Cost to Hire an Ant Exterminator – Estimates and Prices at …

How much does it cost to hire an ant exterminator?

For many people, there is no worse sign of a dirty or unkept home than the infiltration of pests such as ants. Unfortunately, ants are a common pest that can be found in numerous homes and buildings – even those that are clean and sanitary. Ants are attracted by things such as warmth, food particles, and in the case of carpenter ants even your homes structure. Any ant can bite, and while they dont carry diseases, they can contaminate food and, according to the CDC, some species of fire ant can be a serious problem for young children, the elderly, and those with health issues as their stings can be painful or cause negative reactions. Ants can also impact your garden, decrease the amount of wildlife nearby, and in the case of carpenter ants may even do serious damage to your home.

They are typically found near sources of food. For the majority of the ants youll find indoors, this means on counters, on the floor beneath tables and chairs, inside cabinets, and anywhere food crumbs may typically be dropped. Carpenter ants may also be found inside your window casings, baseboards, attic, and any other areas where there is both abundant wood and easy access from the outdoors.

If you find ants indoors, youll also likely find them outside as well. For the majority of ants, this typically isnt a problem, but if you have fire ants or carpenter ants you may want to deal with the nests or mounds as well to prevent them from getting indoors.

On average, the cost of a general anttreatment excluding fire and carpenter ants in a3,000 sq.ft. house is $250.

There are numerous species of ants in the world, but most people living in the US will see a few of the more common ones on a regular basis. No ant is good to have indoors, but a few are more harmless than others; identifying which ant you have will help you get the most effective treatment to be rid of them:

When an ant enters your home for the first time, its looking for food. If it finds some, it leaves a trail from the food source back to its colony for other ants to follow. This is in part what makes it so difficult to get rid of the ants; this trail is invisible to the human eye. Ants can enter through very small cracks and crevices as well, so its important not just to kill the ants currently in your home, but to eradicate their trail and seal up any cracks or crevices with caulk1 to ensure they cannot re enter.

The type of extermination method that you or your exterminator will use is largely based on the type of ant and where the infestation is located. A thorough cleaning, keeping food sealed up and shut away, and sealing up any cracks in your home are all necessary to avoid the ants returning after they have been killed:

A typical visit from an exterminator will last one to two hours, and will cost from $150 to $1000 for the treatment, depending on the type of ant. You may require more than one treatment, and your exterminator may recommend the services of a handyman at a rate of $60 to $90 an hour to seal up any cracks in or around your home where ants are getting in.

In many cases, simply eradicating the existing ants is not enough to stop them from coming back; you also need to do some kind of preventative control. If this is a serious problem, having a monthly service may help. Otherwise, you can take the following steps to prevent the ants from returning:

Many exterminators today recommend or use green or non-toxic pesticides to control the ants. These are particularly important if you have children or pets in your home. Typically there is no additional cost, as most exterminators have already made the switch.

If you have carpenter or fire ants, it may be recommended that you work to eradicate the pests from your yard at a cost of $2 per nest. This will ensure the queen is killed and better reduces your chances of reinfestation.

If you have pests frequently returning to your home, it may be beneficial to have scheduled, monthly treatments. These usually run around $30 a month after an initial visit of about $80.

Unless you are dealing with fire ants or carpenter ants you may want to try getting the infestation under control yourself. There are many DIY methods available, many of which cost significantly less than professional treatment. These include:

Keep in mind that these methods may not prevent reinfestation if not used continuously, particularly during the early summer months.

Few exterminators offer guarantees for getting rid of ants. If you have a severe infestation, your best bet may be the two-step method followed by monthly maintenance to help ensure the ants do not return.

If you find evidence that insects have been eating the wood in your home, you may not be able to tell at first glance if they are ants or termites. Both will wreck havoc on your home, but in very different ways. Termites actually ingest the wood, while the ants tunnel through it. To tell the difference, take a look at the damaged area. A termite is a messy pest, leaving behind a lot of soil and debris in its wake; an ant is clean and will leave behind neat tunnels and passages through your wood. Both should be treated immediately to prevent future damage.

The most common method of getting rid of ants is to remove their food source, then use poisoned bait to kill both the ants in your home and in the nest.

The most common way to get rid of sugar ants or little black ants is to remove their food source by thoroughly cleaning your home, then using poisoned bait to kill the remaining ants and nest.

Ants are drawn to the kitchen in search of food. Removing the food source by putting away food and cleaning up crumbs will help rid your kitchen of ants. Poisoned bait can help kill any remaining ants.

There are many methods of controlling ants including removing their food source, using poisoned bait, chemical sprays, and monthly treatments by an exterminator.

The average cost of hiring an exterminator for pests like ants is around $250.

The cost of professional ant extermination is around $250, but can go as high as $1,400 including ongoing treatment.

Terminix does has a service to rid homes of ants, including monthly contracts with repeat visits.

Carpenter ants are winged ants of varying sizes which eat the wood in your homes framing and foundation.

Read the original post:
Cost to Hire an Ant Exterminator – Estimates and Prices at …