Ants love to invade all kinds of electrical outlets and equipment. If you ever experienced ants coming out of electrical sockets, plugs, and other installations, you already know how frustrating and potentially dangerous this problem can be.
So, how to get rid of ants in electrical outlet? For natural solutions, you can apply cinnamon on entry points or peppermint spray around parts of the electric system. You can also use ant insecticides for fast results. However, if these aren’t effective, you can call professional services.
If not treated correctly and in time, this whole ant situation can get out of hand. Luckily, this article will teach you how to deal with this problem quickly. Read further for more!
What Damage Can Ants Do To Your Electric System
Ants are capable of cutting through wires as they are able to through small spaces such as cracks in walls. When one ant bites the wire and gets electrocuted, other ants will likely come due to pheromones.
Quickly you get a big pile of dead ants, and that pile can cause a short circuit which leads to a possible fire. If dead ants pile up inside an electric switch or an appliance, that can cause a severe malfunction.
Another possible scenario is for the ants to build a nest inside your wall. During this process, they will bring soil and with it moisture, and that is already a very big problem. You don’t want any moisture around your wiring and electrical installations.
Disclaimer: In cases where you are dealing with ant colonies in your electrical system, it is highly recommended to contact professionals. Power should be turned off when performing these kinds of delicate electric work.
Things You Can Do to Get Rid of Ants in Your Electric System
There are both DIY options and commercial products you can use to resolve ant problems in your electric system. We will be discussing it thoroughly in the following sections:
How To Get Rid Of Ants In Electrical Outlet: Instructions
Warning: Please understand that we strongly advise that you contact professional exterminators if ants have infested your electrical outlet and system. Tempering with electrical installations can be extremely dangerous and should be avoided if you don’t know what you are doing. Please turn down power switches before dealing with electrical installations.
Cinnamon
If you can locate spots that ants use to gain entry into your home, you can treat those spots with cinnamon. Ants won’t pass through the holes they used to gain entry again once they smell the spice.
You can use it even in cracks in the walls or foundation to stop them from entering your home. If you have problems with cracks in your house construction, fixing them is recommended because that will keep ants away for good.
Related: How to Get Rid of Ants Naturally | Eco-Friendly Solutions
Peppermint
Peppermint is very effective against ants, and it is recommended to use it if you find ants in parts of your electric system, like electrical outlets, boxes, circuit breakers, and such.
You can use peppermint in the form of a spray but be sure not to spray directly on the wires. Instead, spray around the parts of the electric system. Apply peppermint to entry holes too so that you can repel the ants.
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Ant Insecticides
If used properly, pesticides grant the best and fastest results in combating these little pests. Be sure to spray the electric outlets and not the wires. In all cases, avoid contact with the wiring parts of the installations. Spray the ants where you find them or use a premade spray).
Also, check for any ant trails around your home. Preventing ants from entering your home in the first place is important. If you find any, use pesticides on the whole trail, which will keep ants away.
Occasionally check if ants started using old trails or created new ones. These are some of the products that you can use to get rid of the ants in the electrical outlets:
- Metal Ant Killer Bait: Attracts and kills many different species...
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Professional Services
If you are not keen on DIY actions against ants or are just not comfortable with them, it is best to call the professionals. Browse ads for ant and insect exterminators, find one with extra experience with ants occupying electrical installations, and give them a call.
Ways Of Preventing Ant Invasions Of Electric Equipment And Installations
There is a couple of things you can do from your side to keep these ant infestations at the minimum:
- Keep your home clean. If you don’t have leftover food or groceries in your home, and everything else is neat and clean, that will deter ants from venturing into your home. Click here to find out what ants like to eat.
- Ant-proof electrical outlets. Seal or insulate all sensitive parts of electrical appliances, like open wires, with Teflon, rubber or insulating tape. For this job, it is best to contact a certified electrician, who will know the best ways to protect your electric equipment. If this is done incorrectly, it can negatively impact mistreated appliances’ working quality and life span.
- It would be a good decision to create a barrier around your home’s foundation with pesticide crystals placed in the soil. Do note that this is not an environmentally friendly solution, but in some cases, ants can be persistent so this might be your last option.
What Type Of Ants Usually Invade Electrical Equipment?
There are a couple of ant subspecies that are prone to invading electrical equipment and installations, like Kamikaze ants, the Asian super ant, and Fire ants which usually inhabit electrical boxes and traffic signal switches.
In America, an ant called Tawny crazy ant is especially attracted to electrical devices and installations. Of course, other ants can invade electrical equipment, but these are the most common.
Related: How Many Types of Ants Are There: Ant Identification Chart
Are Ants Drawn To Some Appliances Or Electric Equipment More Often?
Circuit breakers are most commonly invaded by ants and it is followed by a switch box and an electric pump. Ants also like to inhabit air conditioner units and electric outlets.
So from this, you now know where to occasionally check to see if you have ants in your home. Early detection can save you time, nerves and money, so keep this in mind.
Ants in the home are a nuisance by themselves, but having them in electrical installations creates another dimension of a problem. Ants can create some severe damage to the wiring, installation, appliances and all kinds of electrical equipment. They can even burn your home, so it is not a joke.
Related: How to Get Rid of Ants | Safe and Effective Methods
List of Sources
Drees, B. M. (2014). Managing Household Ant Pests.
Keck M., & Drees B. (2013). Managing Red Imported Fire Ants in Electrical Equipment and Utility Housings.
Koehler, P. G., Vazquez, R. J., Pereira, R. M. (2022). Ants.
Layton, B. (2015). Tawny Crazy Ant Control Recommendations.
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