Carpenter ants can ruin porches by excavating galleries in damp wood framing. Pavement ants can ruin porches by nesting under concrete slabs and pavers, causing them to settle and crack.
Porches are unusually exposed when it comes to pests. They often sit at a grade and take a beating from the weather. They also often hold moisture where the structure meets the ground. So there are a couple of major ways where porches can lead, indirectly, to ant problems.
Carpenter ants don’t eat wood. They carve it out in order to nest inside of it. They push the debris out in the form of coarse sawdust piles that appear beneath the damage. They need wood that has already been softened by moisture, and porches supply that. So if you find carpenter ants, you have a moisture problem of some sort too and that will need to be fixed. You don’t want to let this go on for long. Years of carpenter ant infestation can lead to a serious structural problem.
With masonry, your bigger issue comes from pavement ants. They nest beneath it. They like being under slabs and steps because it gives them a moist, protected place to call home. As they excavate, they carry soil out and up through joints leaving those all-too-familiar small mounds. The setting bed loses material and pavers start to settle unevenly. Given enough time, joints will open and slabs can crack. This is slow, but Metro Detroit already sees a lot of issues with outdoor structures because of the cold winters, and this only makes it worse.
To fix ant problems on your porch, first fix moisture issues like those caused by gutters or downspouts. Pay special attention to any wood that’s directly in touch with soil. Keep the patio and step joints filled as well, ideally with polymeric sand. If you have mulch by the porch edge, pull it back and trim vegetation too. Store firewood away from the porch and walls.
If ants are working in or under your porch, Mosquito Squad of Metro Detroit can help. Mosquito Squad treats the ant colonies around your foundation and the entry points they use. This will help you protect your porch and the wood your house depends on.
