Ants live pretty much anywhere and can be real pests, but one of the places they often nest in is in the gutters. In this blog, Carolina Gutter Helmet® discusses how to prevent ants from nesting in your gutters and how gutter protection systems can help.
How Ants Nest In Gutters
Certain ant species tend to nest in areas where they won’t be disturbed by the weather and predators. Gutters provide such shelter to ants, and, during seasons without rain, they will settle long enough to forage for food. Given that gutters are the last place people would look for when trying to get rid of ants, they would stay undisturbed long enough to establish a colony.
Dealing With Ants in the Gutters
You may be able to get rid of ants using ant bait, erroneously referred to as “ant traps”. It’s a type of slow-acting insecticide that ants mistake for food, which they store until the poison spreads in the entire colony. The problem is, it doesn’t work on all species. Also, ant bait is toxic to humans and has to be handled carefully. You also have the option to hire exterminators at cost.
Prevention is still key to avoiding having ants in your gutters. The important thing to remember is that, in addition to the aforementioned conditions, ants thrive in gutters that have lots of debris in it. Clean gutters aren’t ideal because for ants since it leaves the colony too open, and it lacks the basic building blocks needed for building a colony, such as dirt and grit. Keeping your gutters clean and free from all manner of detritus makes your gutters inhospitable to ants.
Gutter Protection Systems Can Help
The problem with cleaning your gutters is that you have to stick to a regular maintenance regimen, which, ideally, should be done twice a year. A gutter protection system helps minimize the chances of having ants live in your gutters by preventing dirt and debris from getting in in the first place.
Gutter Helmet has the advantage of not preventing solid matter form entering the gutters, unlike other filter-type systems. Its patented nose-forward design keeps leaves, dirt and debris on the ground while keeping rainwater in the gutters. In addition to preventing problems associated with clogged gutters, it also helps keep your gutters free from ants.
Carolina Gutter Helmet is your provider of Gutter Helmet, the industry’s leading gutter protection systems. Give us a call at (866) 882-8292, or fill out our contact form. We serve customers in Greer, SC, and surrounding areas.
