Carpenter ants and damp wood in Portland homes
What they are, what draws them, and what a visit looks like.
Carpenter ants don't eat wood. They tunnel through it to nest, and they choose wood that is already wet or soft. In Portland that is often a window frame, a deck post, the wall behind a bathroom leak, or a stump close to the house.
Why the moisture comes first
Spraying the ants without fixing the damp wood sends the colony somewhere else in the house. We look for the moisture and the nest, in that order, and we tell you which one we found.
What we can and can't tell you
We can say whether we see signs of an active colony and where. We can't see inside a closed wall. If we think wood is damaged, we say so and suggest a carpenter or inspector. We don't repair structural wood.
Signs we look for
Large ants indoors, mostly at night
Especially near a sink, a window or a wall that feels cool and damp.
Fine wood shavings in a small pile
Often under a sill or beside a baseboard. It looks like pencil shavings.
A faint rustle inside a wall
Quiet rooms at night are when it is easiest to hear.
Winged ants indoors in spring
A sign a colony is established nearby, inside or out.
What we do
- 01Step 1
Step 1: Look
We follow the trail at the edges of the house, check the damp spots, and probe soft wood with a tool. You see what we see.
- 02Step 2
Step 2: Close
We flag or fix the moisture, trim branches that touch the roof, and move firewood. Sealing the way in is quoted on its own line.
- 03Step 3
Step 3: Watch
We check the trail and any monitors at a second visit two to three weeks later, and write it down.
- 04Step 4
Step 4: Treat
If the colony is still active, a targeted product goes at the nest or trail, with the label followed. Some colonies need a third visit.
Questions about carpenter ants
Do I have to replace the wood?
Not always. Wood that is soft or hollow may need a carpenter's look. We tell you what we see and what we can't see.
How long until I stop seeing ants?
Most homes see fewer within a week or two, though it varies. A few ants after a visit don't mean it failed. That is what the check visit is for.
What if they come back?
If the pest we treated comes back in the same place within 60 days, we return and re-treat at no charge. It doesn't cover a pest we didn't treat, or a way in we told you to close that is still open. The terms are written on your quote before work starts.
Think you have carpenter ants?
Text a photo of the ant, or of the damp spot, and we'll write back.