I had a huge ant problem. I tried all of the store bought ant traps. Called a couple of large pest control companies but what they were saying they would do for me made no sense. I called Joe. After Joe had a look the decision was made to remove some drywall below the window. Tons of ants dispersed. Joe treated the area on 2 separate occasions. I had my contractor repair the wall and Im happy to say I have no more ants. Such a relief. I would highly recommend Joe. Very honest.
- Approximate cost of services:
- $40.00
- Company Response
Thank you for your review. The issue is whether you spray around the house or whether we find the source and get to the heart of the matter. The problem with carpenter ants is that they can be a real problem for an exterminator. Most guys think that carpenter ants are an easy pest to deal with and will simply spray the whole house with the belief that they will mitigate or even resolve an ant issue. The ants are in the walls and spraying simply contains them there and so they just don't come out for awhile which doesn't resolve an ant situation, it just means they're not visibly around inside. The ants are busy living in our homes, going up and down our houses exterior walls at will, while we are sleeping and that little baseboard spray is doing nothing. Don't get me wrong sometimes a good spray is all that's needed too. A spray that is targeted can work quickly and easily and a busy exterminator can move on. I will provide two examples which occurred to me this year.
The first was a home in Milton whereby ants where showing up all over the kitchen in large numbers on a daily basis. The tenant was quite upset and was nervous at the prospect of a whole house spray which makes sense. I looked at the situation and determined the layout of the kitchen had some issues with their proximity to the rear sliding doors and the fact that a green bin was directly outside. I moved the bin and found numerous carpenter ants. The ants, I determined, were going to the bin and then simply walking through the sliding doors to the kitchen. The area all around the outside was sprayed, we moved the green bin and installed some glue boards and the issue is completely resolved to this day. Each job is unique and in this scenario a few minor changes were all that were required. So why do I need to spray all the rooms in a house when a simply solution was all that was required.
The second example took place in Toronto and was also quite interesting and involved carpenter ants. The client had been dealing with carpenter ants for over 10 years and was exhausted by the numerous sprays put forth by exterminators which did not work. The house was sprayed in and out many times and clearly nothing was working. The client having read my reviews was looking for a different approach. I booked an inspection and we meet at the house a few days later and we discussed the ongoing problem. The ants always showed up from the top floor at the beginning of the year which I found interesting as my first clue. Secondly, they start to appear in the bathrooms and then make their way downstairs. In my mind I knew that the issue would be centered on that second floor bathroom. Upon further inspection I find there is a skylight that looks moist. To me a skylight is a constant source of potential moisture and so I was intrigued immediately. Remember my mindset is that there is usually a real reason for a pest issue, (just like that green bin which I previously mentioned). So I go to my truck and pull off my largest ladder and make my way up to that second story skylight. Looking around all seems fine but I wait for half an hour nice and still because I already know from other jobs that the problem is close by. I finally see a carpenter ant which has come down to the skylight via a wire which is running across the street running through a maple tree on the other side. I'm looking at this wire and its now the 401 or QEW of ants. They are simply following a pheromone trail right to my clients' home. The small opening in the skylight was sealed. I went across the street and pruned the branches around the wire. I sprayed the nest which was in the tree and now the problem is solved for good.
All of this without spraying an entire house down. Both issues involved carpenter ants and yet they were uniquely different in approach. After 10 years of sprays I was the only guy to get on a ladder and deal with this issue correctly. JoeSnap Pest Control
snappestcontrol@gmail.com
647 991 1803
