterminator may appear like an extra expense, it can save you hundreds of dollars in repairs caused by carpenter ants.

Regular Maintenance

Professional exterminators carry out scheduled maintenance to ensure that your home remains free of any ant problems. That one-time payment is cost-effective in the long-term and gives you peace of mind knowing that you and your family are free from any pest problems.

How Much Will it Cost to Hire an Ant Exterminator?

An ant exterminator cost is affordable compared to infestation control solutions for other pests. Nonetheless, you need to have an idea of the figures before looking for an exterminator. Various factors may affect the cost like:

• The degree of infestation
• The size of the affected area
• The need for re-treatments
• Species of ants to be eliminated

What Will a One-Time Visit Cost?

When you suddenly start noticing ants, you can call in the pest control company for a one-time extermination. Ant exterminator cost near me may range between $80 to over $200 depending on the severity of infestation and size of the property being treated.

It’s vital to note that specific species may involve more effort, which could raise the cost.

Contract-Based Treatment

If you have an ongoing ant problem, you may need to hire an exterminator on a contractual basis. That means you may have to pay an annual, quarterly, or a monthly fee for the exterminator to come to your house on a scheduled basis to stop the ant problem before it begins again.

With this ant control service, you may get quarterly or monthly visits. However, this depends on the severity of the infestation. The cost may range from $500 to over $1.000 annually.

Extra Costs

You may incur additional costs when hiring an ant exterminator. For example, if you places like your backyard or garden also suffer from infestation apart from your house, you can request for the service at some extra dollars.

You may need to cater for the handyman’s labor cost if you need a repairperson to seal any holes and cracks. That can be about $70.

What Should You Tell the Ant Exterminator?

It’s vital to give the correct details and ask the right question when dealing with an ant control company. You need to inform them of when the infestation started, signs you may have noticed, and the location you suspect may be more problematic.

How to Choose the Right Ant Exterminator

You need to make a few considerations before hiring an ant exterminator. These include:

Check Qualifications

The pest control specialist must be registered and have a valid trade license. You can check one’s credentials through the Better Business Bureau. Don’t forget to ask about their skills in the use of insecticide applicators.
The right ant exterminator needs to use a combination of integrated pest management practices to get rid of ants and prevent them from returning. Also, the exterminator needs to come up with a cost-effective plan to meet your needs.

Ask for References

Another excellent way to find an ant control company is by asking them for a list of their previous clients. Call them and ask about their experience with the exterminator’s service. That will give you an idea of what to expect when working with this control company.

Check Their Reputation

You want to work with a company that has built an excellent reputation. Find out how many years of experience they have, plus the number of customers they have served. A company that’s been in the industry for longer may guarantee quality control services.

The Treatment Used

You don’t want to jeopardize the safety of you and your family as much as you’d like to handle an ant infestation. Exterminators used different methods like insecticide aerosols, ant baits in powder or gel form, and non-repellent insecticides.

Although the use of these chemicals is inevitable, you need to know that the treatment is safe around you and your family. A specialist should also guide you on how to handle future ant infestations.

Find out if they have a Guarantee

Professional exterminators provide a service guarantee to assure clients of their experience and efficacy of their treatments. You might get a re-treatment assurance if the previous treatment wasn’t sufficient.

Ask For the Number of Treatments They Plan to Use

Once you’ve settled for an exterminator, you need to find out the number of treatments they plan to carry out to eradicate the ant infestation. That may depend on the ant species and the severity of the ant problem.

Final Thoughts

Although ants may seem like a small problem, they can cause significant harm. The more you delay to contact a pest control specialist, the more damage you’ll have to deal with in regards to food infestation and your home’s structure.
Contacting a professional pest control can provide you with an effective treatment solution to prevent them from returning.

FAQs

Dome common questions on ant exterminators include.

How do Ant Exterminators Find Ant Colonies?

Ant exterminators may place baits like sugar or jelly where you may have noticed ants. That will attract ants, and they can follow the route to the ants’ nest.

How Do Ant Exterminators Work?

Ant exterminators first assess the infestation, identify the ant species you’re dealing with, and recommend the best treatment solution.